Page 5
The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact
December 13, 2023
Safer Sanctuaries require the whole congregation vigilant is what makes the difference in protecting those who are vulnerable. Recently three In the Oklahoma United representatives from Methodist Conference, we the Oklahoma United have taken steps to better Methodist Conference protect our children and office attended Train-thevulnerable adults by using Trainer: Safer Sanctuaries, a training and background in Kansas City, Missouri. check platform called Nancy Hamilton, Wanda Ministry Safe. The training Clark, and I focused on portion is available to the vital importance of all local churches free of Safe Sanctuaries for our charge, plus the fee of a local churches, camps, Level Three background Wanda Clark, Rebekah Hasty, and Nancy Hamilton and missions. brought insight from leaders in Safe Sanctuaries. check. During the threeHowever, this is only the day event, Rev. Dr. first step in ensuring our Kevin Johnson, a few leaders and volunteers. local churches are safe for Director, Children’s Ministries “Create a network of champions our most vulnerable congregants. for Congregational Vitality & to help create the Safe Sanctuaries The team’s most important Intentional Discipleship and Kelly policies and procedures in your take away from the training is that Peterson, executive director and congregation. This is a communal “Everyone must do Everything CEO of Camp Fire Heart of Iowa effort and should be done in possible to keep Everyone Safe!” with years of experience with community,” instructed Johnson. Keeping our churches safe is not a the California-Nevada Annual “Never forget that the people in once a year training, but an ongoing Conference and the Division of your community are your greatest process to ensure all those who Young People’s Ministries, shared resource in reducing the risk of walk in our doors are in a safe their wealth of knowledge and abuse.” environment where they can freely insight over decades of working It is imperative to have an encounter the love of Jesus Christ. with safe sanctuaries in multiple up to date safe sanctuary policy settings. along with procedures that include The training focus was on a in depth volunteer screening, new publication, Safe Sanctuaries: background checks, and annual Nurturing Trust within Faith trainings. Every adult should be Communities. This in-depth training trained to become a champion for and educational guide focus on a each child, youth, and vulnerable more congregational holistic take adult within the ministry. It is on safe sanctuaries, where it is more necessary to learn the signs of abuse an organic focus of a church or and grooming. Staying up to date on organization, rather than reliance on trainings and remaining focused and BY REBEKAH HASTY
