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SAFE SANCTUARIES

Safe Sanctuaries Policy and Guidelines

Dear Friends:

“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16 (NIV)

The East Ohio Conference strives to provide “Safe Sanctuary” for all God’s children. We are seeking ways to improve and better implement “Safe Sanctuary” procedures to protect our children, youth and adults in order to make our congregations a safe place where everyone may experience the abiding love of God and fellowship within the community of faith. This includes children’s check in/out procedures, training and background checks for those working with children and youth, and procedures that guide the interaction of children, youth and adults. In response to guidelines set by the 1996 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, the East Ohio Conference bishop and cabinet appointed a task group to develop guidelines and a sample policy for reducing the risk of child abuse in the local church.

The task group’s goal was to create a sample which could be used as a framework by all churches in the conference to develop their own policy and procedures. The task group used the collective experience of the group and resources of the conference, other conferences, and several local churches to develop the sample while working with the conference attorneys and insurance companies, as well as children service agencies, and national experts on the subject of reducing the risk of child abuse in the church.

In 2015, the Conference Education Committee developed a task group and charged them with updating the sample guidelines. The following materials are the fruit of their work.

On these web pages you will find these sample guidelines, as well as resource materials, to help you develop a policy and guidelines for your local church. This sample was written to be used as a resource by a wide range of churches. Options are included to help you tailor the sample to your own situation. It is very important that you carefully consider the special circumstances of your local church and prayerfully consider the issues of safety and protection as you develop your own policy and procedures. Consultation with the leaders of your ministries with vulnerable persons is instrumental for success in reducing the risk. It is essential that you develop a policy and supporting guidelines that can and will be followed. After developing your policy, please have it reviewed by your own attorney and insurance agency.

“Currently, no congregation can afford, either financially, ethically, or morally, to fail to implement strategies for the reduction and prevention of child sexual abuse. We, as Christians, are not called to discontinue our congregation’s ministries with children and youth. We are called to engage in these ministries with great rejoicing and with the knowledge that we are making every effort to provide ministry to our children and youth in ways that assure their safety while they grow in faith.” (Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Child Abuse in the Church, Joy Thornburg Melton, Discipleship Resources, Nashville, TN. p. 21)

In Christ’s Love,

The Child Protection Task Group, 1999
The Safe Sanctuaries Task Group, 2015

Background Check Process Effective December 1, 2025

Starting December 1, 2025, the Connectional Ministries office will no longer process background checks for local church staff and volunteers. One option for local churches is to create an account with Safe Gatherings, a service recommended by the West Ohio Conference. Churches may also choose a company of their choosing for conducting background checks to keep the church UMC Safe Sanctuaries compliant, this includes contacting the current EOC background check provider, Protect My Ministry.

Churches that are approved by Safe Gatherings after completing an application will be able to view pending and approved users, send invitation links to new applicants, update account details as needed, and decide whether the church or the applicant is billed for the background check. The cost is $47 and includes an online Safe Sanctuaries training course that must be completed before the background check is done. If an applicant has recently completed Safe Sanctuaries training through Portico or in person, you will need to contact Safe Gatherings and ask them to bypass the training. Bypassing the training does not reduce the cost.

The East Ohio Conference will continue to provide background checks for clergy, Lay Speakers, Certified Lay Ministers, mission team members, and Conference staff. Free, online Safe Sanctuaries training will still be available through Portico, see link below. If you have questions about the new background check process, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, Connectional Ministries administrative assistant, or call her at (330) 499-3972 ext. 102.

Apply for a Safe Gatherings account.
Download the Safe Gatherings general flyer.
Download the Safe Gatherings Approval Package.
Learn about Online Safe Sanctuaries Training through Portico.
Learn about Protect My Ministry.