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About Us - Use of
Bethany's Facilities
Meetings and Activities |
Weddings
Bethany United Methodist Church
provides facilities for meetings of nonprofit organizations
and for special activities and events, such as weddings, of
members of our church.
Groups and individuals may request
the use of church facilities by contacting Bethany’s
Communications Director
by e-mail or at (843) 873-1230. The requestor is required to
complete an Application for Facility Use, providing
information about the person or organization making the
request, the date the facility is needed, the purpose of the
meeting or activity, the number of people attending, and the
beginning and ending times of the event. The Application for
Facility Use also requires the name, title and contact
information of the principal group or person responsible for
the event.
The church’s Board of Trustees
must approve the use of church facilities by individuals,
groups and activities not affiliated with the church,
according to the following Property Regulations.
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The group of persons making the
application must believe in the basic principals of the
Christian faith.
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The program needs of Bethany
have priority over outside groups using the facilities but,
in no case, will fewer than two weeks notice of cancellation
be given. In an emergency, arrangements will be worked out.
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Any agreement for continuing use
of the building may be revoked by the church. Proper notice
will be given.
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The applicant group must agree
to waive liability responsibilities of Bethany Church in the
group’s activities and will provide its own insurance.
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The Application for Facility Use
must be received by the proper authority in time for it to
be considered and approved before the property is used.
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No alcoholic beverages are
allowed on church property.
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The Application for Facility
Use, when completed, will be forwarded to the Board of
Trustees for recommendation and approval. Pending Trustees’
approval, activities will be tentatively placed on
the church calendar, if the requested facility is available
on the date required. The applicant will be notified of the
Trustees’ decision.
The Application for Facility Use
must be completed and approved one month before the use
of church property.
Fees may be imposed, as determined
by the Board of Trustees, for use the Large or Small
Fellowship Halls. In addition, a minimal hourly fee may be
imposed to reimburse the church for utilities used in all but
church sponsored events. Fees may also be imposed if an
activity requires custodial support, such as setting up or
cleaning up the facilities. Groups may wish to set up and
clean up facilities themselves, which is permissible; however,
if a post inspection determines that additional cleaning is
required, the custodian will be called and discrepancies
corrected at the rate of $25 per hour or portions thereof.
Church
Calendar | Planning |
Pastors |
Wedding Coordinators | Policies and
Procedures
A wedding is a service of worship.
Weddings at Bethany are
permitted only to members of the congregation and their
families. Any wedding at Bethany UMC should be simple, reverent, and
joyous and in keeping with the rubrics of the church,
following the United Methodist worship tradition in form and
practice. Bethany’s ministers and the Council on Worship have
created a set of guidelines to facilitate in planning
weddings, rehearsals and receptions. The purpose of the
policies and procedures is to give guidance to weddings held
at Bethany United Methodist Church so that the weddings will
be meaningful and memorable occasions for all concerned.
Placement on the Church
Calendar
As early as possible, one of Bethany’s ministers and the Music
Office staff should be contacted to assure the availability of
the minister and staff persons and either the sanctuary or
Spell Chapel on the planned date of the wedding.
Couples may tentatively
place their weddings on the church calendar if the date is
available. This tentative placement may stay on the calendar
for two weeks while the necessary signatures are secured on
the Wedding Calendar Information Sheet. Weddings are placed on
the calendar only after the signatures of the following
persons have been secured: Senior Minister, Bethany
officiating minister (if different), Bethany organist (with
consultation date set) and Wedding Coordinator. All facility
and staff reimbursements are due when this sheet is returned
to the Wedding Calendar Coordinator.
Permanent placement of all
weddings on the church calendar must be done through
the Wedding Calendar Coordinator.
Planning
for the Wedding
Weddings may not be scheduled during the Lenten season or for
Easter weekend. Sanctuary weddings during Advent and
Christmastide must conform to the worship plan for these
seasons. During other seasons of the church year, flowers must
be prepared in Bethany's flower containers, and may be removed
from the church after the wedding. (Be sure to leave the vase
liners).
Weddings can be planned for the
Sanctuary or Spell Chapel on the same day, but no more than
one wedding can occur in each facility per day. Weddings
scheduled on the same day must begin at least three hours
apart, and the latest can begin no later than 8 p.m. Only one
reception may be scheduled in the Large Fellowship Hall on any
given date. A reception held in this facility may last no
later than 8 p.m. The facility must be cleared by 9 p.m. to
avoid a $25 per hour late charge, made payable to the
custodian. Rehearsal dinners may be held on Friday evenings at
the same rate as receptions.
Pastors
Weddings at Bethany United Methodist Church may be performed
by one or more of our staff pastors, or by a staff pastor and
a visiting pastor. One of the Bethany staff pastors must be
involved in the service in some way. If the bride or groom
would like for another pastor to participate in the service,
the invitation must be extended by a pastor of Bethany United
Methodist Church with the approval of the Senior Pastor.
The pastors of Bethany count it
a privilege to officiate at the marriage of church members.
The pastors require pre-marital counseling for each couple.
Counseling consists of a "Personality Inventory" and two
interview sessions. It
is the responsibility of the couple to initiate counseling
dates.
Wedding
Coordinators
All weddings at Bethany must be coordinated (directed) by one
of Bethany's trained Wedding Coordinators. These persons are
considered members of the extended staff of Bethany United
Methodist Church. They are responsible for meeting with the
bride (and groom), explaining the guidelines, answering
questions and seeing that the guidelines are followed. When
the service is to be conducted by a visiting minister, the
Bethany Wedding Coordinator may, at the discretion of the
Senior Minister, be designated as the consulting staff member
to meet with the guest minister before the date of the wedding
and review Bethany United Methodist Church’s wedding policies.
The Wedding Coordinator must be selected from the list of
approved and trained coordinators. If one of Bethany's
ministers is officiating, the choice of coordinators should be
made before the minister's conference, so that this
information is available to him/her.
The Wedding Coordinator will meet
with the couple to plan the logistics of the service, which
should be discussed with the minister performing the wedding
before the rehearsal, for final approval of the plan.
The minister will ensure that the plan conforms to the common
policy for Bethany weddings.
Policies
and Procedures
The Bethany United Methodist Church Wedding Policies and
Procedures booklet describes the church’s guidelines for:
For a complete copy of Bethany
UMC’s Wedding Policies and Procedures, a list of Bethany
Wedding Coordinators and a Wedding Calendar Information Sheet,
please contact the Wedding Calendar Coordinator, or
call the Bethany office at (843) 873-1230.
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