MICHIGAN
Battle Creek Enquirer
The Rev. Joy E. Rogers
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
"Safeguarding God's Children." That's what my denomination calls a comprehensive program of workshops and conscious raising and policies that intend to make our churches safe places for all of our children and youth.
All clergy and staff, lay leaders and anyone who works with our young ones — Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, camp counselors — are required to participate. It is a necessity born of painful truths that have emerged over decades — truths about the violence of our culture and the vulnerability of our children to those who would abuse and exploit them.
The grim statistics call us all into question — children are more at risk from family members, family friends and neighbors and even their church family than from total strangers.
One morning a month, a group of local clergy gather at the Enquirer for a conversation on questions of faith and its role in our lives and society. It is always a respectful exchange but often bewildering. It is hard to comprehend how people who are united in a passion for the Gospel and their love of the Lord move to such differing interpretations of those passions in the implications of them for their lives.
But the week we discussed violence, especially sexual violence, against children, a group of contrary clergy united. We all struggle to make our churches safe for children and to be a healing place for those who have been wounded.