Event Planning and Coordination Guidelines.pdf

Event Planning and Coordination
Policy & Procedures

Effective November 1, 2005
(Revised 3/07; 9/08; 2/09)

POLICY: The Director of Properties Administration (DPA) is charged with the responsibility to "maximally use and steward the resources God has given Bethlehem Baptist Church by overseeing the safe, efficient, effective operations and use of the church properties." Further, he will "manage the building use calendar, including building use requests, seeing that the calendar is kept accurate and free of conflicts . . . with the aim of attaining the maximum use of the facilities for efficient and effective ministry." (From DPA Job Description, dated July 2003)

PROCEDURES: To accomplish the above, the following procedures are implemented:

1. All requests for building use (ALL campuses/sites) will be submitted to the DPA on the electronic Event Request Reservation Form. Prior coordination with the DPA (telephonically or in person) is encouraged and will help facilitate the identification of available date(s) and appropriate space for the requested event. If the DPA decides to enter an event into the Master Calendar to save the date/time, the Event Reservation Request Form must be submitted to the DPA within one (1) business day.
   • Because Bethlehem Baptist Church is "one church on two campuses and a south site," all three locations will be viewed as available for event planning. Event planners may request any of the three campuses if dates/space are available, and the DPA may recommend any of the campuses if space at a particular one seems more appropriate for an event.
   • Availability of parking will also be taken into consideration when considering which campus to approve for an event.
2. This policy does not apply to use of the four quadrant conference rooms on the 4th floor at the downtown campus. It does apply in a limited manner to the Edwards, Calvin and Augustine Conference rooms at the north campus, which should be scheduled for events through the procedures in para. 1 above. They may also be reserved on a first-come/first-served basis on the day of an event (meeting, etc.), if no other event is scheduled at that same time, by filling in the calendars posted at each room with the event and time on the day requested.
3. Requests for event space should be submitted within the following minimum time frames:
   • 6- 12 months: for larger one-time church-wide events, TBI Seminars, weddings, and events requiring use of the Sanctuary or the Main Hall.
   • 3-6 months: for events requiring use of multiple rooms, for on-going events, and for events requiring use of the Main Hall.
   • 1-3 months: for events requiring use of single rooms, especially where audio/visual equipment is required.
   • 2-4 weeks: for events requiring use of single rooms (usually smaller meetings), where audio/visual equipment is NOT required.

     NOTE: Due to the necessity of efficient planning and coordination of space, custodial and audio/visual equipment support, event planners are strongly encouraged to plan ahead sufficiently to ensure event requests are submitted within the above time guidelines. Event requests submitted less than two (2) weeks prior to an event will not be guaranteed meeting space, but will be processed.  Event requests submitted less than one (1) week before a requested event will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Custodial schedules and setup/tear down sequencing are planned a minimum of one (1) week in advance. Once established, adding just one unplanned event to the schedule can cause significant changes in this sequencing, which will be taken into account when considering approval of a late (less than 7 days prior to the event) request.

4. Set Up requirements do not need to be finalized at the time the room request is submitted; however, the larger the event, the more lead time is required to ensure adequate equipment (tables, chairs, audio/visual) is available, usually a minimum of 30 days prior to the event. Event planners are encouraged to determine general event set up requirements, especially audio/visual, as soon as possible in the event planning process. Exact numbers and configurations of tables/chairs can be determined closer to the event, but not later than seven (7) days prior.

   NOTE: It is the responsibility of the event planner scheduling the sanctuary to contact the Director of Media Ministries regarding audio/visual support requirements. 

   NOTE: It is the responsibility of the event planner to get permission from the Kitchen Coordinator before the kitchen can be used for any event.

5. Once an event has been scheduled with the DPA and entered into the master calendar, all subsequent event coordination will be conducted with the appropriate campus lead custodian (downtown campus: Ext. 206; north campus: Ext. 855), except for:
   • Cancellation/date change of a scheduled event.
   • Increase/decrease in anticipated attendance that could result in a room change.

     The campus lead custodian will coordinate final setup needs, to include audio/visual requirements, with the event planner. The lead custodian will be given final confirmation of setup requirements not later than seven (7) days prior to the event.

6. Efficient event planning at Bethlehem is contingent upon timely pastoral staff planning and communication of requirements through the department administrators and ministry assistants to the Director of Properties Administration. The pastoral staff is encouraged to plan ahead for events as far as is reasonably possible and to communicate these plans with their staff. This will ensure that events are scheduled and conducted efficiently and maximum and appropriate use is made of Bethlehem resources.