WEDDING GUIDELINES
of the
First United Methodist Church
Minneapolis, Kansas
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and welcome to our house of worship. These guidelines are designed for the help and assistance you might need in planning for and preparing a wedding to be held in the Minneapolis First United Methodist Church. These are the policies that have been established by the Administrative Council of the Minneapolis First United Methodist Church.
- Please contact the pastor or the church office well in advance of the selected date of the wedding. The date is officially on the calendar when approved by the pastor and appropriate fees are paid. (The appropriate fees are listed on the reverse of this sheet.) Local church programs take preference over other requests. Requests are approved on a “first come” basis.
- Music can be an inspirational as well as an enjoyable part of the wedding worship service. Our church accompanists are available to help you in your selections. If you have questions as to the appropriateness of a given selection, you might want to consult with the musicians of your choosing. We have a sophisticated sound system that can only be used by people our church has designated. You must ask the office for a list of these people, contact them, and notify the office as to who will be operating the sound system.
- The regular schedule of work and cleaning in the church facilities does not include the extra time of our custodian needed for the wedding. Receptions may be held in Fellowship Hall.
- The sanctuary is a place of worship that is open to all who wish to come. Members of the Minneapolis First United Methodist Church, their spouses and their children, may use our facilities without any building charge. However, if neither party of the wedding is a member, or their immediate families are not members, the fees for the use of the church facilities are listed following these guidelines.
- We encourage Saturday weddings to begin early so that our custodian has time to prepare the church for Sunday morning worship.
- Please, no wild birdseed or wheat is to be distributed or used inside the church facilities. Any use of rice is discouraged. The distribution and throwing of seeds is to be done outside the church building and clean up of the same is the responsibility of the wedding party family.
- Tobacco products are to be used outside only, as smoking is not allowed inside the church building. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the church property.
- Please ask permission of the pastor for any furniture that you would like to have moved, and have someone responsible for returning it to its original position. Each party is responsible for any damage that should occur to church property. We expect each group to leave all rooms in the condition you found them. The church building and furnishings are to be cared for and respected.
- There are tablecloths and candle holders available. There is a candelabra that holds four candles, three that hold three candles as well as the brass holders for one candle.
- The grand piano in the sanctuary is available to use for weddings and other special events. However, it is asked that there not be anything placed on the piano. This includes candles, candleholders or flower arrangements of any kind.
- If you have an outside pastor whom you wish to take part in the nuptials on your special day, please contact the local pastor. You must remember that your outside pastor must have certified credentials.
We hope these guidelines will assist you and help you have a memorable wedding day.
Use of Church Fees
Minneapolis First United Methodist Church members can use the facilities without building charges. However Church Fees are not negotiable.
CHURCH FEES: (Custodian, sound system, and United Methodist Women)
MEMBERS BUILDING CHARGES
a) Sanctuary only*………………………$100.00 _____________________
b) Fellowship Hall**…………………….$100.00_____________________
*This includes sound equipment and sound technician.
**This includes kitchen and required presence of a United Methodist Women representative.
NON-MEMBERS BUILDING CHARGES:
a) Sanctuary Facilities…………………..$200.00______________________
b) Fellowship Hall……………………….$200.00______________________
Non-Members will pay a building charge as well as a Church fee, so the cost of using the Sanctuary only would be $200.00 and for the Sanctuary as well as the Fellowship Hall would be $400.
March 2011