GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
ON CHURCH PROPERTY
RevisedandAdoptedbyDiocesanCouncil,October8,2015
Itistheresponsibilityofeachparishvestry,Bishop’sCommitteeorsimilargoverningbodytoestablisha
policyfortheuse,service,saleandconsumptionofalcoholicbeveragesatfunctionstakingplaceon
churchproperty,whetherornotsponsoredbymembersoftheparishoranyparishorganization.This
policyshallbemadeknowntoallmembersoftheparishandtoanygroupsinthecommunitythatmay
useparishfacilities.
Eachparishpolicyissubjecttocompliancewith(i)alllawsoftheUnitedStatesandtheStateofNew
York,specificallythoserelatingtotheuse,service,saleandconsumptionofalcoholicbeverages;(ii)
ResolutionA158asadoptedbytheGeneralConventionoftheEpiscopalChurch,July2015;and(iii)
theseGuidelines.Anyparishisatlibertytoestablishapolicymorerestrictivethananyoftheaforesaid
butmaynotestablishanypolicythatislessrestrictive.
Thefollowingguidelinesshallgoverntheuse,service,saleandconsumptionofalcoholicbeverageson
churchproperty:
1.Anyeventatwhichalcoholicbeveragesaretobeservedmusthavetheapprovaloftheclergyperson
inchargeoftheparish.Noalcoholicbeveragesshallbeservedduringanymeetingatwhichthebusiness
oftheChurchisconducted(e.g.,vestrymeetings).
2.Theavailabilityofalcoholicbeveragesmustnotbethe“focalpoint”ofanyeventoradvertisingfor
suchevent.Termssuchas“cocktailparty”,“wineandcheeseparty”,“beerandwinetasting”aretobe
avoided.Thispertainstoallevents,whetherparishsponsoredornot.
3.Eachparishcontemplatingsponsoringorprovidingspaceforafunctionatwhichalcoholicbeverages
aretobeservedshouldconsulttheirinsurancepolicy/carriertoascertainthatappropriateinsurance
coverageisinplace.Ifanexternalorganizationissponsoringthefunction,theparishshouldobtaina
copyofsuchorganization’sinsurancepolicytoascertainthattheparishisan“additionalinsured”under
suchpolicyandthatsuchpolicyhasappropriatecoverage.
4.Non-alcoholicbeverages(e.g.,bottledwater,soda,fruitjuice)mustbeavailableatallsuchfunctions.
Ifalcoholicbeveragesaretobesold,non-alcoholicbeveragesmustbeprovidedatnocostoratalower
costthanthecostofalcoholicbeverages.Theavailabilityofsuchnon-alcoholicbeveragesshallbe
prominentlydisplayedandshallbeequallyaccessibletopatrons.Servingareasforalcoholicandnonalcoholicbeveragesshallbeseparate.
5.Ifalcoholicbeveragesareservedatanyfunction,allbeveragesbeingservedshouldbeclearly
identifiedasalcoholicornon-alcoholic.
6.Foodshouldalwaysbeservedatanyfunctionwherealcoholicbeveragesareprovided.Anyfood
containingalcoholicbeveragesasaningredientshouldbeclearlylabeledassuch.
7.Anyalcoholicbeveragemustbeservedbyapersonovertheageof21appointedbytheclergyperson
inchargeoftheparish.Suchpersonmustnotconsumealcoholicbeveragesduringthedurationofthe
eventatwhichhe/sheisserving.
8.Specifictimesfortheserviceofalcoholicbeveragesmustbeestablished(e.g.,no“openbar”).
UNDERNOCIRCUMSTANCESSHALLALCOHOLICBEVERAGESBESERVEDTO(i)ANYPERSONUNDERTHE
AGEOF21;or(ii)TOANYPERSONWHOAPPEARSTOBEINTOXICATEDORIMPAIRED.
9.Ifalcoholicbeveragesaretobesold,theremustbecompliancewithNewYorklawsrequiringthe
obtainingofaspecialpermitfromtheNewYorkStateLiquorAuthority.Itshouldbenotedthateach
parishislimitedtofour(4)suchpermitsduringanytwelve(12)monthperiod.Suchpermitsarelimited
tothesaleofbeerandwine,whichmustbeobtainedfromalicensedwholesaler,breweryorwinery
(i.e.,notpurchasedfromaretailliquorstoreorgrocery).SuchpermitsdoNOTpermitthesale/service
of“hardliquor”(e.g.,scotch,gin,bourbon).Ifitisdesiredtoprovideforsale/serviceoftheseitems,the
parish/organizationMUSTengagetheservicesofalicensedcatererwhoholdsanappropriatelicense
issuedbytheNewYorkStateLiquorAuthority.
10.Ifaparishfunctionhasan“admissionprice”,“ticketprice”or“donation”connectedwith
attendance(hereincalleda“charge”),suchchargemaynotvarydependingonwhetheranindividual
attendeereceivesanalcoholicbeverage(e.g.,$10chargewithoutaccesstoalcohol,$15chargewith
access).Suchafunctionmaynothavea“perdrink”barasanalternativenormayanyalcoholic
beveragesotherthanbeerorwinebeserved(seeitem9above).
11.Thesponsoringgroupforanyeventatwhichalcoholicbeveragesaretobeservedshallbe
responsibleforarrangingfortransportationforanypersonwhoappearstobeintoxicatedorwhose
abilitytodriveorotherwisereturnhomemaybeimpaired.
Inconnectionwiththispolicy,eachparishshallestablish,inappropriateforums(i)churchschool
curriculumtimeforeducationregardingalcoholandsubstanceabuse;(ii)literatureaboutissuesrelating
toalcoholandsubstanceabuse;and(iii)informationaboutreferralstoprogramsfortreatmentof
alcoholandsubstanceabuse.
Forpurposesofthispolicy,theterm“parish”shallrefertoanyindividualchurch,religiouscommunity,
worshippingcommunityoranyothergroup,howeverdenominated,undertheauspicesoftheEpiscopal
DioceseofLongIsland.