Responses from Clergy Session

• What is Safe Gatherings?
  • Safe Gatherings is the organization the Michigan Conference Protection Policy team vetted and is currently using for all volunteers and paid staff who wish to work with children, youth, and vulnerable adults during district or conference events. Safe Gatherings cares for the process from beginning to end and handles all customer service needs. We have worked with them for almost five years and have had a very positive working relationship.
• Didn’t I already do something in Safe Gatherings?
  • You may be referring to the mandatory Clergy Ethics (Healthy Boundaries) training that all clergy were required to complete. While under the Safe Gatherings umbrella, they are two different trainings.
• What do I need to do to be Safe Gatherings approved?
  • Safe Gatherings consists of an application, reference checks, 4 levels of background checks, online abuse prevention training, and an exam. 
• What is the time commitment?
  • It will take you about 2 hours to complete the application, 3 references, training and exam.
• What is the cost?
  • The base cost for Safe Gatherings is $47. Some counties charge an additional fee for the background check. Most of the counties with additional fees are in the Upper Peninsula.
• In a time when we have a million things, why are you asking us to do one more thing?
  • Clergy model and set the tone. When we do the hard, right thing - we set the tone for our congregations that they can too. Clergy who are Safe Gatherings approved have completed the requirements to be an authorized Leader at district or conference related events with children, youth, or vulnerable adults. When churches receive a new appointment, they know their incoming clergyperson has been trained in current practices and has been background checked.
  • Late last fall, I attended a conference about the new Safer Sanctuaries resource. I heard a lot of stories of abuse and stories of how knowing what to look for potentially prevented abuse. Most of us have heard those stories. These stories are important because in each of these stories are God’s children who have been harmed. We also see too often in the headlines a story of another clergyperson who has been accused of sexual abuse of a minor. (Kalamazoo Diocese) And we are living in the aftermath of the Boy Scouts of America sex abuse settlement, which has significantly impacted many scouts, as well as many of our churches. 
  • We believe that regular training helps us shift from a reactive position to being proactive and responsive. Training equips and empowers us to address an issue before it becomes a problem. It helps us recognize warning signs and provides the information needed to take further steps. Training also gives us the tools we need as mandated reporters in the state of Michigan. Training increases awareness and prevents harm.
• Do other conferences do this? 
  • Yes, while not an exhaustive list, Great Plains requires all clergy to go through Safe Gatherings, and Cal Pac requires all clergy to go through Ministry Safe. 
• What if I don’t have any children or youth in my congregation?
  • The Safe Gatherings training also includes vulnerable adults, including older adults. We don’t always think about the potential vulnerability of older adults. This training provides helpful information and practices around caring for older adults in your congregation. Plus, you never know when you might have children or youth show up or be in a situation where you must act as a mandated reporter. It’s not just about ministry in the church.
• I’m retired or working in extension ministry or beyond the local church, does this apply to me?
  • All Michigan Conference clergy appointed to the local church, extension ministry, or beyond the local church are expected to complete the Safe Gatherings certification process. Clergy who are active participants in a church or who regularly work with children, youth, or vulnerable adults (including older adults) are strongly encouraged to do so as well. 
• Anything else you would like to add?
  • As Michigan Conference clergy, we have a responsibility to protect the children, youth, and vulnerable adults in our care and in our communities and to know and maintain boundaries and practices to keep ourselves safe. Training increases awareness and prevents harm, equipping and empowering us to be fearless as we protect the most vulnerable and ourselves in ministry.