MMLTEC
POLICIES AND BYLAWS
As set forth by the MMLTEC council.
Last revised in January, 2005

Contents:

I.    General Parameters for MMLTEC

II.    MMLTEC Council

III.    MMLTEC Weekends
    A)    Allocations parameters and policies
    B)    Pre-Weekend
    C)    During MMLTEC Retreats
    D)     Post-Weekend
 

I.    General Parameters For MMLTEC.

A) Mission Statement: The mission of the Minnesota Metro Lutheran Teens Encounter Christ (hereafter referred to as MMLTEC) is to draw young Christians together on retreats and additional activities to explore    their faith, experience God's love, and develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through a dynamic and meaningful ministry with their peers 

B) Participants in the MMLTEC program shall sign and abide by a copy of the MMLTEC code of conduct (hereafter referred to the C.O.C.), which shall be kept on file for a period of one year (see enclosure one).

 C) MMLTEC shall produce four newsletters per year. "Easter Morning News" is to be the title of the newsletter. The newsletter is to be sent 4 weeks prior to each MMLTEC weekend. Students are to be kept on mailing list for 18 months post high school.

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II.    MMLTEC Council.

A) First Directors of MMLTEC Council shall consist of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. Council first directors are to serve a two-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms, at which time nomination for current First Directors or new First Directors may be said.  Terms will begin and end in January coinciding with the Council retreat or January council meeting.  The secretary will keep track of this.

B) Each adult member of MMLTEC Council shall have a specific position lasting for one year. At the expiration of this term, said member may re-apply for the same position, or seek another. This process may be repeated indefinitely.  The secretary will keep track of this.

C) The council positions will have service descriptions, which are to be updated yearly (see enclosure 2)

D)  The Council shall include up to four youth members, who are sophomores, juniors or seniors in high school and have worked at least one team. Terms are to be for one year, with a maximum of three consecutive terms. No more than two youth members from the same congregation may serve at any given time.

E) MMLTEC First Director Council members shall meet the third Thursday of every month. All other council members are encouraged to attend all meetings and must be present for the quarterly meetings prior to TEC weekends (for CoD selection etc.) and council annual retreat. All council meetings are to be opened and closed in prayer.

F) Minutes are to be delivered to all Council members no less than one week prior to meeting. In the event of the secretary's absence, minutes are to be taken by an appointed substitute.

G) First Director Council members are to be contacted by president upon their second unexcused absence. Upon Third absence in a calendar year, Council member is to be removed from roster. All other council members are required to attend a minimum of three quarterly meetings, or they may be removed from council.  Quarterly meetings will generally be February, June, September, and December.  

H) Council members working weekends are not to interfere with leadership. C.O.C. violations should be dealt with immediately.  Any other issues should be documented and presented to Council.

  I) Letters of appreciation are to be sent to resigning Council members.

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III.    MMLTEC Weekends.

A)    Allocations Parameters and Policies

1) Weekender acceptance is to be open to grades 9-12 and 1st year post-high-school. Allocation date is the Saturday three weeks prior to the weekend. Allocation parameters are as follows:

  Host church: 5 weekenders
Church staffer on Team: 3 weekenders
TEC Council member on Team: 1 weekender
(no more than 6 weekender slots guaranteed to any one congregation)

2) All team leaders will be provided a Weekend Ministry description. 

3) The council president or a council representative is to meet with the Adult Advisor no less than one week prior to first meeting for review of policy and schedule if they

1. are not on council,
2. have never been Adult Advisor or 
3. have not worked a team in 18 months

  4)    Team Eligibility:

a) Everyone must attend at least two team meetings with exception of circumstances beyond their control, which will be at the discretion of the Adult Advisor.  Co-Directors must attend at least two (2) team meetings.

b) Youth who have participated as a weekender other than MMLTEC must be pre-approved by the MMLTEC council to serve on team.

c) Any individual shall not work more than two teams per year unless necessary to fill team.

d) Youth will be permitted to work three weekends in a calendar year in order to fulfill the co-director requirements, if circumstances demand.

e) Third- or fourth-year seminary students who have served or are currently serving an internship in a congregation are welcome to serve on an MMLTEC weekend as a Spiritual Leader.

f) Out-of-state team will be allowed to work MMLTEC weekends provided they attend one meeting and the entire weekend.  This would require council approval.

5) The recommended size of TEC weekend teams is:

Team	Team Leader	Assistant Team Leader	Youth
Table Leader	7	0	7
Kitchen	2	1	5
Support	2	1	4
Wheat	2	1	8
Photo	One photographer
Music	2+	1+	2+

6) Team leader: age 23+,
Assistant team leader: age 19-22 (one year post high school)
Youth team: late 9^th grade to one-year post high school (excluding co-director, table leader and speakers)

 7) Co-Director applications are to be accompanied by 1-2-page outline addressing “Who Am I?”, “My past Tec experiences”, “What I see as the purpose of TEC”, and “What Gifts do I have to offer as a Co-director.”  Application should include a photo for identification. 

