Big Creek Missions Registration and Payment Policy (summer):
As soon as possible: Groups may pre-register at any time online. Along with the online registration, a $100 group deposit is due to verify your intent to attend Big Creek Missions during the summer of 2009.
February 1: Non-refundable deposits of $40 per person are due to Big Creek Missions. Send all payments to: B
May 1: Final payments due. Final payments can not typically be refunded in whole or in part, including late arrival or early departure. Again, we commit to work with you if at all possible due to a participant's sickness or sudden and traumatic events. Just give us a call if you have any problems.
Please Read:
**Due to our limited space and high demand, delinquency in payment may result in your group’s space being transferred to another group, or being placed on a waiting list (again, let us know if there's a problem!)
**Additional participants can be added as long as space is available. Let us know!
**As a general rule, deposits are not refundable and not transferrable, but we will work with you if possible.
**Final payments can not be refunded in whole or in part, including for late arrival or early departure.
Big Creek Missions Ministry-Track Selection Policy (summer)
At Big Creek Missions, we typically host between 10 and 12 church groups per week during summer months. Big Creek Missions promotes unity in the Body of Christ by placing students into workgroups that may or may not have adults or students from their home church. We have seen this method effectively challenge students AND ADULTS to step out of their typical “box” and lead without the preconceived labels their group may have placed on them. Everyone starts with a clean slate at Big Creek! Each workgroup will have a Big Creek Staff member or representative onsite at all times to insure consistency of mission and provide consistent enforcement of safety and rules throughout the week. Students and adults will sign up for their preferred ministry track ON SITE at Big Creek. We cannot guarantee that any adult or student will receive their first choice of ministries, nor can we guarantee any placement with a friend. We will accomodate requests by youth leaders to pair students with specific adults prior to making group assignments on site. Churches that desire to have students paired with at least one other church member will need to follow instructions given upon arrival. The pairings will be random unless specific pairings are requested by the group leader. When paired, unless both students choose the same ministry track, we cannot guarantee first choice for any ministry track. Forms will be available on-site for pairing requests. Due to transportation issues, staffing issues, space issues, and issues beyond our control, we may not be able to accomodate ALL requests, although we will do our absolute best.
Big Creek Missions Transportation Policy
Because Big Creek Missions does not own any vehicles available for transportation, it is the responsibility of each group to provide drivers, vehicles, and insurance for their vehicles. Here are some things to remember that will help make things run smoothly while at Big Creek.
§ Vehicle Safety: Churches are expected to inspect and verify that all vehicles are SAFE to operate, have been maintained properly, all lights and seat belts are working properly (if equipped), and tires are in good condition, and inflated to a proper level. All churches should verify insurance coverage prior to departure.
§ Vehicle Drivers: It is strongly advised to have several approved and trained drivers for each vehicle! This enables us to easily place drivers in their desired ministry tracks!
§ Vehicles suggested size: Between 5 and 15 passengers. Because we divide students into ministry groups of 8-15, we require you to bring enough vehicles that you can divide and transport your students into groups of 10-15. Example: If you bring a 30 passenger bus, plan to bring additional vehicles so you can transport 15 in the bus, plus 15 in additional vehicles. If we don't have enough vehicles, the groups will be larger than normal, and this will inconvenience EVERYONE at Big Creek during your week of summer missions!
§ Drivers Safety: Drivers should be responsible and comfortable with the vehicle they are driving, and should be willing to enforce ALL seat belt rules and drive safely while transporting students.
§ Drivers and Ministry Tracks (summer): If a person wants to "guarantee" their placement in a construction crew, it is important that the person DOES NOT drive a vehicle that is used primarily to transport students (i.e. van/bus). It is advisable that they drive seperate if they want to guarantee their placement in construction. This is the only way we can GUARANTEE a person will be able to work construction. Even if they drive seperate, we will use their vehicle to transport students / adults to their worksite. Should a person drive a van or a bus, that person should realize that vans and buses typically are assigned first to COMMUNITY and CHILDREN's MINISTRIES because those groups are typically larger. Regardless, we ask that adults act with Christian humility and maturity if we ask them to serve in an area that wasn't their "first choice." Our first priority must be transporting the participants to their sites!
§ Driving Distances: Because we serve in three counties, drivers should be prepared to travel distances of close to 30 miles to their sites per day depending on your location.
Big Creek Missions Adult Volunteer Policies
We are always thankful to have such wonderful adults who assist with the ministries at Big Creek Missions. In an effort to promote unity in the body and insure consistency with expectations, attitudes, and actions, we ask the following from all churches:
§ Background Checks: We strongly suggest that your church runs thorough background checks (local, state, and federal criminal and driving history) on all adults working with students prior to attending Big Creek.
§ Staff Relations: The staff at Big Creek Missions is carefully selected by the camp director so we may be consistent in all our ministries. We promote one message as one body in Christ. Because we come from such diverse ministerial backgrounds, our staff will be working hard to present a consistent front to the community we serve. Their task will be to extend the philosophies and ministries of the Big Creek Mission and it's director into the community. Therefore, while on site, the staff will be communicating ideas and expectations given by the director. The staff act as the official representatives of the ministry at all times. We respectfully ask adults to show a willingness to submit to the humble leadership of our staff, although they may be much younger. We ask adults to promote unity by never confronting a staff member in public, rather, concerns or questions can be addressed to the director first in private.
§ Expectations: All adults are expected to follow all written and verbal rules while on site. Adults are expected to participate in all worship opportunities, without question, so as to set an example for the students. Please understand, this is not camp. This is a mission center where we place strong emphasis on worship (including the teaching of God's Word) and mentoring of students and young adults. Therefore, we set a high standard for adults to lead by positive example. Immaturity, divisiveness, disregard for mission center policies, and disrespect of designated leadership will not be tolerated. In all situations, we will follow the example Christ set forth for Biblical reconciliation in Matthew 18:15-17.