'Chilling Verdict': Churches re-assess risk management policies.



Ken Walker
  1/18/2011

A $4.75 million judgment against a Tampa congregation in connection with a teen's injuries on a church-sponsored skiing trip is raising awareness of the risks facing churches in a litigious society.

"It's a chilling verdict for everyone concerned," said Simeon May, CEO of the National Association of Church Business Administration, which spotlighted risk management in a recent series of seminars nationwide.

"It's very sad that a boy was hurt and that the relationship between his family and church is broken," said Laura Kubenez, director of the child protection ministry at Woodside Bible Church in Troy, Michigan. "I hope the impact is to alert churches that they have to have a [safety] plan and procedures in place." the rest photo by Whit Andrews

Since verdicts like Idlewild's are rare, GuideOne Insurance executive Eric Spacek said churches should be more concerned with injuries related to inadequate property maintenance or the removal of snow and ice hazards.