The Church must be a safe place for all people, a place of respect, trust and caring.

Through baptism we share a common life of faith, a life of service and servant hood, a life rooted in love and faithfulness. The final promise of our Baptismal Covenant asks us to . . . Strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. Episcopal Church policies for the protection of children and youth from abuse and for the prevention of sexual exploitation and harassment of adults give life to that Baptismal promise.

The Episcopal Church requires of all ministers of the Church, lay and ordained, to uphold the highest ethical and moral standards, especially with regard to ministry with children, young people, and vulnerable adults.  For any Christian to betray trust by the grave ethical transgression of sexual misconduct toward another person, whether child or adult, is to deny one’s own Christian identity. Our thinking about such misconduct must be set in the framework of what it means to be Christian, to be a sexual person living by the Christian faith, and to be a servant in the church.

Through the ministries of the Episcopal Church’s Safe Church program, the Convocation provides resources to help ensure that every person’s dignity is respected and protected. Free online training using the curriculum “Safeguarding Our Children” is now available for use by congregations in the Convocation. For more information regarding Safeguarding programs, please contact the Convocation office.

Special Note: The Statute of Limitations for Clergy Sexual Misconduct Allegations Suspended for Three Years – see details here.