Safeguarding God's Children

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Ugh. I just renewed my "Safeguarding God's Children" training. It has to be done every few years, and I dread it every time. I've been renewing for about twenty years now, ever since I was a youth minister at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, and working with Camp Allen, and Camp Capers, each Episcopal Camps. 

I always dread it, and I'm always glad it is part of our church life. Everyone who works with youth or children, and everyone who has access to our church building takes this course. It is so important because it teaches respectful boundaries with children, youth, and even adults. It also educates our leadership about what to look for to protect against abuse. Particularly child molestation. 

The church is one of the few places where intergenerational learning still takes place. Several generations on a journey together: learning and teaching one another about the love of God, and passing down stories of how God has moved through our community. The creation, the teachings of prophets and apostles, and especially the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The church is a loving community; a family in which we are baptized into the Body of Christ, and learn to Walk in Christ's love...

...and because it is so open, welcoming, and intergenerational, it is a place where people who want to do harm try to sneak in and do harm. I hate that. It has happened at every level of leadership in most denominations. People take advantage of the trust of families, children, youth, even the elderly, to be abusive. 

So, we take these safeguarding trainings. 

The refresher course is good. I put it off as long as possible, then when I absolutely have to take it, I take the course. I go on a rollercoaster of emotions from anger to sadness. I end up feeling a little sick to my stomach, and then (aparently) have to write a blog to help me process it. I also have a sense of resolve: this course I hate is helpful because it make our church a safer place. I want others to know we take this course even though it is painful to talk about this dimension of the world in which we live. 

So, be informed and warned: Our leadership knows what to watch for, and how to respect the Dignity of Every Human Being. We know we are vulnerable, so we are on our guard, and we will welcome you in and love you. You are expected to do the same. Love is about empowering others to live the full good life God has given them to live. So, I endure this training help keep the most vulnerable in the church safe.

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