A few years ago, we at IAC were engaging a sermon series on the nine “Fruits of the Spirit” from Galatians 5. There was only one problem: we only had 8 weeks! We eventually settled on leaving out “goodness” and addressing it briefly in a sermon on a different fruit of the Spirit.
Honestly, I’ve regretted that decision ever since, because the irony was simply too thick. Just as we left goodness out of the sermon series, it seems that goodness has often been left out of what’s most important in the church. Every week brings new scandals, new failures, new sordid tales of moral laxity…and worst of all, new attempts to cover it up or deny it.
There’s no way to keep misconduct out of the church: sin is ever-present east of Eden, even in the body of Christ. And sin, when combined with unavoidable authority structures, creates a potentially toxic combination.
However, there are absolutely ways to address such situations when they arise. And it is absolutely possible to create a culture where the expectation is not cover-up but clear-eyed commitment to addressing the problem.
At IAC, we are committed to creating an environment of “Holistic Safety” where the dignity of each and every person among us is respected and protected. Scripture commands us to work against oppressive relational dynamics and to come to the side of the vulnerable (Psalm 10), all while giving due process to the accused (Matt. 18). Our policies and processes of holistic safety aim to encompass both, and our goal is to create a culture where the process of implementing those policies is robust and consistent.
The first step of creating a culture of Holistic Safety is creating effective policies and procedures. I am deeply thankful for our Diocese’s encouragement in this work, the wisdom of many on our staff team who have labored in the creation and revision of these policies over the years, and for our Church Council who is ultimately responsible for reviewing and approving these policies.
You can find our policies, at any time, at springsiac.org/holisticsafety. Or, you can click on the “Resources” tab on any page of the website and scroll down to “Holistic Safety.” There, you will find our Minor Protection Policy, as well as our Sexual Misconduct Policy. You will also find information about more General Misconduct that might not be directly addressed in either policy. I am grateful to say that our policies are on the front end of best practices for churches, gleaning from the wisdom of many experts in the field.
However, good policies don’t mean anything if no one knows how to use them! While onboarding into our various ministry teams includes training in these policies and in the MinistrySafe program, once a year every single volunteer at IAC gathers to celebrate our commitment to holistic safety and discuss these best practices. This year’s training is on Oct. 13th at 5:30pm: while volunteers are required to join, everyone is welcome! You can sign up HERE.
Furthermore, good policies and training only result in a vibrant culture of holistic safety if the process is easy to use. While all our staff are trained in receiving reports of misconduct, we recognize that sometimes writing things down is an easier place to start. Therefore, we are thankful for the hard work of our Communications Team in creating Reporting Forms that are designed to be clear and easy to use. You can find these Reporting Forms, at any time, at springsiac.org/holisticsafety, or at the Holistic Safety heading under the Resources tab on every page of the website.
You will notice two separate reporting forms: one to make a report about the Rector (or Lead Pastor), and one to make a report about anyone else. This takes into account the slightly different reporting structures necessary for each kind of complaint to be handled with both care and wisdom. You can find more information about who will receive and respond to each type of reporting form on the Holistic Safety webpage.
In short, if you see something at IAC, we want you to say something.
We urge reporting even if it feels like a “gray area,” even if it’s an authority figure you love, and even if you’ve experienced poor responses to reporting in other contexts in the past. Reporting brings other eyes into the situation, and we can foster goodness among us more fully when we work together as the church.
As we encourage these conversations, we also realize that many of us at IAC have been affected by misconduct in our past, and the scars remain. Please know that we would be honored to support you in any way we can through your journey of healing. Please reach out to a staff member you trust if you would like further conversation. If you’re not connected to a staff person yet, Care Pastor Amanda Gerber (amanda@springsiac.org) could be a good first connection.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns to myself (pastorken@springsiac.org) or Danielle Mellema, the head of Church Council (warden@springsiac.org). May IAC increasingly become a place where evil gains no foothold and the Spirit’s goodness triumphs!
In hope,
Pastor Ken & Danielle Mellema (Warden), for the entire Church Council