LPC Short Term Outreach Policies and Procedures
If you are interested in participating on a Short Term Outreach (STO) with Landing Place Church, please read below and acknowledge on the application form.
Financial Policy
Once your application is reviewed, if you are accepted to go on this trip the deposit will be due. It is non-refundable.
• By submitting this application to be part of an STO, you acknowledge that you are personally responsible to pay for, or arrange funding for, your portion of the trip costs.
• All trip costs are the team member's responsibility and due by the established deadline outlined by Landing Place Church. Your team leader will provide information on raising financial support; however if full support is not raised, the balance is your personal responsibility.
• If you are unable to participate in your STO, the team leader must receive cancellation notice as soon as possible. You may be responsible for all trip costs.
Note: monies put towards mission trips are contributions, and the Internal Revenue Service prohibits the refund of contributions.
• If you were to withdraw from the STO for any reason, you would be responsible for any nonrefundable costs (i.e., airline tickets, ground fees, etc.) incurred by Landing Place Church.
• Team members will be given information regarding passports and vaccination recommendations from the Department of Health. Passport and vaccination costs are not included in the trip cost and are the responsibility of the team member.
• If a team member raises more than the required support or for any reason cannot participate on the STO, their funds will be reallocated to other team members. Reallocation of all donated funds are at the discretion of Landing Place Church.
• It is the team member's responsibility to inform supporters of his/her inability to participate on this STO, but that the funds donated will still go to the trip itself.
• Landing Place Church is not responsible for unforeseen cost increases (i.e., airline fuel surcharges) STO costs are “estimated” trip costs and may fluctuate as the team size and mission expenditures are determined.
• All fundraising events must adhere to Landing Place Church fundraising guidelines.
Team Participation
A STO team becomes "closed" and no longer available for additional members when the team size cap is reached. Some outreaches have strict policies as to how many team members can participate. Others are more flexible.
• If team capacity allows, and you wish to join an STO team past the published date, you must submit a personal request to the Landing Place Church Outreach Pastor, as well as the STO team leader.
• You will be responsible for any additional costs incurred (i.e., airline fare cost difference, etc.) due to joining the team past the stated deadlines.
STO’s can be rewarding and life changing, but will also challenge us as we leave the comforts of home. Please consider factors in your personal life that may distract and prohibit you from fully committing to the overarching mission and adapting to unusual conditions.
Once accepted, team members are expected to attend all scheduled team meetings. These mandatory meetings are part of the process in preparing for the STO. They provide opportunity for team building experiences as well as allow team leaders to communicate expectations and necessary information for the team members.
Code of Conduct
Team members participating on a Landing Place Church sponsored STO are reminded that they are ambassadors of Jesus Christ. As teams serve they not only represent Him, but the United States, Landing Place Church, and/or the supporting missionary agency. This is a tremendous responsibility. For this reason, the Outreach Department asks that each team member seek to be above reproach in his/her actions and attitudes. This includes but is not limited to:
• Gossip. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29. There is no room for slander or gossip on an STO team. Any concerns you may have about situations that occur while serving need to be brought to the attention of the team leader only.
• Seeking romantic relationships. An STO is not the place to pursue a romantic interest in someone. If you do begin to experience romantic feelings towards a fellow team member or someone associated with the ministry you are working with, we ask that you refrain from acting on these while on the trip.
• Flexibility. "Blessed are the flexible for they shall be bent out of shape." Teams will find themselves in unpredictable situations that will require a flexible attitude. It is best to enter into an STO with the understanding that most things are subject to change and you will need to be able to just "go with the flow." Team members are to submit to their team leader's authority.
• Team members must refrain from abusive language, drinking alcoholic beverages, taking illegal drugs, etc., while on the mission field. If at any time a team member's behavior continues to be a problem, the team leader has the authority to ask the team member to return home. Any additional costs incurred as a result of this action will be at the candidate's expense.