How frequently do you evaluate your church’s Safe Sanctuaries policy? Learn from the writers of a forthcoming resource to be published by The Upper Room by participating in an upcoming October webinar series.

REV. KATHY PITTENGER
Children’s Initiatives Coordinator, Michigan Conference

Our congregational Protection/Safe Sanctuaries Policies are an important way we care for one another. The policy offers us an opportunity to remember the joy and responsibilities of caring for all ages in our church. The policy offers healthy boundaries and expectations around ministry with children, youth, and vulnerable adults. And we rely on good resources to help us build, implement, and revise our policy.

Next spring The Upper Room will publish an updated resource called Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities to guide and assist churches with their policy. It is based on the 1998 resource, Safe Sanctuaries, which has been a trusted source of policy and procedural guidance for abuse prevention in the church. A changing world, however, calls for new and updated approaches to the work of abuse prevention.

To prepare for the book release and remind us of the importance of having an up-to-date abuse prevention policy for children, youth, and vulnerable adults, as well as those in ministry with them, The Upper Room and Discipleship Ministries are offering a free four-part webinar series (click the link to register) throughout the month of October.

Each 45-minute session features information and wisdom from the Safer Sanctuaries writers, offering lively discussions and an opportunity to learn more about this forthcoming resource. A sample version of the 2023 print resource will be available for all webinar registrants.

• • October 6: Moving from Fear to Flourishing: A Theological and Conceptual Framework. The first part of this series will address the essential shift in perspective of the new and improved Safer Sanctuaries This session will focus on the call to discipleship expressed in efforts to create safer spaces for leaders and participants.
  • October 13: Foundational Elements of Safer Sanctuaries. The second part of this series will focus on policy and procedure building blocks. This session will explore what we hope to do as a community and how we will enact these goals.
  • October 20: Putting it All Together. The third part of this series addresses the implementation of Safer Sanctuaries in a specific context, whether a church, nonprofit organization, or community group.
  • October 27: Blessing and Sending. The final part of this series looks at how to take steps toward creating a culture of flourishing instead of fear.

Visit this website to learn more and to register for this webinar series.

Our churches, communities, and people are stronger when we care for the policies that help protect us all.

If your church needs guidance or support with your policy, visit the Local Church Protection Policy resource page on our Michigan Conference website.

If you have specific questions about policy details related to children, contact Rev. Kathy Pittenger at [email protected]. For policy details related to youth, contact Rev. Christy White-Miller at [email protected].

Last Updated on October 31, 2023