Outreach Worker:
Evonne Komaromi

Outreach Background

The Outreach effort at Danforth Mennonite Church has taken, numerous different directions, and many adjustments in focus, throughout our history. We are still defining and redefining our involvements. We employ an Outreach Worker (Evonne Komaromi) part time to assist us, as we try to be "God's People" on "The Danforth".

Programs
Christian Education:
Sunday School - Nursery - adult
Vacation Bible Camp - 1 week during the summer
Special Event Learning - Random seminars, Bible or Book Studies throughout year
Membership Classes - as required

Seniors:
Monthly Dinner - In conjunction with "Meals Here & There"
Weekly Drop In - Various activities & Out Trips
Visitation - Regular home visits to identified isolated seniors
SCOC - Involved as board members, staff, volunteers & in Special Programing

Tools:
Church is used regularly as base by this program offering a glimpse of Toronto and life on the tough side.

Disadvantaged:
Lazarus Rising - Various involvement & support
MCC Thrift Store - New in July 2003
Ten Thousand Villages - Various involvements from Management to Volunteer.
Out of the Cold - Provided Diner Music monthly at Eastminster United Church

Refugee Sponsorship:
New Life Center - Support and providing Board Member
Sponsorship - Involved with both full and Nominal Sponsorship.

Mennonite Voluntary Service:
This Unit opened in the Fall of 2003 with three VSers.

The Outreach Committee, after careful consideration, proposes to the congregation of Danforth Mennonite Church (DMC) that the church hire a part-time Outreach Worker to begin working in the new year (January 2004). The new Outreach Worker position, as outlined in the attached job description, builds on past achievements of the church, continuing and developing traditional service aspects of church ministry, while positioning DMC to meet current challenges and opportunities in outreach to the local community.

What's new in this proposal
The job description attached differs substantially from the job descriptions of previous Outreach Workers in the following ways:
- A new category, "Community Outreach," forms 50 % of the worker's
responsibility (about 7 hours a week).
- Supporting the Seniors Social Club (formerly the Seniors Drop-in) is now just 30 % of the workers responsibility (about 4 hours per week) whereas it had previously been a primary responsibility.
- A new category, "Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) Support" has been added at 20 % of the workers time (about 3 hours per week) to provide key staff support to this new ministry.
- The total hours have been reduced from 18 hours per week to 15 hours per week (this includes about 1 hour per week for meetings).
We envision the worker using the 15 hours per week quite flexibly as many outreach activities vary in intensity with the season and with the church calendar.

Rationale
The most significant innovation in this proposal is the new category of "Community Outreach." This involves working with the church, the DMC staff and the Outreach Committee to engage the church in the local community, and the local community in the church. By giving community outreach 50 % of the Outreach Worker's time, we are placing a priority on community ministry and greater involvement of community members in the church.

This type of community outreach work had already been started by the previous Outreach Worker. The Outreach Committee believes that if we are to be a viable, community-based church, we will need to give greater attention to making our church ministry relevant and effective vis-a-vis the community in which we are located

The Outreach Worker will continue to support the work with seniors by supporting the Wednesday afternoon program in much the same way it was supported by the previous worker in the past year. The time the worker gives to this program had already been reduced to approximately four hours per week and this seemed to work well for the group. By maintaining Seniors Social Club support in this new proposal the Outreach Committee is signaling its conclusion that this work with
seniors is an important ministry of DMC.

The major change we recommend regarding seniors in this proposal is that the Outreach Worker no longer be responsible for visiting seniors. Instead, we suggest the church .congregation pick up the responsibility of visiting seniors on a volunteer basis. The worker would help to ensure seniors are being visited. The Outreach Worker would also ensure that the seniors programming is well-connected to congregational life by organizing opportunities for building relationships between the two (inviting seniors to special services, inviting the
congregation to seniors events, the visiting program, prayer, etc.).

MVS support has been added in recognition that this is an important and time-consuming ministry of the church that needs a limited amount of dedicated staff time to be most successful.

The 15 hours per week of Outreach Worker time would include meeting time with the Outreach Committee and the MVS committee as well as other church meetings as needed.

Overall, the shift is from an Outreach Worker who carries out the church's work with seniors to an Outreach Worker who helps the church to do effective and dynamic programming with the community, while supporting the church in facilitating effective senior and voluntary service ministries. We feel this model will best help the church fulfill its mandate in upcoming years

New Proposed Job Description

Danforth Mennonite Church (DMC) is a small church with a big heart in the city of Toronto. Located in the vibrant Danforth/Woodbine neighbourhood, "Danforth" has a long history of community outreach and ministry. In its quest to continue to develop this ministry, the church is currently seeking the right person to fill the part-time position (15 hrs per week) of "Outreach Worker."

Collaborating closely with the DMC staff team, the Outreach Committee (OC), and the Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) committee, the Outreach Worker will have the following responsibilities:

1. Community Outreach: approximately 50 % of time
To work with DMC in developing its mission in the local community, leading to increased community participation in the church and more effective church ministry in the community.

· Assist church in assessing how to best connect with our local community
· Assist church in acting on potential connections-help the church to mobilize programs and resources for community outreach
· Promote the church: help DMC to be better known in the community.
· Work with the OC and others in the congregation to help DMC be a "welcoming, accessible church"
· Promote and support Vacation Bible Camp, the Christmas Community Carol Sing and other seasonal outreach events
· Maintain relations with outside organizations as they pertain to community outreach (such as Habitat for Humanity)
· Participate in OC and MVS committee meetings--generally one meeting each per month; limited other meetings as required

2. Seniors Social Club Support: approximately 30 % of time
To support the existing Seniors Social Club (SSC) in its weekly activities, managing the SSC at current levels of activity and participation while working with the SSC members, the OC and DMC to determine the future of the program.

· Provide weekly program support at Wednesday meetings
· Ensure that seniors connected to the SSC are connected to and supported by the church (setting up a volunteer visiting program, prayer links, liaising with social services, etc.)
· Help the OC and the seniors to define the future of the SSC

3. Mennonite Volunteer Service (MVS) Support: roughly 20 % of time.
To support the work of the MVS Committee in developing a viable and effective MVS unit.

· Support the MVS Committee in the ongoing recruitment and placement of MVS participants
· Support the MVS Committee in day to day relations with the MVS unit
· Maintain relations with MVS support bodies on behalf of the MVS Committee

Details of employment

Reporting Structure: The Outreach Worker will collaborate closely with the other staff at DMC-the Minister and the Church Administrative Assistant. The Worker will report to and be supported by the Outreach Committee. Ultimate responsibility is to the Church Council, representing the DMC congregation.

Contract: The position is for 15 hours per week, with a six month contract starting at the beginning of January, 2004. There may be a possibility of contract renewal at the end of the 6 months. Ideally, the Outreach Worker would have some flexibility around the timing of the 15 hours per week, as some work could occur in evenings or weekends and work intensity will vary with seasonal church activities.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate is an individual whose Christian faith and practices align closely with the faith and practices of Danforth Mennonite Church and the greater Mennonite Church. The candidate can work well in a team, and knows how to strike an effective balance between 'getting tasks done' and 'supporting the congregation' in outreach initiatives. She or he has the interest, enthusiasm, skills and self-management capacity to successfully complete the outreach tasks described in this job description. She or he can demonstrate these qualifications in an interview process, through past work experiences and through appropriate references. It would be beneficial if the Outreach Worker attended DMC worship services at least some Sundays but this is not a requirement for the position.