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Regular Group and Event Content.
SUITABLE USE OF ROOMS IN THE CHURCH
The church is a Christian community and the main purpose of the building is for worship and for the congregation to share their Christian way of life with the wider community. We hold the Christian message in high regard in our lifestyle and use of the building. So our terms of use state that activities should not conflict with the Christian faith of the church. This is also a legal requirement of the trust deed of the church property. Decisions on what is suitable use are made by the church and their decision is final.
POLICY ON RELIGION, ETHNICITY, LIFESTYLE
Our policy is to welcome visitors and building users without regard to religion, ethnicity and lifestyle. However events with content from other religions, with immoral, explicit or occult themes are not appropriate. We respect that cultural or community events may include simple introductory and closing prayers from other faiths and can usually give permission on request. We regret that religious teaching, formal meetings, and group prayer from religious groups who are not Christian cannot be accepted. If in doubt about appropriate themes and decoration content please discuss your plans with the church. All advertising requires the church’s approval.
POLICY ON WELLBEING / HEALTH ACTIVITIES
We receive many enquiries for space for activities which promote physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. We decline requests where the activity or material being used may be perceived to be in conflict with the church's own message of Christian faith and belief. Christians look to God as the source of wisdom, liberty, love, peace, healing, self understanding, unselfishness etc. Many self development and wellbeing groups have messages which present different viewpoints, and potentially conflict with these teachings. We regret that where the group’s message might be perceived to be in conflict with Christian beliefs we will decline the application because we hold the faith message we communicate as a church so dearly that we would not want to cause any confusion about the church's beliefs. This includes activities which may have origins in other religious traditions, such as yoga, meditation, ecstatic dance, martial arts with spiritual practice etc.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES / CLINICAL PRACTICE
The church recognises that alternative therapies address a wide range of problems and that many find benefit from them. However from Reiki to Homeopathy to Hopi candles, alternative therapies contain varying elements of science, belief, and spirituality, some of which might conflict with the church’s values. It would not be reasonable for the church to enquire into the content of sessions and to dictate to practitioners about what is suitable. So, the church has decided that it should respectfully decline enquiries for alternative therapy spaces. For similar reasons the church declines bookings for psychotherapy, motivational speaking and other belief system interventions.
Alternative clinical practice can have well proven benefits. However we feel that our general use spaces are not suitable for most clinical practices including acupuncture. We can consider bookings for physical practices which are in general use by the NHS in a public setting, such as physiotherapy and ante-natal training.
BUSINESS HIRE
Seminars, conferences, product launch, training, public performance, filming, are charged at commercial rates. Commercial selling from the premises (fairs, product sales) is not generally allowed, except where there is a substantial focus on fair trade, charitable benefit, or other ethical purpose. By negotiation the church may agree use for product showcase and range launch where sales on the day is not the primary purpose.
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