Good News Lutheran Church Safe Place

Visitation and Counselling Guidelines

To ensure the safety and protection of representatives of the church, including paid and unpaid (who are providing the service) and members of the church (who are receiving the service), the following guidelines are provided:

1.     Meetings are to be organized and conducted with the knowledge of others.  Paid employees will record these meetings in their digital work calendars, which are shared with the office administration staff.  Volunteers will always notify the church office of their church visits.

2.     Notes should be kept detailing the general content of private discussions to verify the legitimacy of meetings if they are every questioned in the future.

3.     Church representatives should avoid visitations where they will be alone with one person in a private residence, irrespective of age or gender.  While it is understood that there will be times where this cannot be avoided, all reasonable efforts should be taken to avoid such circumstances. 

4.     Whenever possible, pastoral counselling meetings should be located in the church office, rather than in people’s homes.

5.     When meeting one on one with congregational members in the church office, blinds or a door should be left open.

May 2014