with God's help, we are committed to being a safe church

Jesus himself was victimized, tortured, and put to death while on this earth. He hates abuse and went through it too. When he rose from the dead, he still bore those scars and always will. When Jesus was asked about if he was really the one who would save, he used words prophesied centuries before- "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor." Many of the religious leaders tried to shame Jesus for these things. But he kept on healing and proclaiming good news to people who had been traumatized and suffered in this world. He also treated children as treasured humans who are to be brought freely to God. We believe God is doing that work still. 

Being and becoming a safe church for Emmaus includes: prevention of harm through awareness education and ongoing vigilance, promoting healthy interactions between every person in our church and guests, helping everyone feel safe through communication and boundaries, listening well to each other's stories, grieving with those who grieve, and rejoicing with those who rejoice. We are not about keeping secrets, but about bounded and age-appropriate learning. We're here to help parents and caregivers too.