Safe Sanctuaries Training
The content of this page was taken directly from the Safe Sanctuaries training Manual. The intent of this page is to demonstrate what material is covered during a Safe Sanctuaries Training.
Chapter One: Our Mandate
AS CHRISTIANS, we are called to live according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Christian heritage derives from that of the Hebrews. We accept the tradition and experience set forth in the Old Testament Scriptures as our own. In the history of the ancient Hebrews, we find a deeply rooted legacy of justice and mercy. (See Micah 6:8; Isaiah 1:17; Amos 5:24; Isaiah 56:1; Deuteronomy 24:17; Leviticus 19:15.) We also find a strong tradition of hospitality and generosity. (See Isaiah 58:10-12 and Leviticus 19:10.)
Justice and hospitality were essential elements of the covenant between the people and God. Worship was the lifeblood of the covenant. Throughout the history of the Hebrew people, their practice of worshiping God in holy places is recorded. At times, the holy place was no more than a small tent or a pile of rocks made on the plains. At other times, the holy place was a beautifully ornate temple with many grand chambers. No matter what the place of worship looked like, the people treasured it as a holy place, a sanctuary, where they were able to worship in safety and harmony. (See Psalm 20:1-2 and Psalm 27:4-5.) Today, we must remember that our churches are holy places of sanctuary for the children of God. Our churches must continue to be places where people of all ages can come together for worship, study, and service, with the assurance that they are safe and secure in the community of faith.
Chapter Two: Recruiting, Screening, and Hiring Workers
WHEN A CONGREGATION decides to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the prevention of child abuse, the best place to begin is with the development of appropriate procedures for recruiting, screening, and hiring the people who will work with children and youth. In spite of other adopted safety procedures, if a church does not include a thorough screening process, it will not provide the control and security necessary to assure the safety of children participating in its ministries. Each congregation should approach the recruitment/screening/hiring process in two stages. First, there needs to be a procedure for the employees and volunteers who will work with children and youth on a regular and frequent basis. Second, there needs to be a procedure for workers who will only be involved with children on an occasional basis. By implementing such a system, even workers who are called at the last minute to replace a regular worker can be recruited from a group that has been adequately screened in advance.
Chapter Three: The Scope of the Problem
EACH WEEK many local churches participate in the sacrament of Holy Baptism for children. In the congregation where I worship, we have two worship services each Sunday, and we very often have a baptism in each service. On a recent Sunday, we baptized a baby boy who represents the sixth generation of his family in our congregation. Can you imagine how that looked in the sanctuary? His parent, grandparents, and great-grandparents presented him for baptism. They, along with aunts, uncles, and cousins filled up the chancel area! Then, when our pastor presented him to the congregation, we all joined in by pledging to surround him and his family with steadfast love so that he would grow in the way that leads to eternal life surrounded by a community of faith that would love and care for him and his whole family. That was a worship-filled time; but not simply because we baptized a new baby. It was worship filled also because over the years, members of the baby's family had raised their voices in support of other families at the baptism and confirmation of their children and now, the tradition was being continued for them and their newest family member. All of us who belong to the community of faith rejoice at every event like this and hope that we will see many many more.
Chapter Four: Basic Procedures for Safe Ministry with Children
AFTER A LOCAL CHURCH has made the commitment to take precautions against abuse in its ministries with children and youth, the congregation needs to develop basic procedures to guide the day-to-day operation of its ministries. This can be thought of as the "nuts and bolts" of carrying out the church's ministries with children after the workers are chosen. These procedures are designed to make ministry flow smoothly by reducing the possibility of harm to the children, youth, and the workers. Once again, the procedures will demonstrate to members and visitors alike the church's commitment to the prevention of child abuse and its commitment to being a safe and holy place where children can grow in the faith.
Chapter Five: The Scope of the Problem
EVERY YEAR, our local churches provide confirmation studies for youth. At the worship service in which the youth are confirmed in my congregation, our pastor will address the entire congregation, saying, "Brothers and sisters, I commend to your love and care these persons whom we this day receive into the [professing] membership of this congregation. Do all in your power to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love." The congregation will respond with the following promise and covenant, "We rejoice to recognize you as [professing] members of Christ's holy church, and bid you welcome to this congregation of The United Methodist Church. With you we renew our vows to uphold it by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. With God's help we will so order our lives after the example of Christ that, surrounded by steadfast love, you may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal" ("Baptismal Covenant III," The United Methodist Hymnal; pages 48-49). Making this promise gives each and every person in the congregation a sacred role and responsibility in the lives of the newly confirmed youth.
