SAFE CHURCH

A Letter from the Bishop

To clergy, lay leadership, and our whole diocesan family,

Grace and Peace in our Lord Jesus.

The Holy Scriptures speak of the Church as the Body of Christ and His bride. God calls His Church and all Her members to a life of holiness, service, and love of neighbor. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, calls us to be ministers of His gospel for a broken world. We are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to participate in God’s redemption of the whole of creation. As a community of faith, the Church stands for truth, justice, mercy, compassion, reconciliation, service, and sacrifice. The Church serves as a field hospital, where the broken may enter and encounter the love, grace, peace, and healing power of Christ’ s redemption. This is central to our vocation.

To this end, the parishes of The Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast must be safe. Our responsibility to shepherd the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of each person is essential. In our broken world, the vulnerable are often exploited. Statistics demonstrate that approximately one in four girls and one in six boys suffer abuse in their lifetime. This means that it is highly likely that our congregations are made up of men and women who have either experienced abuse or know a survivor/victim of abuse. Unfortunately, this is true for every denomination. In order to be light in a dark world, the Church must be different. The Church must take action in order to equip leaders to safeguard those in its care.

As the Body of Christ, we are called to be children of light, uncovering what is done in the darkness, and to protect and care for the vulnerable in our midst.