Church Facilities Use Policy

Sample document includes policies and application for use of church facilities by any group.

CHURCH FACILITIES USE POLICY

Church (herein “Church”) may allow, at its discretion, the use of its facilities for activities not directly related to the operation of the Church.

COMPATIBLE USE

Mission of the Church: Non-‐Church related activities may be allowed when the goals of users are compatible with the Church. No activity shall be conducted on Church property that is incompatible with the Christian faith and the rules and doctrines of the Free Methodist Church – USA as delineated in Chapter 3 of the Book of Discipline.

As the spiritual authority of the Church, the Pastor and Board of Administration shall have non-‐appealable authority over a decision relative to whether a use is consistent with Christian theology, doctrine, and witness. Further, if an activity negatively reflects on the Church’s testimony to the community, then the Pastor and Board of Administration, in their sole discretion, may direct the denial of an application or cancel a calendared activity.

Safety: The Church may deny an application or cancel a calendared activity if determined that there is an unreasonable level of risk of injury to persons or property. A representative of the Church, given supervisorial authority over a use of the facilities for a given event, has the inherent authority to stop said event in progress if, in his or her opinion, such action is necessary in order to protect life, health, and property.

PRIORITY USE

Church activities take priority over all other uses. For non-‐Church activities, first priority for space is to Church members.

PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION

Church facilities are not a place of public accommodation. PROPERTY TAXES

The facilities are currently exempt from property taxes. Any use that jeopardizes the property tax exempt status of the Church is prohibited.

TAX EXEMPT RELIGIOUS NONPROFIT

The Church is a nonprofit religious corporation which is exempt from state and federal taxation. The Church will not permit non-‐Church users to engage in activities which could cause the Church to lose its nonprofit status.

INSURANCE

Users shall provide proof of insurance for the use of the facilities in an amount determined by the Church.

CANCELLATION OF AN EVENT

If the Pastor or Board of Administration, or their designee, determine that a calendared event must be cancelled or stopped, the Church shall refund the money to the user.

Exception: The Pastor or the Board of Administration, or their designee, may decline to refund money due to a false statement on the application or concealment of a material fact.

WEDDINGS

The Church deems marriage a religious institution. A wedding is a solemnization and celebration of a marriage. All weddings are subject to the Church’s marriage doctrine which is memorialized in the Book of Discipline of the Free Methodist Church – USA.

USE FEES

The Church may charge a use fee to cover the performance of services or provision of things such as set up and tear down, staff, security, utilities, supplies, cleaning, wear and tear, damage deposits, etc. Such fees will be kept at below market value for the rental of like property. The charge of a use fee does not convert the use of Church facilities into a for-‐profit commercial transaction.