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The first in our webinar series is, as they say, “in the books.” The theme of the webinars is to Connect, Collaborate, and Coordinate to End Abuse. We’re hosting this series to help Coordinators, and others connect, collaborate and learn from one another around different issues related to safe church ministry. These webinars will lead up to our fall conference for Classis Safe Church Coordinators! We’re thankful for the 20+ people who participated, and look forward to much more connecting, collaborating and coordinating in 2020. If you missed it, check out this re-cap.
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We all have power of various kinds. There’s nothing wrong with power, the question is, how will we use it? Abuse of power, especially by ministry leaders, can have devastating impacts in the lives of individuals and in church communities. In the last few years, the CRC has wrestled with abuse of power within our denomination, that will continue with new recommendations coming to Synod 2020 in June. When was the last time you carefully considered the power you hold and how you are using it? These resources can help.
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Why tell our stories? The author asks himself that question often, and concludes, “it’s my story, it’s what happened to me. ” Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa and Babette’s Feast, wrote, “All sorrows can be borne if you put them in a story or tell a story about them.” Our prayer is that this SOS - Sharing our Stories series will bring a measure of healing to those who share, and a measure of understanding and compassion to those who need to listen. These are stories represent the voices that God will use to transform the Church.
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Expect to hear more about Restorative Practices in 2020! Based on the principles of Restorative Justice, these practices can help build authentic relationships and deepen community. In addition, they can offer a process, a way to talk across our differences, and deal with relational conflict in healthy ways. What might our churches look like if we made Restorative Practices a key part of our life together?
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Among those who have survived horrific abuse, forgiveness is sometimes known as “the F-word.” When churches demand it before its authentic time, it can inflict additional harm to those who are already suffering. Forgiveness can be so complicated and so difficult that in some cases it is only possible with the Lord. How do we navigate this critical piece of our theology?
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