Why does the CRC have Safe Church Ministry? How did it come to be? What does the denomination say about it? The resources below will help answer these questions.

If you are a pastor, church leader or person with limited time – look for the items with a star. They will give you a summary of what you need to know about Safe Church Ministry.
 

• Safe Church Ministry: A Church Leader's Role

     

• Brochure – What A Church Member Needs to Know  To order from Faith Alive click here.
• Brochure – The Advisory Panel Process
• Safe Church Ministry – What is it and why?
• Fact Sheet
• Why churches need to care about abuse 
  Approved Guidelines for Handling Abuse Allegations Against a Church Leader
• Survey on Abuse in the CRC - 1989 Synodical Study
• Abuse Victims Task Force Report – Synod 2010
• Video: What's That? Abuse Prevention
• Video: Safe Church Ministry
  PowerPoint Presentation: What does Safe Church Ministry do?
• PowerPoint in Spanish: ¿Cuál es el trabajo del Ministerio para una iglesia segura?

Safe church policies help protect the most vulnerable among us, especially our children. Policies also protect churches, church staff and volunteers from possible false allegations of abuse. Everyone is safer when policies are in place and followed. Policies send an important message to all that each person is valued and their dignity will be respected in this place.

The following resources will help answer the questions: Why is a Safe Church Policy important? What needs to be included in a Safe Church Policy? What do staff and volunteers need to know about a policy?

• Book – Preventing Child Abuse
• Basic Elements of a Child Safety Policy
• Sample Policies
  • Brookside CRC - USA
  • Crossroads CRC - USA
  • Maranatha CRC - Canada
• Brotherhood Mutual Safety Library
• Signs and Symptoms of Child Abuse
• Guidelines for ministerial and counseling relationships
• CRC Child Safety survey and results
• Approved Guidelines for Handling Abuse Allegations Against a Church Leader 
   
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The CRC has encouraged each classis to have a Safe Church Team and each church to have a representative on that team. Safe Church Teams support healthy churches in three ways: 1) provide educational opportunities for churches regarding issues surrounding abuse 2) offer the Advisory Panel Process when an adult brings an allegation of abuse against a church leader and 3) help churches provide compassionate support for those who struggle with abuse. The office of Safe Church Ministry provides training for Safe Church Ministry Teams.

The following resources will help answer the questions: How does a Safe Church Ministry Team work? What does it do? What resources does it provide for churches?

• Step by Step Process to Form a Team
• Criteria for Selecting Team Members
• Sample Recruitment Announcements
• Sample Letters of Invitation to Pastors and Team Members

Abuse Awareness Sunday happens once a year, the 4^th Sunday in September. This provides opportunity for CRC churches to focus on the issue of abuse, bringing it out from the secrecy and silence where it thrives, into the light of God’s truth. Abuse in church is NOT OK; talking about abuse in church IS OK; and can lead to help and healing.  These resources may be used any time of the year.

• Resources for an Abuse Awareness Sunday 

Because it’s so prevalent among us, I believe that churches need to be more aware of and concerned with abuse; preventing abuse and responding to those who have been hurt by abuse. I would like to do my part and want to begin by learning more about it. More...