Cornerstone Bible Fellowship
Facility Use Policy
PURPOSE STATEMENT
Cornerstone’s facilities were provided through God’s benevolence and by the sacrificial generosity of Cornerstone members. Cornerstone desires that its facilities be used for the
fellowship of the Body of Christ and to bring God glory.
USE BY MEMBERS
Ongoing ministries of Cornerstone and ministries approved by authorized staff may use the facility at no charge upon proper notification toCornerstone’s Administrative Office (the “office”), placement by the office on the Cornerstone calendar and communication of such placement by the office to the requesting ministry.
Weddings of members of Cornerstone or their immediate family may be held inchurch facilities.
Funerals of members of Cornerstone or their immediate family and family meals following the funeral may be held at Cornerstone at no charge.
Members of Cornerstone may utilize the facilities for non-ministry, non-business purposes with the approval of a Cornerstone authorized staff member and the executive administrator. Authorized staff membersand the executive administrator have the authority individually to determine when the intended, requested use is non-business. Though the facilities may be used for ministry related children or youth events, they may not be used for birthday parties and similar private events.
For the uses above other than ongoing ministries of Cornerstone, upon receipt of a properly completed facility use request form, the office will issue a written confirmation letter with the specific scheduling facts. This confirmation letter will serve as the governing instrument to resolve any issues that may arise relative to the scheduled event.
GENERAL PROVISONS APPLICABLE TO ALL USERS
Guidance and Restrictions
Although the facilities are not generally open to the public, we make our facilities available to approved non-members as a witness to our faith, in a spirit of Christian charity, and as a means of demonstrating the Gospel of Jesus Christ in practice. But facility use will not be permitted to persons or groups holding, advancing, or advocating beliefs or practices that conflict with Cornerstone’s faith or moral teachings, which are summarized in, among other places, Cornerstone’s What We Believe (typically termed in other churches, a statement of faith) and the Holy Bible nor may Cornerstone facilities be used for activities that contradict, or are deemed inconsistent with, the Cornerstone’s faith or moral teachings. The elders are the final decision-makers concerning use of Cornerstone facilities.
This restricted facility use policy is necessary for two important reasons. First,Cornerstone may not in good conscience materially cooperate in activities or beliefs that are contrary to its faith. Allowing its facilities to be used for purposes that contradict Cornerstone’s beliefs would be material cooperation with that activity, and would be a grave violation ofCornerstone’s faith and religious practice. (2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:22.) Second, it is very important thatCornerstone present a consistent message to the community, and thatCornerstone staff and members conscientiously maintain that message as part of their witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Allowing facilities to be used by groups or persons who express beliefs or engage in practices contrary to Cornerstone’s faith would have a severe, negative impact on the message thatCornerstone strives to promote. It could also cause confusion and scandal to Cornerstone members and the community because they may reasonably perceive that by allowing use of our facilities, Cornerstone agrees with the beliefs or practices of the persons or groups using its facilities. Therefore, in no event shall persons or groups who hold, advance, or advocate beliefs, or advance, advocate, or engage in practices that contradict
Cornerstone’s faith use any Cornerstone facility. Nor may Cornerstone facilities be used in any way that contradictsCornerstone’s faith. This policy applies to all Cornerstone facilities, regardless of whether the facilities are connected to the Cornerstone’s worship center, because Cornerstone sees all of its property as holy and set apart to worship God.
It is the policy of Cornerstone that its facilities may be considered for use when requested by not-for-profit organizations whether faith based, civic, community or the like. Each request will be considered by the staff and, if approved, a charge may be made for the facility use in accordance with the general policy and practice of Cornerstone at that time.
For-profit organizations generally are not permitted to use the facilities. Cornerstone facilities, additionally, may not be used for for-profit activities even if such activity is beneficial to Cornerstone or other faith based organizations through a sharing of the profit from the activities. An example of such activity would be when a percentage of the admission fee or sales would be donated to Cornerstone.
Approved Users and Priority of Use
The elders are responsible for all uses of Cornerstone facilities with the authority to approve and prioritize granted to the Cornerstone staff on day to day matters. Ministry activities at Cornerstone are always a priority. After this, generally, priority shall be given to Cornerstone members, their immediate families, and organized groups that are part of the ministry, organization, or sponsored activities of Cornerstone. Cornerstone facilities and equipment will be made available to non-members or outside groups who are understood by the elders and staff to adhere to Cornerstone’s faith and practices.
Technical arts equipment is available in certain areas and may be used in those areas if approved for use by anauthorized staff member. The equipment may not be moved. If such equipment is to be used, the parties utilizing the equipment must employ a member of Cornerstone’s technical team to provide such service and must pay for such service at the rate of $25 an hour payable to Cornerstone in advance of the facility use. This rate may be changed at any time considered necessary by Cornerstone leadership.
Before leaving the facility after usage, furnishings in the areas used must be returned to the arrangement in which they were found by the user.
No children are to be left unsupervised on Cornerstone’s campus at any time. Only Cornerstone certified childcare workers will be recognized as appropriate care givers on Cornerstone property. Guests are not permitted to provide their own childcare for events on the Cornerstone campus. Guests may request that the Cornerstone childcare department provide staffing for their events. Every effort will be made to satisfy such requests. Guests should request childcare for their event at the time that the event is scheduled. For non-ministry events, the cost of providing childcare will be the responsibility of the guest, and will be due prior to the event. The cost for hiring childcare is $12.00 per worker per hour, with a minimum of two workers for any event.
Smoking and the use of alcoholic beverages are prohibited anywhere on the Cornerstone campus.
Provisions of keys and instructions for arming and disarming the security system will be obtained from the office prior to the event. Keys will be returned to the key box immediately following usage.
For usage after 5:00pm weekdays and on weekends and other days when the office is not open, arrangements must be made with custodial personnel to be present during facility usage. There is an hourly charge of $20 when custodial personnel are present and for the estimated number of hours necessary for custodial duties following the event and is payable to Cornerstone in advance of the usage.
Failure of any facility user to comply with all provisions of this policy or with any communication or document that results from the usage of the facility will be grounds for immediate or future termination of facility use by the user. The determination of the occurrence of such incident of failure is at the sole discretion of an elder or authorized staff.
Cornerstone’s Executive Administrator coordinates the use of Cornerstone facilities with those requesting facility use. The Executive Administrator will provide those requesting use for weddings with suggested honorariums for the pastor and musician(s).
(Revised August 5, 2015)
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