8) Team changes on weekends are to be made at the discretion of the ADULT ADVISOR.

9) Adult support will make all supply runs, with help, if needed, by the assistant team leader.  Kitchen adults may also make supply runs if necessary.

10) All first-time speakers will receive a TEC/Christ is Counting on You cross from the wheat team after their talk.

11) Youth team members shall not be notified of what team they are serving on until the beginning of the first team meeting, Co-Directors are the exception.

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B)    Pre-weekend (ie. preparation and team meetings).

1) Adult team leaders and assistant team leaders are to attend a leadership meeting before the first team meeting.

2) All team meetings are to be held at the host church.

3) Adult Advisor and Co-Directors are to jointly run team meetings.

4) Team applications are to be accepted until two weeks prior to meetings unless required to fill team.

5) Couples are welcome to work weekends together, provided they are willing to put their service on team ahead of their relationship for the duration of the weekend.

6) Team's feedback for speaker is to be written only. Verbal feedback is to be given only by ADULT ADVISOR and Spiritual Directors.

7) Weekend Finances:

a) Weekend fees to be $40.  Scholarships are available.

b) The ADULT ADVISOR is to be responsible for collecting all team fees, including weekender fees that were not pre-paid. Support team leader is responsible for getting weekender fees to Adult Advisor after weekenders check in. Support team is also responsible to take the collection at closing ceremony and give the counted total to the Adult Advisor.  The Adult Advisor is responsible for getting all weekend fees and offerings to the TEC Council treasurer.

c) Weekend treasurer to be given $2000.00 initial capital. The weekend treasurer is to be responsible for all expenditures and disbursements on the retreat.

d) All reimbursements must be accounted for by a receipt.

e) Each person applying to serve on a MMLTEC weekend must submit a brief description of how they can help fulfill the mission statement by serving on the TEC weekend.  This should also be done by council members at the yearly council  retreat.

8) The cost of wheat stoles, kitchen aprons, support aprons etc. should be paid for by team members. They are to be informed of the approximate cost in their application.

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C)    During MMLTEC retreats.

1) ADULT ADVISOR has final authority on the weekend within the policies and manuals approved by the MMLTEC council.

2) Weekenders and team are to be discouraged from bringing and wearing pagers, cell phones, watches, etc. Confiscation of devices, however, is not acceptable.

3) Youth Table Leaders must sleep in weekender rooms. All others sleep in designated areas.

4) Males and females are to maintain separate sleeping areas on all MMLTEC events

5) All wheat, kitchen and support team members are to be restricted from the Conference room when weekenders are present.

6) Practical joking to Conference Room tables shall be at the discretion of the Adult Advisor. Nothing should be done to conference room during “Die Day”.

7) Any personal care items a weekender may have forgotten will be purchased by MMLTEC.  All personal care items for team members purchased during MMLTEC weekend must be paid in advance before supply runs are made.

8) There are consequences for breaking the Code of Conduct (see enclosure four.) Inhalation of helium is to be considered a breach of the Code of Conduct.

9) Adults and youth with proper ID (age 18 or older) are allowed to smoke in designated outdoor areas during breaks using discretion. Nicoret gum will be provided for underage smokers.

10) Wheat Chapel is to close at Midnight on the weekend.  No one is to spend the night in the Wheat Chapel.

11) T-shirts are to be sold only at the following times: after the closing service, at the reunion, and all special events.

12) An offering is to be taken at each closing service.

13) On any occasion, if any team member leaves without permission of the Adult Advisor or Adult team leader they will not be allowed back on the weekend. (This includes leaving to take showers)

14) Speakers are allowed 4 non- weekend guests.  Team members outside of the conference room may not attend talks (a baby monitor is to be placed in a designated area where team members may listen to talks with approval of their team leaders).

15) An Emergency Medical Form is to be filled out by all attendees of a MMLTEC weekend.

16) A code of conduct is to be signed by all attendees of a MMLTEC weekend and will be kept on file for one year by the TEC Council president.

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D)    Post Weekend.

1) A reunion is to be held after each retreat, preferably on a Sunday falling two to four weeks after the MMLTEC weekend. This should be arranged by the Adult Advisor with the host church before the weekend so that fliers can be made and put in everyone’s wheat bags.

2) All receipts for MMLTEC weekend expenditures and unused funds must be submitted to the MMLTEC council treasurer no later then one week following the reunion for the aforementioned MMLTEC weekend.

3) Letters to Self to be sent no later than six (6) months after the weekend. The Adult Advisor should get the letters to the designated council representative after the weekend.

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