General Resources

ELCA Resources

• Safe Connections: What Parishioners Can Do to Understand and Prevent Clergy Sexual Abuse 
  Healthy relationships of trust and respect between laity and clergy are essential for carrying out the mission of the church. This resource can assist in creating and maintaining strong, creative, and healthy relationships of integrity and safety, for the sake of our common ministry to the gospel of Christ Jesus and to the people of God.
  
  
• Healing in Congregations After Clergy Sexual Abuse: A Resource to Assist Synodical Leaders and Local Congregations 
  This resource is offered to synodical bishops and their staffs, to other clergy and lay leaders, interims and “after pastors,” including those who will provide on-site leadership for a period of time in congregations after the incidence of clergy sexual abuse.
  
  
• An ELCA Strategy for Responding to Sexual Abuse in the Church 
  A resource of shared learning of synods, seminaries, congregations, colleges, social ministry organizations and the churchwide expression.
  
  
• Background Checks
  Two background check companies offer ELCA organizations and institutions competitive rates for their services.
  
  
• Questions About Protecting Children, Youth, and Adults from Abuse?
  A collection on online resources prepared by the ELCA Legal Department.

Other Resources

• Reducing the Risk: Making Your Church Safe from Child Sexual Abuse by Christian Ministry Resources
  This kit is produced by Christian Ministry Resources and includes: DVD: This DVD communicates the menace child sexual abuse poses and the need for your church to take action. It includes testimonials of victims, church leaders, and experts to alert churches to the problem. It also illustrates procedures that can be used to reduce the risk of child sexual abuse and offers a convenient way to educate leaders, workers, and congregations.
  Guide Book: This 75-page guide offers a blueprint for a prevention plan. It provides detailed guidance on enlisting the support of key church leaders, formulating policies and procedures, hiring and training workers (paid and volunteer), and implementing a plan at the local congregation. The book is filled with illustrations and examples and includes sample screening forms.

Training Manual: Effective education is the heart of a successful prevention program. The training manual provides insights and guidance on how to use the Resource Kit to educate and train church leaders, workers, and congregation.

This kit can be purchased through Christian Ministry Resources, P. O. Box 2301, Matthews, NC 28106; Phone: 800-222-1840; www.churchlawtoday.com or www.reducingtherisk.com

• Safe Sanctuaries: Reducing the Risk of Child Abuse in the Church by Joy Thornburg Melton
  This 80-page book provides guidance to help develop policies and procedures for reducing the risk of child abuse in the church. The book defines the scope of child abuse, outlines the different types of abuse, notes the indicators of abuse, discusses the legal requirements for reporting abuse, and provides guidelines for screening and hiring workers and volunteers. The book also outlines basic procedures of safe ministry with children and youth and outlines a congregational plan for responding to allegations of abuse. Sample forms included for screening workers, requiring background checks, doing reference checks and reporting suspected abuse. A suggested training session plan for people who work with children and youth is outlined, and a bibliography of suggested resources is included.

This book (order number DR220) can be purchased from Discipleship Resources, Nashville, Tennessee; Phone: 800-972-0433; www.upperroom.org/bookstore