What is Safe Sanctuaries?
Safe Sanctuaries is the name commonly given by local United Methodist Annual Conferences and local
churches to their individual efforts to make conference, district, and local church programs welcoming
and safe for children and youth. Safe Sanctuaries is the title of two guidebooks, Reducing the Risk of
Child Abuse in the Church and Reducing the Risk of Abuse in Youth Ministries, written by United Methodist
deacon and lawyer Joy Thornburg Melton.
What does the term
Safe Sanctuaries encompass?
Safe Sanctuaries encompasses the efforts made by a local church, district, or the Conference to reduce the
risk of abuse to children and youth and to protect the adult workers (either paid or volunteer) who interact
with those children and youth in any church activity, whether on-site or away from the church building. Being
known as a Safe Sanctuaries church or district indicates to persons entering your building that a level of
care and protection is being provided in that local church or at that district or Conference event.
Why do we need to have this Safe Sanctuaries program?
For Holston Conference, the physical and emotional safety, as well as the spiritual growth of all God's children
and youth, is important. We as a Conference are committed to the holistic well-being of each child, youth, and
adult entrusted to us. We believe that we as a Church must take reasonable steps to love and protect our children
and youth while they are involved in programs and activities provided in and by our local churches, districts, and
our Conference. In addition, we must take reasonable steps to love and protect those adults who work with our children and youth.
The resolution "Reducing the Risk of Child Sexual Abuse in the Church" was adopted in 1996 and reaffirmed
in 2000 by the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. This resolution became the impetus for all Annual
Conferences and local churches to implement child and youth abuse prevention policies.
In all of our ministries with children and youth, the Holston Conference is committed to demonstrating the love of
Jesus Christ so that each child will be... "surrounded by steadfast love, established in the faith, and confirmed
and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal" (Baptismal Covenant II, United Methodist Hymnal,
p. 44). This effort at Safe Sanctuaries demonstrates our commitment to the physical safety and spiritual growth of all our
children and youth.
Why conduct background checks and
interviews of existing employees and volunteers?
One aspect of Safe Sanctuaries care includes conducting background checks on persons – both paid and volunteer –
who work with children and youth. Doing background checks on staff members and volunteers who have regular and direct contact
with children and youth provides uniformity in treatment of the workers. It demonstrates that background checks are not
targeted or random. Uniformity of treatment helps guard against any misunderstanding or resentment that might otherwise arise.
Safe Sanctuaries policy information and forms:
- MPUMC Policy, Definitions, and Guidelines (link coming soon)
- MPUMC Volunteer Application (link coming soon)
- MPUMC Participation Covenant (link coming soon)
- MPUMC Release of Records/Background Check (link coming soon)
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