Safe Sanctuaries
August 1, 2021
The General Conference mandate of 1996 requires all United Methodist Churches to implement policies and procedures to prevent the risk of abuse of children, youth and vulnerable adults.
Each local church context is unique. As such, each church should gather a team to create, review, update and enforce a Safe Sanctuaries policy that meets the needs of their individual context. Rev. Joy Thornburg Melton wrote a book titled Safe Sanctuaries that offers insight into the need for such policies and procedures, as well as guidance for writing and implementing a church policy.
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Learning Resources
IN-PERSON TRAINING RESOURCES
The following resources are available for local church leaders to facilitate Safe Sanctuaries training for their congregations:- Local Church Training Template (.ppt)
- Local Church Training Template (.key)
- Local Church Training Facilitator Notes (These notes are included in the .ppt and .key files, but are provided separately here for your convenience.)
ONLINE TRAINING
Free online training for policy leaders and local church volunteers is now available to all! Learn more here.
Additionally, you may watch this recorded webinar about Safe Sanctuaries considerations when offering church space as a community internet hotspot. Click the YouTube link on the video to view on YouTube and enlarge the player window.
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
- Discipleship Ministries
This UMC Agency has numerous Safe Sanctuaries resources on its website.
BOOK RESOURCES (Available for lending from the Resource Center)
- Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church for Children and Youth by Joy Thornburg Melton
- Safe Sanctuaries in a Virtual World by Joy Thornburg Melton and Michelle L. Foster (Beckerleg)
- Safe Sanctuaries: The Church Responds to Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of Older Adults by Joy Thornburg Melton
Policy Resources
The following resources are available for local church leaders as they write/review their policies and procedures:
- Policy Review Guide
- Sample Church Policy and Procedures
- Sample Digital Church Policy and Procedures
(This policy was created by Checkpoint Church, whose ministries are 100% online. Click here to learn more about this unique UMC and their adaption of traditional Safe Sanctuaries policies and procedures for their digital community.) - Sample Incident Report
- Sample Registration and Release Form
- Sample Volunteer Interest Form
- Sample Volunteer Tracker Spreadsheet
BOOK RESOURCES (Available for lending from the Resource Center)
- Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities from The Upper Room (coming April 2023)
- Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in the Church for Children and Youth by Joy Thornburg Melton
- Safe Sanctuaries in a Virtual World by Joy Thornburg Melton and Michelle L. Foster (Beckerleg)
- Safe Sanctuaries: The Church Responds to Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of Older Adults by Joy Thornburg Melton
Recursos en Español
Los siguientes recursos están disponibles para los líderes de la iglesia local mientras escriben / revisan sus políticas y procedimientos:
- Guía de la Revisión de la Políticas
- Ejemplo de la Políticas y Procedimientos de la Iglesia
- Ejemplo de Formulario de Informe de Incidentes
- Muestra del Formulario de Registro y Liberación de Eventos
- Ejemplo de Formulario para Voluntarios Interesados
BOOK RESOURCES (Disponible para préstamo desde el Centro de Recursos)
- Santuarios Seguros: Prevencíon del abuso infantil y juvenil en la iglesia: Prevencíon del abuso infantil y juvenil en la iglesia por Joy Thornburg Melton
Background Checks
One factor in Safe Sanctuaries policies is the utilization of national background checks to screen staff and volunteer candidates before they supervise children, youth or vulnerable adults. Additionally, individuals should pass a DMV check before they drive on behalf of the church. Each church may determine the frequency of these checks and should include this in their policy. The conference recommends that each staff member or volunteer complete a national background check at least every three years.
The Western NC Conference partners with PeopleFacts (formerly known as Trak-1 Technologies), an accredited provider of background screening, to safely and securely screen employees, contractors and volunteers. The conference recommends that local churches also sign up with PeopleFacts for low-cost screening. Then, local church volunteers who would like to volunteer for events or participate in mission work at the conference level do not need to undergo duplicative screening.
Trainer Portal
Have you completed a Safe Sanctuaries Trainer workshop hosted by the conference? Click here to access your training resources.
Staff Support
Rev. Michelle Foster-Beckerleg, Safe Sanctuaries Consultant
mfoster@wnccumc.net
Havaleh Havelka, Training and Resource Specialist
704.535.2260
hhavelka@wnccumc.org