While you probably sleep with your phone next you, you may never have thought of bringing your car keys to bed. If you hear an intruder (either in the house, or in the room with you), press the alarm button for your car. There's a good chance that the intruder will take off. If the intruder makes it in to your room and you're already up, try to stay as far away as possible. Be on the lookout for ways to escape, and do your best to remain calm and cooperative. You should avoid confrontation and violent reactions if at all possible. Place your hands at shoulder level, which the intruder may interpret as being submissive, but which places you in a good position for self-defense. If you can't see an immediate route for escape, it is important to try to remain calm, and it's usually best to cooperate with the intruder. You may eventually be forced to defend yourself, but at least initially, you'll have a greater chance of surviving if you do what you're asked. If you haven't been able to call the police before an intruder makes it into your home, and if you have a home alarm system, you may receive a phone call from the company.  If the intruder is in the room and wants or allows you to answer (they may know that if you don't pick up the police will be sent), you should have a distress code phrase prearranged with the security company. When you say the code words, they'll know that you're in trouble. For example, you could say “Mom, I'll call you in the morning.”  If forced to disarm your security system, use your duress code on the keypad instead of your usual code:  This has the added benefit that the police will be notified silently.
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One-sentence summary -- Set off your car alarm. Keep your distance from the intruder. Choose a strategic stance. Try to cooperate with the intruder. Know how to answer the phone if you have an alarm system.


Most moving companies will provide a claim form you to complete and submit to them for review via mail. You must file the claim form within nine months of the mover’s delivery date for the claim to be recognized and processed. You may also decide to submit a copy of your inventory list of all items damaged, as well as photographic evidence of the damage, to strengthen your claim. You should also get a tracking number for all documents you send to the moving company relating to your claim in the mail in the event the moving company denies receiving your claim in court. According to the law, the moving company must notify you that they have received your claim within 30 days of its filing. The claim must then be resolved by a damages payment or a denial of payment within 120 days.  If you do not hear back from the moving company within 120 days, you can file a complaint against the company through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or the Better Business Bureau. Often, threatening to do so will prompt the company to resolve your claim so they are not at risk of losing their license in the state.  The Household Goods Consumer Complaint form can be found on the FMCSA website: https://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/nccdb/ComplaintEntry.aspx?choice=CONSUMER. Once the form is filed it will be entered FMCSA’s consumer complaint database and be noted on the moving company’s public record. The FMCSA may then decide to take action against the moving company and reach out to you for more information. You can also call the Household Goods Consumer hotline to talk to a qualified government representative about filing a complaint against the mover. The hotline can be reached at (888) 268-7238, open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-7:00 pm EST. If the moving company offers you an insufficient settlement offer or refuses to cover the cost of the damages to your belongings, you may consider taking the company to small claims court. As a consumer, you have the right to take the moving company to court if you feel they are not being fair in their settlement dispute offer.  To make a claim in small claims court you will need to complete a Small Claims Court application, found here by state:http://www.uslegalforms.com/smallclaims/. You will also need to provide copies of the moving contract, a detailed log of your interactions with the moving company, copies of the damage claim forms submitted by you to the company, and an inventory of the damaged items. Keep in mind it can take several months for your application to be processed and your court date may be set several months following the processing of your application.
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One-sentence summary -- File the claim form within nine months of the mover’s delivery date. Give the moving company 30 days to respond to your claim. Consider small claims court if you are not satisfied with the moving company’s settlement offer.


Many home churches begin by studying religious doctrine with likeminded church goers. Studying doctrine can be a good way to gauge whether your congregation works well together. Study doctrine from your religion when you first start meeting with potential members of your home church to establish spiritual beliefs as an organization.  Most religious doctrine is subject to a variety of interpretations. Studying doctrine together can help you get a feel for your church's spiritual beliefs and values. Find common beliefs to draw from as you form a church. Schedule a regular meeting time for low-key readings and discussions. Do not appoint a lot of leaders or establish a budget. Let everyone get comfortable with one another first. Existing churches may want to help out a home church. Home churches are not necessarily seen as a threat or a challenge to existing religious institutions. Established churches will be understanding if a home church exists because certain people have trouble attending regular church services for a variety of reasons. Consider approaching a church for sponsorship.  Choose a church that you respect and whose beliefs align with your own. Part of the benefit of a sponsoring church is that you have a higher authority to draw judgment from. In a home church, strong personalities can take over and guide your church in unwanted directions. A sponsoring church can help your congregation stay grounded. Schedule a time to visit with the leader of the church you choose. Have a sit down meeting and explain your reasons for wanting to start a home church. Tell them you want a sponsoring church to guide you in your early days of leadership. As you start to gather members, think about why you started a home church to begin with. Draw in people with similar beliefs from your religious community. At first, many people may come and go from your home church out of curiosity. Learn to figure out which people fit in with your church's goals and values and reach out to them specifically to grow your congregation.  For example, say you started a home church because the existing church in your area is difficult for many to reach. Look for people who frequently miss services due to difficulties with their commute. These people's needs would be met through your home church. Choose sincere believers who have a genuine need for a home church. Many people like the idea of a home church because it seems fun and trendy. Make sure your members want to be part of a home church because you're providing them a specific spiritual experience. A home church does not need to start off with a huge congregation. In fact, most home churches start with only a few loyal members. Try starting out with a casual gathering of friends and family members who share your basic religious beliefs. From there, let the church grow organically as word spreads. Many home churches are designed to provide the intimacy larger churches lack. It's important to keep the size of your home church manageable, especially if you're using a smaller home for your church. Honestly assess how many people can fit into your home church considering the space you have and the needs of your members. For example, maybe you and your congregation are only comfortable with groups of around 10 to 20 people. Once you have roughly 10 to 20 regular churchgoers, it's okay to taper off seeking new members. Most home churches have small congregations. If you have a lot of members, more than one home church may crop up in the area. Do not think of this as a challenge or threat to your church. Remind yourself people prefer home churches due to the intimacy, and if you're at capacity there may be a need for more home churches in your area.
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One-sentence summary --
Start off with studying religious doctrine at home. Seek sponsorship from an existing church. Think about the people you want to reach. Start with a small group. Keep the size manageable.