Hope for Congregations and Communities
Every congregation lives out its faith in a different context, a unique community. Your Safe Haven will be like no other. What a glimpse of God your congregation can be!
When your congregation makes an intentional decision to become a Safe Haven for Children, an island of hope in your community, significantly affects the lives of youth in your neighborhood.
Poverty and Children and Advocacy
Famillies who live in poverty have few choices about where they live, who their neighbors are and where their children attend school. Children who live in poverty tend to suffer from a wide range of problems. Poverty can bring a quiet sense of shame for children and their families.
Racism, sexism, citizenship status, and classism are all factors that affect the economic health and well-being of American families. When parents or care givers are consumed with survival issues, there is little time or energy left for tending to the emotional and spiritual needs of their children. Your congregation can and should respond to the needs of poverty in many ways.
A Safe Place for Children, Youth and Adults
Every congregation should put guidelines in place to protect their chidlren, youth and adults from abuse. The process includes gathering a small team of people who will create guidelines (a check list to help you is below,) train the adults who work with children and practice these guidelines regularly.
Some congregations have standing “Safe Haven” teams that continually hold adults accountable to their guidelines, seek out ways to support families and educate new members.
In 75% of reported cases of sexual abuse, the offenders were known to the victims of their families. Your congregation can be a real sanctuary for young people.
Adults should insist their congregation have a Safe Haven policy to protect them as well. High school students, visitors and new members should not be invited to work with children without training.
It is our responsibility to protect our most vulnerable people in our community.
Safe Haven Guidelines (PDF)
Safe Haven for Children, a resource for congregations - visit http://www.elca.org/init/safehaven
Safe Haven…is a lifelong process of learning and caring, and knowing that we work with others in our immediate community, the wider church and the world to develop programs and places where children can flourish, we ask God to help us. from the Safe Haven Covenant
Called to Be a Safe Place
All forms of sexual misbehavior by clergy and lay leaders with church members are unacceptable within the life of the church. The church should be a safe place where people can worship, learn, work, love, and receive care in a manner that is free from sexual misconduct.
Early in the life of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, this church expressed clearly its intention to take whatever measures it could to help prevent sexual abuse and misconduct within the ELCA. In other words, the church is Called to be a Safe Place.
What is Sexual Misconduct?
“Sexual Misconduct.” Federal and state laws make distinctions among various types of sexual misconduct, such as “sexual harassment,” “sexual abuse,” and “sexual assault.” Similarly, the governing documents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) define what types of sexual misconduct can result in a pastor or other rostered person facing ecclesiastical discipline. These distinctions should not concern a person who is troubled about the sexual conduct of a pastor or rostered layperson. This church is concerned about all types of sexual misconduct by these persons, regardless of whether or how the misconduct is characterized by the law or by the governing documents of the ELCA.
Any time a minister uses his or her position in the church for personal sexual gratification is a misuse of the pastoral office and a betrayal of the nature of the pastoral relationship. Any sexual misconduct committed by a rostered church leader should be reported to the appropriate synod, including, but not limited to, any sexual contact between the rostered person and a congregant, counselee, employee, or volunteer. It should be noted that the Synod may not be able to assume primary responsibility for addressing all allegations of sexual misconduct. For example, law enforcement authorities would have responsibility for investigating and addressing criminal allegations, while congregations would have to deal with accusations of sexual harassment by the congregation's employees. Nevertheless, the appropriate synod office should be notified of all cases of inappropriate sexual behavior in the church.
Any suspected sexual contact with a minor must be reported to the appropriate governmental agency as required by state laws concerning reporting of child abuse.
Report Misconduct
Reporting Child Abuse
In the United States most states require allegations of abuse against a minor to be reported immediately to state authorities. The ELCA encourages immediately reporting to the civil authorities all instances of child abuse regardless of personal confidentiality issues. Each state has a different mandatory reporting process. You should call local law enforcement authorities or go to your state government website and find the appropriate office for reporting child abuse.
Reporting Sexual Misconduct in the ELCA
Sexual misconduct committed by congregational employees should be reported to the pastor, council president, or other congregation officer. Congregations are encouraged to have policies in place for addressing allegations against church staff and to respond with compassion and care to anyone reporting abuse by clergy or lay ministers.
Synods of this church usually have responsibility for addressing allegations of clergy sexual abuse, administering appropriate discipline, and responding to those who have been harmed. Procedures and policies in place in the synods of this church provide for compassionate and resolute response to those wounded by clergy sexual misconduct, and appropriate discipline for those who offend.
Where to report clergy sexual misconduct
1. The synod where the misconduct occurred
2. The synod where the pastor is currently located
3. The synod where the victim is currently located
To find the name and contact information for a congregation, click here.