Beginning in 2007 each local church in the South Carolina Annual Conference was expected to write and maintain a Safe Sanctuaries policy and to review it annually. That policy must be on file in the district office and the church must provide training annually to all church members on the safe sanctuaries policy. This annual review of the local church’s policy is more critical following the settlement of the Boy Scouts of America lawsuit. To demonstrate good faith on the part of the United Methodist Church, every Conference must provide assistance to each local church in writing or reviewing the safe sanctuaries policy and must provide training to each local church.
Greenwood District’s district-wide Safe Sanctuaries Training Event was held on Sunday, April 23, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. via ZOOM. If anyone was not able to participate in this training on April 23, a recording of the training is now available. Click on the image below to view the recording. You will need this passcode to view the video: MSC5?^.C
When you have completed viewing the training, please send an email to gwdist@umcsc.org to let the District Safe Sanctuaries Coordinator know.
District Safe Sanctuaries trainers will provide in-person follow-up training to the local church to review, update, and train to the church’s Safe Sanctuaries Policy. The goal is to complete this process of writing initial policies or updating existing policies by April 2024.
For questions, more information, or to schedule an in-person training, please contact Martha Alewine, Greenwood District Safe Sanctuaries Coordinator (gwdist@umcsc.org or 864-223-2650).
