St. James United Methodist Church has updated our Safe Sanctuary Policy.
We are now known as a Safe Gatherings church. Every adult who works with children and youth must be Safe Gatherings Certified as well as a covenant to uphold our church’s Safe Gatherings Policy which includes rules for keeping children, youth, vulnerable adults, and the folks who work with them safe.
We are now known as a Safe Gatherings church. Every adult who works with children and youth must be Safe Gatherings Certified as well as a covenant to uphold our church’s Safe Gatherings Policy which includes rules for keeping children, youth, vulnerable adults, and the folks who work with them safe.
The Church’s Safe Gatherings Policy requires volunteers who have regular, direct contact with any “protected person” at on- or off-site ministries sponsored by the Church to complete the Safe Gatherings certification process. Protected people include children under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults who may be unable to care for or protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation due to mental or other disability, age, or illness.
Safe Gatherings is a program developed by the Arkansas Conference of The United Methodist Church to screen and train staff and volunteers. Safe Gatherings requires an online application, electronic reference checks, four levels of background checks (including county of residence), online abuse prevention and boundary awareness training, and regular re-certification. The Church pays for the cost of all background checks and Safe Gatherings certification.
Safe Gatherings requires each applicant to submit the name of one clergy reference that the applicant has known for at least two years. Questions regarding this requirement may be directed to Kim Anderson, Executive Director of Ministries.
St. James requires adult volunteers to have six continuous months of regular online or in-person worship or service to the Church prior to applying for Safe Gatherings certification. For volunteers who are not regular attenders or who are under 18 years of age, must always be visually supervised when serving protected people. Please see the Church’s Safe Gatherings Policy for definitions and additional information.
Please note that if you are currently Safe Sanctuary Certified (meaning you have been certified within the past three years), you do not have go through the Safe Gatherings training. You will renew your certification through Safe Gatherings when your Safe Sanctuary certification expires.
Instructions for becoming Safe Gatherings Certified at St. James United Methodist Church
In this process, you will be filling in personal information, including previous work involving children, youth, or vulnerable adults. Also, you will be submitting two references (supervisor, clergy, professional) that are not related to you. Safe Gatherings will need contact information for these references (email and phone number). To speed up the process, please have this information ready before you begin. It is also helpful to notify your references to expect an email from Safe Gatherings – let them know this not spam and request they complete the questionnaire. Please call Kim Anderson at 501-217-6708 or Safe Gatherings Company with any questions at 888.241.8258.
Safe Gatherings is a program developed by the Arkansas Conference of The United Methodist Church to screen and train staff and volunteers. Safe Gatherings requires an online application, electronic reference checks, four levels of background checks (including county of residence), online abuse prevention and boundary awareness training, and regular re-certification. The Church pays for the cost of all background checks and Safe Gatherings certification.
Safe Gatherings requires each applicant to submit the name of one clergy reference that the applicant has known for at least two years. Questions regarding this requirement may be directed to Kim Anderson, Executive Director of Ministries.
St. James requires adult volunteers to have six continuous months of regular online or in-person worship or service to the Church prior to applying for Safe Gatherings certification. For volunteers who are not regular attenders or who are under 18 years of age, must always be visually supervised when serving protected people. Please see the Church’s Safe Gatherings Policy for definitions and additional information.
Please note that if you are currently Safe Sanctuary Certified (meaning you have been certified within the past three years), you do not have go through the Safe Gatherings training. You will renew your certification through Safe Gatherings when your Safe Sanctuary certification expires.
Instructions for becoming Safe Gatherings Certified at St. James United Methodist Church
In this process, you will be filling in personal information, including previous work involving children, youth, or vulnerable adults. Also, you will be submitting two references (supervisor, clergy, professional) that are not related to you. Safe Gatherings will need contact information for these references (email and phone number). To speed up the process, please have this information ready before you begin. It is also helpful to notify your references to expect an email from Safe Gatherings – let them know this not spam and request they complete the questionnaire. Please call Kim Anderson at 501-217-6708 or Safe Gatherings Company with any questions at 888.241.8258.
Select the following from the dropdown menus:
Type of Organization: Church or Faith-Based Organization
Denomination: Methodist
Next field type in: St. James Little Rock
Continue with the instructions on the screen
When it asks for applicant type, please select “Volunteer”
Once you have registered and given the details of your references, you will be able to take the course.
When you have completed the online course and the background check, and your references have filled out the forms that will be emailed to them, you and St. James UMC will be notified that you have completed all that is required and you will officially be Safe Gatherings Certified.
If you suspect abuse, we encourage you to
confidentially report this information HERE or Call the Abuse Hotline at 1-800-843-6349.
Type of Organization: Church or Faith-Based Organization
Denomination: Methodist
Next field type in: St. James Little Rock
Continue with the instructions on the screen
When it asks for applicant type, please select “Volunteer”
Once you have registered and given the details of your references, you will be able to take the course.
When you have completed the online course and the background check, and your references have filled out the forms that will be emailed to them, you and St. James UMC will be notified that you have completed all that is required and you will officially be Safe Gatherings Certified.
If you suspect abuse, we encourage you to
confidentially report this information HERE or Call the Abuse Hotline at 1-800-843-6349.