Pastoral Notes

Safe Sanctuaries- Mandatory Training for Staff and Volunteers

In an effort to uphold our general rule to Do No Harm, uphold scriptural commandments to care for “the least of these,” and to comply with the United Methodist Book of Discipline, Newnan First United Methodist Church has a set of policies and procedures known as Safe Sanctuaries. The purpose for establishing this Safe Sanctuary Policy and the accompanying procedures is to demonstrate our absolute and unwavering commitment to the physical safety and spiritual growth of all our congregants and vulnerable persons.

All staff and volunteers who work with vulnerable populations in our church are required to complete this training and consent to a background check every two years. You may be a ministry volunteer or staff member who works with children, youth, or vulnerable adults (those over the age of 18 who are mentally, physically, or psychologically challenged and unable to make responsible legal decisions about their own welfare). Many folks who serve in our church are overdue to complete the assessment!

We will occasionally offer in-person trainings, as we did on May 19th of this past month. However, we also offer an online version of this training that you can complete on your own schedule. It involves a video, assessment, and covenant agreement, and will take around 1.5 hours to complete. In the future, we will have this link available on the website for this online training to be easily accessible. Until then, please send me an email at cbell@newnanfumc.org, and I will send you a link to complete the training.

I thank you in advance for your commitment to caring for the most vulnerable in our community. As Jesus says, “whatever you [do] for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you [do] for me.” (Matthew 15:40)

Connor Bell

Rev. Connor Bell, Associate Pastor cbell@NewnanFUMC.org | 770.253.7400 (x208)