Legal Tools for Trustees

The Board of Trustees "shall have supervision, oversight, and care of all real property owned by the local church and all property and equipment acquired directly by the local church…" (The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2008, ¶2532). The responsibilities of Trustees in congregations often involves legal understanding and compliance with local, state and even federal law regarding property, bequests and foundations. Generally, annual conferences require bonding of trustees and provide a means for such action. Check with your annual conference office for information and compliance requirements.

General help and guidance is available through the legal department of the General Council of Finance and Administration: Legal Services.

Here are some of the checklists available through GCFA Legal Services:

• Abandonment of Church Property
• Church property sale, Lease and Mortgage checklist
• Church Purchase of Read Property checklist
• Space Sharing Checklist

There is also a legal manual for congregations related to Insurance and Risk Management (link: Legal Manual)

The legal manual includes these topics and more:

• Need for Church Insurance
• Sources of Church Insurance
• Insurance Coverage
• Tips for Preventing and Catching Misuse of Church Funds
• Local Church self-Inspection checklist
• Parsonage self-Inspection Checklist
• Arson Prevention check list
• Church Contents Inventory