How safe do you feel when you come to church? Do you ever give it much thought? Should we be worried? After all, we insure our homes, our cars and indeed our Chapel building in case anything goes wrong, yet how do we make sure that our church is a safe place?
A few years ago, churches, (which of course are classed as charities) were strongly advised to de-velop a written Child Protection policy and procedures. This was in response to several high profile cases which had led to new Government reports on Safeguarding of children in 2004 and 2010. Along with many other churches we introduced such policy and procedures including DBS checking key individuals in positions of responsibility during 2016.
Yet it is probably true to say that for many churches this was seen as an unnecessary chore – something that just had to be done to tick the ap-propriate box. After all, as Christians should we not be above any suspicion of causing anyone harm?
Sadly, this is not the case as history has shown, for we are all sinners saved only by grace and still more than capable of wrongdoing. Cases of abuse or bullying within churches are readily taken by the media and spread over the headlines. Cases of abuse and bullying happen everywhere, but society does not expect it to take place in a church setting.
During a recent briefing organised by the AGBC(SE), we were encouraged to think of Safeguard-ing as anything but a box ticking exercise. In our world today we are surrounded by ‘many dangers toils and snares’ as the hymn writer John Newton described them in his hymn Amazing Grace and amidst all the turmoil, should not our church fellowship and every time we gather be our place of safety not just for our children but for everyone, the place where we show God’s glory to the world outside and where we dwell under His protection?
In Psalm 91 we read Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
When we come to church, we come as God’s children. We were further advised, that any poli-cies we hold should start with just that confirmation of who we are – we come together to worship Him, to glorify Him, to understand His will for us and to serve Him. All that we do in the way we treat each other must start from this point. We are guided by His word as recorded in scripture and any policies or procedures we have will be based on this teaching – teaching to which each one of us must be accountable. The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Over the coming months we will be updating our current policy and procedures and taking steps to make them more visible to everyone within the church. Please take time to read them when they are issued and let us ensure that we keep Rehoboth a continuing place of safety and a place where the glory of God shines forth.
Stuart
Elder
Feb 2023
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