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Safe Sanctuaries is the name commonly given by UM Conferences and local churches to their individual efforts to make conference, district, and local church programs safe and welcoming for children, youth and the vulnerable. 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 Joy Melton (Discipleship Resources). Safe Sanctuaries encompasses the efforts made to reduce the risk of abuse to children and youth and to protect the adult workers, paid or volunteer, who interact with those children and youth in any church activity on site or away from the church building. The level of Safe Sanctuary care must be tailored to and provided by each individual local church. Being known as a Safe Sanctuaries church indicates to persons entering your building that a level of care and protection is being provided in that local church.

Why do we need a Safe Sanctuaries Program?

The physical and emotional safety, as well as the spiritual growth of all God's children, is important. We, the NCNY Annual 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 world with our children and youth. In all of our ministries with children and youth, the NCNY 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, UMH, p.44). This effort at Safe Sanctuaries demonstrates out commitment to the physical safety and spiritual growth of all our children, youth and adults.

Is there an opportunity for my church leadership to receive training for Safe Sanctuaries?

We are arranging a training event for all districts in November 2007. More exact dates will be forthcoming. Each one day training event will include: workshop leaders to provide information on child abuse, how to reduce the risk of child abuse in the church, how to develop and maintain a Safe Sanctuary policy. Participants will also be equipped to lead a similar training event in their own church for the teachers and workers with children and youth. You will find answers to these questions:

General Conference 2004 mandated that all Annual Conferences of the UMC will have policies written to ensure Safe Sanctuary environments to protect the vulnerable and prevent abuse. Safe Sanctuaries encompasses the efforts made to reduce the risk of abuse to children and youth and to protect the adult workers, paid or volunteer, who interact with those children and youth in any church activity on site or away from the church building. The level of Safe Sanctuary care must be tailored to and provided by each individual local church. Being known as a Safe Sanctuaries church indicates to persons entering your building that a level of care and protection is being provided in that local church.

We wish that these painful realities did not exist, but they do. Dealing with the sick, broken and uncomfortable parts of life is a part of what we do in ministry. As the church, we respond with prayer, clear thinking and action.