I have been doing Safe Church work for over 25 years in many different capacities. At Christ & St. Luke’s, we define ourselves as a community that seeks to connect across differences and divisions. We are proud to be a place of love and belonging for everyone, rooted in the belief that “God loves you—no exceptions”. But we cannot claim to be a place of true welcome if we are not first and foremost a place of safety.
Our insistence on Safe Church Training is not merely an administrative hoop or an insurance requirement. This work has a theological basis. It is grounded in our Baptismal Covenant: to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being.
When we open our doors wide on Sunday mornings, we are inviting the vulnerable into our midst. We like to believe that because we are followers of Jesus, harm “won’t happen here.” But the reality is that churches can be soft targets specifically because we are so welcoming.
“This work can be heavy. Dealing with statistics about abuse, that one in four females and one in six males in America will be sexually abused before turning 18, is difficult. However, keeping our heads in the sand does not make our children safer.”
“Where do deer hunters hunt?” one of our parishioners recently asked at a Safe Church Training. “Where there are deer.” To protect our flock, we must be vigilant.
One of the first things we tackle in training is the myth of “Stranger Danger.” Many of us were raised on this concept, yet strangers account for a very small percentage of abuse cases, around 11%. The uncomfortable truth is that abuse is most often committed by someone known to the child or the vulnerable adult. It is the person who has built trust, the person who seems “so nice,” or the person we assume is safe because they are “one of us.”
This is why we have strict protocols. It is why I have a rule: You can be a perfectly wonderful person and incredibly gifted with children, but until you jump through my hoops: background checks, interviews, knowing you for six months, and training, you cannot volunteer with our children.
We also must have honest conversations about power. In the church, power isn’t just about who wears a collar, though clergy certainly hold symbolic and real authority. Power is dynamic. If you are an adult and a child is present, you have the power. If you are able-bodied and someone else is physically frail, you have the power.
Sometimes, power looks like a set of keys. If you have a key to the building or the food pantry and someone else is hungry, you hold the power in that relationship. We insist on training for our key holders not just to protect the building, but to protect them and the people they might encounter when they are here alone.
“If your gut tells you something is off, we train you to trust it. We would rather you report a concern and be wrong than stay silent and be right.”
This extends to “vulnerable adults,” a category that includes those with disabilities, the elderly, or anyone in a crisis. I often remind people that at one point or another, every single one of us will be a vulnerable adult. Whether through illness, grief, or age, we will all rely on the integrity of this community to keep us safe.
Our training also covers the modern landscape of social media. We love to share the joy of our community “on the ‘gram,” but we must be rigorous about safety. We do not tag children. We do not post photos of children in real-time, because doing so broadcasts their location. We ensure we have permission to post people’s images.
We also teach the importance of appropriate physical boundaries. We must respect the “bubble” of every person. We teach our volunteers to be “friendly, but not a friend.” An adult attempting to be a peer to a child is a red flag. We ensure there are always two unrelated adults present in any ministry setting to ensure transparency and accountability.
This work can be heavy. Dealing with statistics about abuse, that one in four females and one in six males in America will be sexually abused before turning 18, is difficult. However, keeping our heads in the sand does not make our children safer.
If your gut tells you something is off, we train you to trust it. We would rather you report a concern and be wrong than stay silent and be right.
It takes a village to prevent abuse. It is not just the job of the clergy or the staff; it is the job of every person who walks through our doors. Whether you serve in the altar guild, the lunch ministry, the choir, or the vestry, you are part of the shield we build around our people.
We need you to be part of this work. We need you to be aware, trained, and ready to uphold the dignity of every person who enters Christ & St. Luke’s.
1. Know the Standards
We encourage everyone to read and understand what we expect of our leaders and volunteers.
Download the Diocese of Southern Virginia’s Safe Church Policies Here.
2. Get Trained
While we offer universal training for all, we highly recommend the Specialized Safe Church Training.
This is a deeper dive that equips those in leadership and high-contact ministries with the tools they need to be effective advocates for safety.
Upcoming Specialized Training
- Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
- Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (lunch provided)
- Location: Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
- Cost: Free (The Diocese covers the cost).
This full-day workshop is an eye-opening experience that many have found inspiring, empowering them to make our community better.
Sign Up for Specialized Safe Church Training on January 10.
I’m glad we are working together to ensure safety for all.
—Kathy Hanna is Director of Family, Youth and Children’s Ministries at Christ & St. Luke’s. You can email her here.
