Dear Reader,
I wonder what would happen if someone suggested that you change your name. Is there
a name that immediately comes to your mind that you would rather have? For some of
us, a name change might be a welcome relief. For others, a name change would result in
too much confusion. Imagine all the documents you would have to change!
For fifteen years, the Christian Reformed Church has had an office of Abuse Prevention.
It was a pioneering effort among many denominations and also within the CRC to
respond to the sin of abuse. The office developed policies and protocols to prevent child
abuse in churches and to assist victims with their claims of abuse.
Now the name has changed. The Safe Church Ministry is the new name christened at
Synod 2009. Each word in the new name reflects its vision and mission. A feeling of
safety or security is important to us whether we are children or adults. We don’t have
that feeling with everyone nor do we have it in every place we visit. However, we should
feel safe and secure in our church building and with those who worship there.
Furthermore, we want to think of the church as more than just the building. Church is
holy ground - the place where we worship God. Church is also a network of
relationships. In all our worship activities and programs and in every relationship that
arises from those events, we should nurture healthy and safe interactions. And finally, a
safe church should be a ministry within every church. The desire to be a safe community
should bubble up from the church itself as a focus of ministry and not as a duty or
obligation to a denominational office.
As director, I’ll continue to provide resources, protocols, and training for churches as
together we build safe communities that love the Lord and each other.
Beth A. Swagman