Chesapeake Conference Association
Our Adventist structure better facilitates our Christian mission and ministry, across the Chesapeake Conference region. The Association is an administrative legal function for those instances where our religious activities interact with civil and government. By being a part of the Association, each church is not required to obtain a separate legal status to own property. Our structure annually reduces the administrative number of federal and state filings by local churches and schools. Specifically, the Association supports your church family as follows:
Church Property Ownership
The Association is a legal collective of church property ownership. It owns, in trust, all conference, church, and school property. Thus, we are compliant with the legal requirements to purchase or sell a property. Additionally, while property is titled to the Association, we determine and comply with legal requirements of ownership. An example would be the application for property tax exemption and our monitoring of that with the county and state.
We assist each church and school by navigating the purchase process to determine needs and location, aiding in the negotiation, with realtors, title company and lawyers. And we will provide information to building committee or the church board through the design and construction process.
Building or Renovation
The USA has adopted the International Building Codes which change annually Each local Planning and Zoning interprets it.
The Association assists your church building committee to create an understanding of the construction options, while identifying design and construction professionals who will work ethically and efficiently with your building or renovation project.
Columbia Union Revolving Fund (CURF)
The Columbia Union Revolving Fund (CURF) loans money to churches, schools, and conferences across the union region for capital improvements, purchases or building. Please contact our office for a CURF loan application form.
Association Board of Trustees
To serve you, the Board of Trustees approves all of your property transactions, building plans, and CURF loans. They are scheduled to meet 5 times a year, though they conduct business as necessary to ensure ministry and mission. The board is made up of a diverse selection of professional and construction expertise. Its lay members are accountants or treasurers, contractor, lawyer, and realtor.
We are here to assist you and your ministry. We look forward to supporting your mission through the Association.