Frequently Asked Questions about Weddings and Funerals
(December 10, 2009)

Q: Who do I contact at the Church when there is a death in the family?
A: The Pastor. You can contact her at 301-762-2729 or 240-393-0991.

Q: Who contacts the choir, the ushers and the kitchen committee?
A: The Pastor. The Pastor meets with the family at their earliest convenience to coordinate the plans.  We cannot accommodate for bulletins that require pictures.

Q: How many people can JMP accommodate?
A: 150. For larger funerals, the Pastor will coordinate with the Pastors at  Goshen United Methodist Church, Mt. Calvary or ICOG.

Q: Are there fees associated with funerals or weddings?
A: If you are an active member of the Church there are no fees for the use of Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant or for Rev. Wood. This also extends to the active member’s immediate family. If the family has to use another church, it will be the family’s responsibility to pay any fees associated with that particular church. A fee schedule for nonmembers can be obtained from the Trustees. 

Q: What is required to have a wedding at Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant?
A: Contact Rev. Wood to schedule premarital counseling and scheduling of the wedding. If you are a member, there are no fees. If not, please contact the Trustees for the fee schedule. 

Q: Where do we park for a funeral?
A: We can only use the adjacent parking lots after 6 p.m. M-F and all day Saturday and Sundays.  There are parking garages in Rockville Town Center.

Q: What happens if Rev. Wood is out of town or out of the country?
A: Contact Mrs. Doris Prather  who will be the new SPPRC Chair beginning 1/01/10.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pastoral Transition
(May 2011)

Transition Policy - as specified in the Baltimore-Washington Conference Manual on Policies and Procedures

¶2412 – Returning to a Previous Appointment

As of the effective date of a new appointment, a pastor shall immediately cease all pastor counseling and pastoral visitation with members or member families in the previous appointment. Since appointments are generally announced several weeks in advance, each pastor has adequate time in which to effect closure and make appropriate referral to another for the pastoral care of members.

Pastors shall have a clear understanding with former congregations that they will not return to officiate at baptisms, weddings, and funerals, or do pastoral counseling or pastoral visitation in that parish. Pastors, active or retired, shall respectfully decline to participate in such duties when invited by members of a former congregation. Declining all such invitations is the responsibility of the previous pastor.

The present pastor, at his or her discretion, may invite the previous pastor to return for pastoral functions. However, the present pastor should never be under any pressure to invite the previous pastor. Through transitions in pastoral leadership, local congregations should be educated concerning this policy and asked to support it by prayer and actions.