Safe Church Policy

What does it mean to be a Safe Church?

Weavers Mennonite Church has committed itself to being a safe church for children and youth. We are part of the Safe Church program which helps churches establish policies and procedures for:

safely interacting with children
approving and training adult childcare and education workers
helping to identify the behaviors associated with victim grooming
dealing with children showing signs of abuse

Purpose Statements for this policy: Weavers Mennonite Church recognizes that abuse is a serious problem in today's world. Sexual abuse can be physical, verbal, or nonverbal, including unwanted touching, comments about a person’s body or offensive gestures and requests. The abuser may be an adult, an adolescent, or another child (provided the child is four years older than the victim.) This policy and procedure manual therefore seeks to protect children by preventing abuse of any kind. The following points bring additional clarity of purpose for this policy:

To provide a safe environment and protect all children who attend Weavers Mennonite Church from abusive situations in all areas of his/her life.
To protect our congregation from the scandal and trauma that an incident of abuse can bring upon congregations by reducing the opportunity for abuse to occur.
To protect our child/youth workers from being placed in compromising situations while they are a part of of ministry. Procedures for maintaining a safe environment are designed to prevent compromising situations from developing in the first place.
To safeguard the credibility, faith, and trust of those trusting in Jesus Christ. “Sexual abuse...can take a child who knows nothing, and turn her into a child who believes nothing.” (Maya Angelou)

ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY
A Child Protection Committee (CPC) will oversee this policy, to ensure that it is implemented and adhered to. The CPC shall consist of the Lead Pastor, Associate Pastors, Ministry Associate for Children & Family Ministries, Ministry Associate for Youth & Young Adults, and a representative of the PCRC (Pastor/Congregational Relations Committee).

For more information, please contact one of the pastors.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 5:14-16