MinistryList.com

Other Details

Grace Mission (Henderson, NE) – General Director

Big Picture

Grace Mission (gracemission.info) is searching for a General Director who has great flexibility and willingness to do all that is needed to supply leadership and learn how things work on the fields of Haiti and Mexico, home office, Canada, and USA. Its home office is located in Henderson, Nebraska near I-80,

U.S. Administration:

1. Taking care of all paperwork connected with US government regulations dealing with a nonprofit. This involves fulfilling ECFA reports, requirements, etc. as it relates to finances, board activities, and foreign relations. Local accountants help us fill out 990 paperwork for the Mission which we supply information for.

2. Keeping books, fund accounting, filing, deposits, and storing all paperwork. We have a local person doing the books. We keep all receipts, photo copy all checks. Marsha enters all donations, keeps the addresses updated, and works on keeping the proper papers saved for the correct number of years required by law.

3. Caring for the building is required by fixing any problems, painting on occasion, lawn, flower care, and snow removal on the walkways.

4. Board communication must take place on a regular basis. Especially when important and serious matters arise. Preparing board reports, keeping the minute book update, planning meetings, and giving reports pictorially and verbally at the meetings.

5. Newsletter prep includes writing, pictures, printing, folding, addressing envelopes, and bulk mailing. Marsha takes care of the mailing, I take care of the writing, printing and folding. We both take care of the stuffing. Specific thank you letters must be written weekly and quickly to follow up with those who give generously on specific needs. Gratitude, humility, praise are always welcome by donors. Follow up with results is HUGELY important. Pictures of results are included in follow up letters. The newsletter is also emailed to several hundred people.

6. Local relationships with businesses is important. When purchasing can be done and business used locally it is great. Insurance, mechanic, parts, accounting, banking, pharmacy, and computer servicing is all available locally.

7. You will seek to raise support for yourself. The board of directors sets your salary. What support you do not raise is made up from General Fund donations. Your care in not crossing use of Mission finances, vehicles, and anything else with your own personal use is very important.

Field Administration:

1. Finances are a key part of what must be done. It starts at the end of each month by recording how much money has come in to each fund so that you know how much is available for each need. Planning for projects and funding them starts here. Preparing the money to be sent involves writing the checks, filling out the forms and keeping track of what has been sent, communicating with the field on what is needed and what is sent. Checks are sent to Haiti monthly along with info on all that it goes for. Mexico money is transferred by wire and ATM.

2. Financial follow up on the field occurs as you visit the Haiti field, speak with Bernadin about the funds and how they have been used, visit the building sites, and talk to the leaders at the Orphanage, Senior Home, and the Benders. Pictures must be taken to report back to the supporters, board and how that specific needs have been fulfilled as the needs are met.

Mexico is similar and starting with seeing the needs and being there to see it and keep the spiritual needs a priority is extremely vital. We want to keep the spiritual paramount in all we do but we also help with physical needs on occasion and when possible.

3. Leadership with the leaders on the field involves building a relationship with them by encouraging, disciple them, and sometimes correcting them. It starts with loving them as brothers in Christ and treating them with respect, listening to them, wanting them to be successful and not worrying about your aggrandizement. They will quickly try to lift you up which can sometimes be with ulterior motives. Many different situations will arise on the field. You must follow the Bible first, understand their culture, considering what is major and what is minor. Sometimes they need your backing on discipline situations. Our view must be to seek to first let them lead and make the decisions with our help. We must follow our motto: “Unleashing the Power of the Gospel through National Ministers”.

4. Teams must be planned with the National leaders, connect the with local church team leaders, establish dates, plan projects, finance the trip and costs, arrange airline tickets with Lacy’s Travel (a local business) if they want our help, prepare and send manuals, send applications, and follow up with reports and pictures of teams for the newsletter.

As you travel with a team you lead by example and kindness and have some fun along the way. As possible you work alongside them. You will turn over the details to the leaders on the ground and do it the way the locals want it done. Sometimes experienced construction people on the team want to do it their way. That is evaluated in light of the way it will impact the nationals as you work side by side with them. Many times it is hard for US people to come and see how different and not necessarily efficient things are done on the field. Patience please!!! Always be conscious of the health and safety of your team. Heat, water, sun, dangers of travel etc. must all be watched.

Fund Raising:

1. Traveling to churches to present the ministry is a unique ministry. Setting dates, what is wanted from you, sharing the ministry through pictures, movie, and personal experience is helpful to see what God is doing, giving Him the credit and thanks to the people for their prayer and help. Keep yourself out of the presentation and avoid the word I! You, we, they are key words. You are the cheerleader and encourager and thanking person.

Letters of thanks in follow up are crucial for what has been done for you while there and for any gifts that were sent.

2. Teams are a key way of raising awareness and funds for the ministry. When someone goes to the field and sees, hears, tastes, and experiences the culture there is no better way to raise funds and prayer support.

3. Writing letters, notes, sometimes hand written has a great impact on keeping people on board with the ministry. Visiting them to say thank you is also very crucial. We have driven many miles to connect with people individually.

Canadian Involvement:

1. You also work for the Canadian Board of Directors. This involves the same as the US board in preparing for meetings, traveling to Canada, reporting to them, presenting financial reports. These meetings must be taken care of 2 times a year. Recently by Zoom as COVID has taken place. You also take care of the book keeping for the Canadian funds. You keep the fund records up to date on a monthly basis. Karen Friesen in Oak Lake, MB does an excellent job of fund accounting, keeping track of the letters that come in and communicating with you what is needed as it comes in.

2. Robert Letkeman takes care of the monthly mailing out of Warman, SK. You send the newsletter to him as soon as it is done. You will email the letter to Canadians on the list via Mail Chimp. Robert is given the address changes, purchasing stamps and mailing the letter by mail.

3. Finances are transferred from the Canadian bank to a separate US bank account called Canadian foreign. It is exchanged in to US funds at this time. You prepare for the amounts you have to transfer by seeing what is available, in each fund, the general fund, and withdrawing what is needed to pay the various things that take place on the foreign field. It is crucial that no Canadian money is used for US fundraising or operation expenses. The Canadian Government is VERY STRICK on this. Once these funds are transferred a check can be written to go toward Haitian needs and mailed to Haiti. Funds to Mexico are deposited in a special account and are withdrawn in Mexico. This is the same on the US side for Mexico.

4. A T3010 document is required each year by the Canadian Government. This document is prepared by a CPA in Canada named Kurtis Schwindt. He has done it for several years. We send him the info and he prepares the papers. It costs about $3,000 to have this done but is a mandate. We also have board insurance and are members of the CCCC which stands for Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Board Insurance is purchased annually.

5. Communication with Canadian donors is done by mail to say thank you. Emails also work and visiting churches and individuals is also possible. We have several board members that are doing a great job in Canada.

Compensation:

Salary range is $45,000 – Part of the salary will be raised by the new General Director. This is the take home salary after taxes. This does not include health insurance or retirement benefits. Cost of living and housing in Henderson is less than larger cities. Henderson’s population is 1,000 people. Depending on the situation and her interests and abilities your wife may be able to be a part time employee in the office.