Chapter Six: Basic Procedures for Safe Ministry With Youth
THESE SAFE SANCTUARIES procedures are designed to make youth ministry flow smoothly by reducing the possibility of harm to the youth and to the workers with youth. Each of the following procedures is important in the congregation's comprehensive Safe Sanctuaries strategy.
- Appropriate Interpersonal Boundaries
- Safe Sanctuaries and Cyber Safety for Ministries with Children and Youth
- The Two Adult Rule
- First Aid/CPR Training
- Annual Orientation for Workers
- The Five-Years-Older Rule
- No Workers Under the Age of eighteen
- Windows in All Classroom Doors
- Open-Door Counseling
- Limited Counseling Sessions
- Advance Notice to Parents
- Participation Covenant for all Participants and Leaders
- Parent and Family Education
- Appropriate Equipment and Supervision
- Adequate Insurance for the Scope of Your Ministries
- Transportation Options
- Special Settings
Chapter Seven: Safe Sanctuaries for Senior and Vulnerable Adults
The Graying of the Church, by Richard H. Gentzler, Jr. was published by Discipleship Resources in 2004 and provides a wealth of information to guide us in the formation and implementation of ministries with senior and vulnerable adults. Since the first publication of Safe Sanctuaries, we have learned quite a lot about the correlation of those screening and operation procedures and ministries with senior and vulnerable adults. Furthermore, we have learned more about the prevalence of abuse of senior adults by those who have unsupervised access to them. Abuse of older adults comes in the same forms as child abuse: physical, sexual, emotional, ritual, and neglect. In addition, there is financial abuse of older adults within the context of ministries.
Chapter Eight: Developing a Congregational Plan for Responding to Allegations of Abuse
THE CONGREGATION'SPLAN for responding to suspected or alleged incidents of abuse of children, youth, or a vulnerable adult must be developed long before it may be needed. Two key components must be included in the plan: First, review your state's law for requirements in reporting suspected or known incidents of abuse to the department of family services or to the local police. Second, develop a plan for complying with the legal reporting requirements and for making statements to other officials, the congregation, and the media.
Chapter Nine: Implementation Strategies for the Congregation
FOR A CHILD abuse or elder abuse prevention policy to be successful, the entire congregation must wholeheartedly support its adoption and implementation. Universal support will not happen without a thorough and comprehensive plan for educating the congregation and for including a wide spectrum of members in the development of the policy and procedures.
Chapter Ten: A Model for Training Workers
IMPLEMENTING A comprehensive strategy for the prevention of child abuse in a local church cannot be done without a substantial amount of education being provided for the workers with children and youth, the parents of children and youth, the congregation, and the children and youth themselves. This model is designed to be used with your church's workers with children and youth, but you may easily modify it for use with other groups. This model is designed to be used as a three- or a four-hour workshop. Providing this type of training will be an on-going necessity in each congregation. Whenever the volunteer leadership changes, for example at the beginning of the new Sunday School term in the fall, you will need to provide training for the new leaders. Whenever your state child abuse reporting statute changes you will need to provide training for the leaders. Many churches are utilizing training tools such as DVDs, power-point presentations, and their web sites to make their training sessions more useful. Some helpful resources are listed in the final chapter of this book. Your congregation may choose to train your workers with vulnerable adults along with the children and youth workers. If so, be sure to include information on each age group in the training plans and materials.
Chapter Eleven: After Abuse, Then What?
WHEN THE ABUSE of a child, youth, or vulnerable adult occurs in the church, there are many victims in addition to the one who has been physically harmed, and all are in need of healing ministry. Who are the other victims?
The other victims may include the
- family members of the child or vulnerable who was harmed.
- peers of the child or vulnerable adult.
- peers of the child's parents.
- remaining workers with children and youth and senior adults.
- congregation as a community of faith.
- family of the accused abuser.
Each victim will certainly need to be included in a ministry of comfort and healing.
Other Sources and Resources
Contains a list of organizations that have helpful information and resource materials about child abuse.