St. John’s United Church of Christ approved this Funeral Policy to aid you in making difficult decisions and to offer our membership and facility to provide comfort in your grief. We encourage holding the Funeral or Memorial Service in the church as a reminder of God’s never ending presence and our adoption as members of His eternal family.

Definitions:
Funeral-a ceremony of farewell with the body of
the deceased present
Memorial Service-a ceremony done in remembrance without the body of the deceased being present

Process:
1. Contact the pastor for his/her availability and to schedule a time for the funeral in the building.
2. You are welcome to schedule a viewing before the Funeral Service. Due to the long flight of steps to the sanctuary, families are encouraged to view the body on the first level of the church building.
3. Most often committal at the gravesite will follow the service. In case of inclement weather, the committal service may be held in the Church and the body taken to the cemetery by the funeral director.
4. Bulletins will be printed for the worship service if the family desires. There is a $25.00 fee for non-members who wish to have bulletins for their worship service.
5. Non-members are asked to pay $100 for use of the building and cleaning following the worship service.
6. If the family desires a luncheon following the service, members of St. John’s United Church of Christ will prepare a light meal. Non-members are asked to pay a fee of $3.00 per meal served and $100.00 for use of the kitchen and Fellowship Hall. Church members are asked to make a donation to cover the cost of the meal.
7. Musical instruments and other equipment may be used with prior approval. Please check with the Pastor.

St. John’s United Church of Christ wants to be as supportive and caring as we possibly can to those dealing with the death of a loved one. To lose someone we love is never easy, but hopefully we can find comfort in the community of faith and in the assurance of the life beyond death that our Lord made possible.

“For we are not cast off
by the Lord forever,
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of humankind.”
(Lamentations 3:31-32)

May 2004

Please feel free to contact the church office at 814-466-7162 if your group would like to use the facilities of St. John’s UCC.

COMMUNITY SERVICE and MISSION

St. John’s United Church of Christ welcomes your request for the use of our facilities. We offer their use as a way of serving the community. Service of this kind is part of our mission. We see it as a way of sharing God’s love.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Agreement to use St. John’s facilities will be in effect for one-year.

St. John’s has priority over the use of all facilities. In the event that a group’s needs conflict with a St. John’s function (planned or unplanned) every effort will be made to accommodate the group’s needs.

St. John’s has the right to terminate any groups use of St. John’s facilities at any time.

Events that charge admission are not permitted.

FEE STRUCTURE

Non- Profit Organizations
There is no charge for a non-profit organization to use St. John’s facilities. However, donations are accepted to cover the cost of lights, heat, etc…

For- Profit Organizations
Fees to be determined based on but not limited to, the size of the group, space requirements and frequency of facility usage.

PROCEDURES TO REQUEST THE USE OF ST. JOHN’S FACILITIES

1) Each group must submit proof that they have at least $1,000,000 (one million dollars) in liability insurance.

2) Each group must submit an application for the use of facilities at St. John’s UCC.

APPLICATION FOR THE USE OF THE FACILITIES OF

ST. JOHN’S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Boalsburg, PA

Date ____________

Group Name ________________________________________

Group Contact Person ________________________________

Contact Phone Number _______________________________

Contact Email (not required) ____________________________

Proof of Insurance

Name of Provider___________________________

Attach Certificate of Liability Insurance for at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) of liability insurance

What will your group use the facilities of St. John’s United Church of Christ for? *

Permission to Use St. John’s UCC Facilities: Granted_____Denied_____ Date_______

Agreement termination date**________

St. John’s UCC Representative ______________________________

*St. John’s must approve any change from the original intent of usage. Further, St. John’s has the right to attend any meeting of the group at any time to ensure the group is using the facilities in accordance with St. John’s policies.
** Agreement is in effect for one year from date permission was granted.
This form will be given to a new group as a means to welcome them and encourage their caring for the facility

CARING FOR THE FACILITIES OF

ST. JOHN’S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Boalsburg, PA

We appreciate what you are doing in your organization for life together in the community. We want to support you in this, and we hope that our facilities will be helpful in your work.

We do not have a full-time church custodian. Therefore we need to rely all the more on your help as we care for the facilities. Here are some specific ways in which your group can help.

• Turn off the lights as you leave, unless another group is following you.

• Additional permission is necessary for full use of the kitchen. If approved for use, please leave it clean and in good order.

• If wastebaskets become full, or contain refuse which has a strong odor, please empty refuse into the cans behind the church.

• Smoking is not permitted in any church facility.

• Take reasonable care of the furniture. Do not sit on the folding tables.

• If your group needs to keep materials in the church, please keep them in the place designated.

If you have questions, suggestions or need help with anything, please contact the church office at 814-466-7162.

We salute you in your service to our community.

