W&O partner attorney Sally Wagenmaker will present nonprofit ministry workshops on March 8, 2025, at the 2025 annual Church Ministries Conference (“CMC”), in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The first workshop will be Important Questions About Your Child & Youth Safety in Your Church, co-led with Jeff Dalrymple of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention. Jeff and Sally will share best practices from FAQs and answer ministry leaders’ questions live, all designed to help protect children and youth in churches and ministry settings.
Second, Sally will present on Church Facility Usage: Legal Implications & Stewardship, addressing questions such as the following: How can churches best use their facilities as their needs change? What about applicable legal considerations like property tax exemption, advisability and key elements of written space usage agreements, resulting tax and risk management implications, and religious liberty dynamics too? Real estate can provide enormous stability and security, but it can also present significant challenges. This workshop equips church leaders for addressing facility usage in terms of financial stewardship, legal compliance, and effective risk management.
The third workshop is Church Leadership - Legal Aspects of Governance, Stewardship, and Accountability. This workshop will address current, top-priority legal areas concerning church leadership. Churches of all sizes and types need to promote effective governance. Leaders must be mindful of applicable fiduciary responsibilities such as how bylaws affect their leadership, key governance and operational policies, how best to address employee and volunteer issues, and potential legal pitfalls affecting their church. This workshop will help leaders serve their congregations with optimal accountability, stewardship, and legal compliance.
Registration is now open for the 2025 annual Church Ministries Conference. View a full list of workshops, exhibitors, and information about the Keynote speaking engagement on CMC’s website. Be sure to check out this incredible opportunity to grow together in ministry work!
