Permission on Church Property

kking · Jan 30, 2017

Everyday on my way to work I pass by this old abandoned house out in a rural part of town at the corner of two busy roads. There is a fairly modern large church that was probably built in the last 10 years that sits way back on this property. When I researched it, I found out the church owns the land that this old corner house sits on. If I could get permission to detect the immediate land around this old house from someone at the church, say the senior pastor or the like, do you think I would be good to go or do you think I would need to contact the corporate office of the church whose ownership address is in a different town?

NectarDetector · Jan 30, 2017

Ask the OWNER for permission, not a pastor or grounds keeper... not all churches are commercial, and some are owned by individuals!

How do I know?

Read my post I got permission to detect at an 1865 Church, then the posse rode up...a modern day detectorist show down

That's how I learned quickly that a pastor doesn't have the authority to give you permission in some instances! lesson learned!

kking · Jan 30, 2017

NectarDetector said:
Ask the OWNER for permission, not a pastor or grounds keeper... not all churches are commercial, and some are owned by individuals!

How do I know?

Read my post I got permission to detect at an 1865 Church, then the posse rode up...a modern day detectorist show down

That's how I learned quickly that a pastor doesn't have the authority to give you permission in some instances! lesson learned!

Wow Nectar, what a story. Thanks for sharing the link with me. Definitely gives me some caution.

This is quite a large commercial church and at least the property search pages of the county its in shows the property in map view to be owned by the Church's corporate LLC with two addresses. One, the address of the property and two a main corporate mailing address in another town. I was thinking of stopping by and asking if the house was owned by them since it was on their property or maybe the property line stops short of the house and the map info I have is wrong. If they say they do own it, I may ask who I can speak with at their corporate offices to get permission and let that lead me from there.

NectarDetector · Jan 30, 2017

kking said:
Wow Nectar, what a story. Thanks for sharing the link with me. Definitely gives me some caution.

This is quite a large commercial church and at least the property search pages of the county its in shows the property in map view to be owned by the Church's corporate LLC with two addresses. One, the address of the property and two a main corporate mailing address in another town. I was thinking of stopping by and asking if the house was owned by them since it was on their property or maybe the property line stops short of the house and the map info I have is wrong. If they say they do own it, I may ask who I can speak with at their corporate offices to get permission and let that lead me from there.

Ask the pastor... I was just offering a word of caution about some of the older historic churches, something to think about.

Tom_in_CA · Jan 30, 2017

I haven't read Nectar's story/link yet. But I can't imagine that someone @ the staff of the church doesn't have the authority to say "yes". I mean, sure, you can go higher and higher and higher up the ladder (to out-of-state coorporate denominational headquarters, etc...) if you want. But if it were me, I'd take the yes or no of whomever's tasked with the administration/over-sight of the individual satellite facility you're at.

If for some reason, a higher up (who happen-chanced into that city, and happen-chance saw you, and happen-chance didn't like it), wouldn't that be the problem of the person who granted you permission? Not your problem. Sure, they can rescind/over-ride some lower level person. But seems you'd have acted on good faith to have asked the staff at the facility you're at.

NectarDetector · Jan 30, 2017

Tom_in_CA said:
I haven't read Nectar's story/link yet. But I can't imagine that someone @ the staff of the church doesn't have the authority to say "yes". I mean, sure, you can go higher and higher and higher up the ladder (to out-of-state coorporate denominational headquarters, etc...) if you want. But if it were me, I'd take the yes or no of whomever's tasked with the administration/over-sight of the individual satellite facility you're at.

If for some reason, a higher up (who happen-chanced into that city, and happen-chance saw you, and happen-chance didn't like it), wouldn't that be the problem of the person who granted you permission? Not your problem. Sure, they can rescind/over-ride some lower level person. But seems you'd have acted on good faith to have asked the staff at the facility you're at.

You read it long ago, was just offering a diff train of thought, because that situation was soooo awkward, I'd hate to see people in the same position, just because they didn't know that some churches are privately owned, I know I didn't know that back then...but I do now...LOL

kking · Jan 31, 2017

Nectar, I think you showed a lot of restraint and I like the way you re-directed all your attention towards the calm one and didnt give the hot head any more fuel for his fire... I would hope I would react similarly given those situations but you never know. They were taking a big chance also as they didint know what they were getting into with you ... if your fuse was a little shorter or you were in a bad mood that day, or felt too backed into a corner, it could have turned out much different. Good on ya!

Permission on Church Property

kking

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NectarDetector

kking

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NectarDetector

Tom_in_CA

Elite Member

NectarDetector

kking

Junior Member

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