When I worked at the Presbyterian church, they had a very strong policy of protection for children. They had team teaching of classes and strict rules regarding access to the wing of the building when classes were in session. Repenting pedophiles were not allowed to attend activities where anyone was present under 18 (unless they had a church-member sponsor with them). If a person with a conviction wanted to get close to Jesus, a church member had to agree to be their sponsor. That meant they were supervised by his companionship at activities. No sponsor, no attendance (except church services). The minister told me nothing was "too much trouble" to prevent an incident.

What changes have you seen in your church and what good ideas can you share?

Anagrammy

In the Moravian church, the Eastern Synod went over all this in the 80s, 90s and 20s and recently met againt to tighten controls. Local churches do not get too much leeway in following what the synod tells them to do.

After Penn State, my mom's church in Dublin, OH held an emergency board meeting immediately after Sunday services one week, open to the public, to allow congregants and neighbors, boardmembers, and church leaders to speak openly on the subject, and the synod's most recent changes were re-iterated to all.

Then they gave every attending member at the service last Sunday a written summary of all that, and asked any member with questions or concerns to call the police first, if what they needed to speak about involved a crime, and to then speak to the minister if it involved the church, other members, or church employees or leaders.

Edited to add: All church employees, including the minister and janitor, get background checks, as do Sunday school teachers and any youth volunteers, nursery workers, music supervisors, etc. Even volunteers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2011 03:25PM by bookratt.