Safe Sanctuary
LaVergne First United Methodist Church
Safe Sanctuaries Policy
Our Calling
LaVergne First United Methodist Church is a sacred place where God's people of all ages come together for worship, study, service and fellowship. The ministries of LaVergne First seek to share the Good News of the Gospel of Christ and make disciples of Jesus Christ, that all who enter may come to know God and experience the love of Christ.
Our Mandate
According to the Tennessee Department of Human Services, more than 40,000 children per year in the State of Tennessee are reported to be abused or neglected. Approximately 50 percent of these children were alleged to be physically or sexually abused.
In 1996, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted a resolution aimed at reducing the risk of child sexual abuse in the church. The Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church has issued a mandate that all churches shall implement a plan to prevent child abuse by December 31, 2008.
Our Purpose
The purpose of this document is to ensure that the members and staff of LaVergne First United Methodist Church do all they can to provide a safe and secure environment for nursery, preschoolers, children, youth, and all persons entrusted to our care. The Safe Sanctuary policy and procedures are for the protection of our children, youth, employees, volunteers and our entire church family at LaVergne First United Methodist Church. By establishing these policies and procedures, we demonstrate our commitment to provide a safe environment for our children and youth as they grow in their relationship with God. We believe it is possible for us to greatly reduce the risk of abuse following these procedures.
Our Covenant
Therefore, as a Christian community of faith and a United Methodist congregation, we pledge to conduct the ministry of Jesus Christ in ways that assure the safety of our children and youth, as well as of the workers with children and youth. We will follow reasonable safety measures in the selection and recruitment of workers; we will implement prudential operating procedures in our ministries; we will educate our workers with children and youth regarding the use of appropriate procedures; we will have a clearly defined procedure for reporting a suspected incident of abuse that confirms to the requirements of the laws of the State of Tennessee; and we will be prepared to respond should such an incident occur.
In all our ministries with Children and Youth, this congregation 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, The United Methodist Hymnal, p. 44).
To view or print a copy of the Safe Sanctuaries Policy and Implementation Guide, click on the following icon and then select OPEN:
For more information on the next Safe Sanctuary training class, contact Heather Scott at 793-6631.
