Any church group (committee, social group, spiritual enrichment program, one-time events, etc.) using First Parish space, should have a designated leader who will liaise with Linda Baker, our Parish Administrator, for building use issues, and who will be responsible for ensuring that the group knows and implements the building use guidelines.

Linda can be contacted via telephone at: 617-876-7772 or Fphsq@aol.com.[INSERT LINK]

LOGISTICS

MEETING SPACE will be assigned to your group, based on the group's size, needs, and availability. Coordinate directly with Linda about your group's meeting space needs. Let her know as far in advance as possible of your group's needs.

KEYS are available to Committee Chairs and others requiring access to the building, as needed. If you do not have a door key you can secure one from Linda, during office hours (8am - 4pm) the week before your meeting. Keys must be signed out through the office. Arrangements must be made for returning keys, based on your group's short-term and long-term needs. Keys should not be loaned, even within a group.

ORIENTATION TO BUILDING: If you have never coordinated a group or meeting in the church, make arrangements with the office to be oriented to the building. Your meeting will go more smoothly if you know how the lights work, how to unlock doors, where you will find emergency supplies, etc.

BUILDING SECURITY: Please be sensitive to the fact that we are a large urban church with a great deal of programming. We count on you to be conscious of the security of the building, and take care of the needs of your meeting/event.

When you arrive, unlock the outer door to the church and leave the inner door locked. (The outer door may already be unlocked if there is another group using the space.)

Do not let people other than your meeting/event members into the building. If another group or event is going on there should be a greeter present from that group to admit it's participants.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS THE DOOR TO BE POSTED OPEN AND LEFT UNATTENDED!!!!

PHOTOCOPIES: The photocopier is to be used for church business only. If you know your group is going to need access to the copier, make arrangements with the office in advance of your meeting.

SUPPLIES: While the church cannot provide unlimited pens, pencils and paper to groups using the space, if your group does need specific supplies, such as chart paper or markers, make arrangements in advance with the office. Return unused supplies to where you found them.

CHILDCARE: Each group is responsible for coordinating their own childcare needs. Check with the office for a list of possible childcare providers. Since you may be sharing use of building , for the safety of your children and as a courtesy to other space users, please be sure you childcare person is informed of spaces set aside for the children to use that day.

HEAT: please do not touch the heat. If the temperature is not right, you will have to contact the office after your meeting/event. The whole heating system is on a complex timer and adjusting it can set things off.

WINDOWS:may be opened, but be absolutely sure to close and lock them again.

EMERGENCIES

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS are located in the Barn Room, Upstairs Hall and Kitchen. Please review their location with meeting participants.

CLOSING CHECK LIST: The building must be left as clean as you found it.

1. Return the meeting room to its original condition -- chairs, tables, etc. back as you found them.

2. Dispose of all food in the trashcan in the kitchen. We do not want to attract rodents - so do not put food waste or food papers in waste baskets in other areas.

3. Empty hot water and put pots away.

4. Make sure all lights are off except the light outside the church office & in the vestibule.

5. Lock all of the doors you opened for your meeting.

6. When you exit the building, please lock the dead bolt with your key. If there is another event going on, close down and lock up everything you used, but you should not deadbolt the front door.

Additional Notes on the building not included in this document but of interest are:

• We are provided with 3 keys
  • BB8-key to room where young adult closet is TO BE UPDATED CLOSET IS GOING AWAY WITH REMODEL TO BE REPLACED BY CABINET IN SEPTEMBER
  • barn room key
  • key to both entry doors
• There is a thumb lock on the outer door.
• To lock the door, push the top thumb lock button AND turn the key counter clockwise.
• To unlock the door, turn the key clockwise all the way (requires extra wrist effort), open, and push the bottom thumb lock button.
• The fire alarm shuts down with extreme temperatures; this sometimes causes the panel near the entrance to beep quietly. Don't worry; this is not a real fire alarm, which would be extremely loud.
• The doorbells operate by radio and can be plugged into any outlet in the room you are meeting. Thus, there is no need to (and it is forbidden) to prop open doors when you in the Barn Room, for example.
• Do not leave the inner door propped open. It is best to have people ring the bell as sometimes people come off the street who should not be in the church.
• Remember to close all windows after the event.