Wedding Policy
St. John’s UCC
Boalsburg, PA


Dear Friends,

The congregation of St. John’s appreciates your interest in being married in our building. We trust that your desire comes from wanting God’s help in building a happy and fulfilling marriage. We stand with you in this desire. Building a good marriage requires the loving skill of two people willing to work and play in the love of Jesus Christ to keep the relationship strong and growing.

The wedding is the culmination of a courtship and the beginning of a life long relationship. It is the moment when the reality of the promise, “For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health” becomes apparent.

The Christian wedding is a legal contract authorized by civil authorities and recognized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The marriage contract may be entered into in the presence of a Justice of the Peace if you decide not to commit to a Christian ceremony.

The wedding is also an occasion for families to come together and celebrate your love for each other.

The St. John’s family assumes that couples choosing to wed in our building:

1.    recognize their marriage vows to be more than a civil contract. They see it as one of the most important vows two people can make. Therefore, they want to come before our symbols of the divine-The Altar, the Cross, and the Bible-to be heard by the Pastor.

2.    recognize the covenant of love between two people to be nurtured and nourished by the covenant of love that God has for all of us.

St. John’s takes seriously the marriage vows, “I take you to be my partner, and I promise to love and sustain you in the bonds of marriage from this day forward, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, till death shall part us, according to God’s holy ordinance.”


The Purpose of Marriage:

As Christians we affirm that marriage is a sacred and joyous covenant, a way of life ordained of God from the beginning of His creation. According to the United Church of Christ Order of Marriage: “God has ordered the covenant of marriage: that partners may give to each other companionship, help and comfort, both in prosperity and in adversity; that God may hallow the expression of the natural affections; that children may be born and nurtured in families and trained in godliness; and that human society may stand on firm foundations.”

Guidelines:

To hold before us God’s love and to preserve the sacred nature of this Worship Service, St. John’s offers the following guidelines.

1.    The couple will meet with the Pastor for premarital counseling.
2.    The Order of Marriage of the United Church of Christ is used for the ceremony. Variations to the order of worship may be discussed with the pastor.
3.    The music chosen for the ceremony will be acceptable in the Christian worship environment. The church organist will meet with the couple to discuss the music. If the couple wishes to hire an outside organist, they must first consult with the church organist..
4.    A soloist can be a special addition to you service. Discuss this option with the pastor.
5.    Outside ministers may be used to conduct your wedding with prior approval after meeting with the pastor at St. John’s.
6.    The marriage license is your responsibility. License applications are made at the Clerk of Orphan’s Court office in the Willow Bank building in Bellefonte. Their phone number is 355-6724. There is a three day waiting period from the day you apply until the day you can receive the license.
7.    Weddings with more than four members of the wedding party require a rehearsal. Rehearsals are usually the evening before the wedding at or after 6:30. Wedding parties are expected to arrive on time for the rehearsal
8.    Building Use: You may be in the building 1 hour before your wedding start time to 1 ½ hours after your wedding start time. If you need access to the building before this time, please contact the church office to make arrangements.
9.    Photographers must meet with the pastor before the wedding to discuss the picture taking process.
10.   No flash pictures are permitted during the worship service.
11.   Video taping of the services is permitted with prior consultation with the pastor.
12.   Flowers may be placed on the altar.
13.   You may decorate with flowers and ribbon but no tape or tacks may be used to attach decoration to the church structure or furnishings.
14.   If you desire to leave the flowers on the altar for the next worship service arrangements must be made with the pastor to do so at your first premarital counseling session.
15.   Only the candles on the altar including a unity candle may be used in the church building due to Township fire codes.
16.   The pastor is willing to help you plan a bulletin (program) if you wish. Purchase and printing of the bulletin is your responsibility.
17.   If you are using a wedding coordinator she/he is required to meet with the pastor prior to your rehearsal date.
18.   Weddings should not be scheduled on national holidays or Christian holy days.
19.   There is no smoking or consumption of alcohol in the building.
20.   Nothing may be thrown at the wedding party.
21.   If you plan to use the church sound system, you must use a church sound technician.  Do not attempt to use the sound system without a technician. Contact the church office at 466-7162 in advance to discuss arrangements.
22.   If you plan to use the church elevator, you must use a church elevator technician.  Contact the church office at 466-7162 in advance to discuss this arrangement.
24.  Leave building like you found it.

Fee schedule:

Non-members of  St. John’s
Pastor                                                $250  
Building use fee*                                     $500                                                        See footnote                           
Reception rental                                      $300
Organist rehearsal/wedding/consultation               $125
Rehearsal dinner/other
related events                                        $300

Members of St. John’s
A member constitutes an individual in good standing with St. John’s or an immediate family member.

Pastor (suggested contribution)                       $150        
Building Usage *                                      $150
Organist rehearsal/wedding/consultation               $125 

                                                                  Pastor’s office:     466-7162
                                                                  Revised:             May 2008
                                                                  Revised:             January 2007