By Teri Tobey | Program Associate for Young People’s Ministries
Your church received an advance premium credit as an incentive to complete background checks on staff and volunteers. We would like to celebrate the following 102* churches who have met or exceeded the minimum number of three background checks run in 2016:
Inland District: Cheney, Clarkston, Coeur D’Alene, Colville*, Moscow: First, Ritzville: Trinity, Rockford, Spokane Valley, Spokane: Audubon Park, Spokane: Covenant, Spokane: Fowler, Spokane: Manito, Spokane: Moran*.
Puget Sound District: Allen, Arlington United*, Bellingham: Garden St., Custer*, Edmonds, Everet: Spirit of Grace*, Langley*, Marysville, Mill Creek: Cedar Cross, Mount Vernon: First, Oak Harbor, Port Townsend: Trinity, Sequim: Trinity*, Snohomish.
Seattle District: Bainbridge Island: Seabold*, Bellevue: Aldersgate, Bellevue: First, Bellevue: St. Peters, Bothell, Covington: Cornerstone, Issaquah: Faith, Kent, Kirkland: Lake Washington, Redmond, Renton: Fairwood, Seattle: Beacon, Seattle: Blaine Memorial, Seattle: Haller Lake*, Seattle: Queen Anne, Seattle: Tibbetts, Seattle: Trinity*, Seattle: University Temple, Seattle: Valley and Mountain Fellowship, Shoreline: Ronald, Snoqualmie, Tukwila: Riverton Park, Woodinville: Bear Creek*, Woodinville: Community.
Seven Rivers District: Benton City, Goldendale, Kennewick: First, Leavenworth, Omak*, Pasco Riverview, Richland: Central United Protestant, Royal City, Sunnyside, Walla Walla: Grace, Walla Walla: Pioneer, Yakima: Wesley, Yakima: West Park*.
Tacoma District: Auburn: First, Belfair: North Mason, Bremerton, Eatonville*, Federal Way, Federal Way: Sunrise, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, Lacey: St. Andrews, Olympia: First, Port Orchard, Puyallup, Puyallup: Light of the Hill*, Shelton, Silverdale*, Spanaway*, Sumner, Tacoma: Brown’s Point, Tacoma: The Bridge, Tumwater*.
Vancouver District: Aberdeen: First, Camas, Castle Rock*, Centralia, Fern Prairie, Kalama, Kelso: First, Montesano, Ridgefield, Rochester, Satsap, Stevenson, Vancouver: Mill Plain, Vancouver: Orchards*, Vancouver: Salmon Creek, Vancouver: Vancouver Heights, Willapa*.
If your name is not on this list we would like to remind you that the expectation from our carrier and the Conference is that at least three background checks would be done in 2016 by every church.
So you know, any unused credit given in 2016 will not “roll over” to be used next year for background checks. The credit will be lost forever. You still have time to do your part to control insurance costs and keep your premium credit. Make sure you’ve done all of your background checks by December 15th!
Even worse, churches that do not meet the minimum level of 3 background checks performed will not only lose their premium credit; they’ll be charged a surcharge in early 2017 for non-compliance.
*Churches added to celebration list 12-5-16
Do you have questions about running background checks? Contact Teri Tobey (ttobey@pnwumc.org, 206-870-6822) in the PNW Office of Connectional Ministries.
All churches need to remember that no system is perfect. Our name does not appear on this list and we have met the requirement. It is no one person’s fault when omissions are made, but these lists remind us to double check with the conference and other groups to make sure information is accurate. We have started the verification process as of today. Thanks for the heads up Teri. Well make sure from our end that the info has been forwarded appropriately. Hope others will as well.
Kim, I am glad that Spirit of Grace is actively working on making sure that the Spirit of Grace is a Safe Place for all. Thank you for your comment.