I have spent the last two Sunday afternoons at the Marion District Job Function Workshops where I led a session about keeping our churches safe for children and youth. Not only does it dishearten me that we have to conduct such workshops, but also I am amazed at how few persons attend. Each session had four participants. I would like to believe that it is because the other churches have safe sanctuary policies in place. But, when I see church members arrive in 15-passenger church vans at these events, I assume there is more teaching on this subject that needs to happen.
The 1996 General Conference of The United Methodist Church adopted a resolution aimed at reducing the risk of child sexual abuse in the church. Joy Melton, a lawyer and a clergyperson, has created the resource, Safe Sanctuaries, that is used widely across our denomination and speaks frequently on this subject at clergy and Christian education events. In response, First UMC adopted Guidelines for Safety of Children and Youth in 2002. This document was updated in 2004 and I will ask the Administrative Board to review it during the coming year. It is an on-going matter of monitoring and adjusting. I feel that we have made great strides in implementing good policies, but conventional wisdom says that it is time to review them. Our guidelines are posted on our website. Please let me know of suggestions for revision.
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I know I was one of the few in attendance, but you need to be assured our small numbers were in no way due to you. Sadly, too many of us are only now coming to understand the seriousness of the threat to our children and youth posed by persons who would take advantage of the open and loving atmosphere of the church to prey on our young ones. Through Safe Sancturaries, let us retain that loving atmosphere and keep it as open as possible while still exercising a responsible environment in which our children and youth can come to learn--and experience--the nature of God.
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