Imagine this scenario: You are the payroll manager at a medium-sized church. In addition to your work there, you also fill in as a volunteer with the youth program. You learned about mandatory reporting from your abuse prevention training, but you still aren’t sure whether it applies to you. What do you do? It’s important […]
For many, the start of a new year means making resolutions. More sleep, a more balanced diet, more exercise, travel, you name it. The possibilities are endless. This mindset can be a very positive start to the new year and set you on the right course. As an individual, you may have already mapped out […]
What would you do? It’s Trunk or Treat time at your small church and you are busy lining up cars in anticipation of children in costumes walking around and playing games with congregation members. Most of the cars are registered for the event, but someone you don’t recognize lines up their car at the end […]
When thinking about health, people often think about blood pressure, heart disease and other physical conditions. But that’s not a whole picture of a person’s health. Mental health, which includes a person’s emotional, psychological and social well-being, is important for people of all ages—and just as essential as taking care of our physical selves. According […]
On the playground one day as you are volunteering, you overhear a young girl tell her friend that she has an important secret with Uncle John, a friend of her dad’s. There is something about the way she says it that gives you pause. On the one hand, it could be a surprise party for […]
1. Educate yourself on the area you will be traveling. If it’s a mission across town but to an area you’ve never been, map it out ahead of time. Ask others who previously have served in that area about relevant details such as where to park and areas or routes to avoid. For an international […]
1. Start early. If you are already thinking about volunteers, you are a step ahead. Even though spring has sprung, your church or organization may have the bulk of its activities in summer and fall months. It’s never too early to start looking. 2. Talk with your current volunteers. With volunteers, there is always a […]
You have been a volunteer at your organization for many years. You serve in many different areas, including the children’s department and during camp season. Your children’s ministry director comes to you expressing interest in your help as part of a committee updating the organization’s policies. You don’t have any experience in policymaking, so you […]
If you’ve logged into your admin dashboard lately, you may have noticed we have a new mailing address. If you haven’t already, please take note of our new address: Safe Gatherings, P.O. Box 4467, Olathe, KS 66063. And remember, there are three easy ways to pay: 1. Sign up for autopay. You’ll receive the statement […]
You are working in the children’s department at your church and parents are starting to arrive for pickup. Someone comes to the checkout area and says they are a family friend of one of the children, and that the parents asked them to pick up the child while they were speaking to the pastor. The […]
If you’ve been volunteering or working with vulnerable populations for any amount of time, you most likely are familiar with the concept of two-deep leadership. Two-deep leadership, which ensures that there are at least two unrelated, non-cohabitating adults in classrooms, youth meetings or other activities, should be one of the foremost components of your church’s […]
Decisions made in ordinary moments can have long-term positive or negative consequences. Clergy and ministerial leaders are often expected to make all the right decisions AND have all the right answers. Is it time for your clergy members or ministry leaders to renew their ethics training? The 2-hour “Clergy Ethics and Congregational Boundaries” course from Safe Gatherings is […]