Resources
Sting Nets Nine Offenders”; “Undercover Sex Sting in Bowling Green, Ohio”—Morton said the congregation decided it was time to take action when a sex ring in Harrisburg, Pa., was busted and 77 children from Ohio were involved, including a 10-year-old girl. “It was a little too close for comfort,” she said. “We needed to do something about this.” As a result, the congregation formed a committee and began
A first step is to begin praying for children— either by name or in general.
doing temple talks in worship to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation. Last year, Morton coordinated a panel discussion for the community at Zoar, which is now a Cherish All Children part- ner and continues praying for all children.
How to get involved Congregations all over the country are embracing Cherish All Children, said Hartman, who hopes more will get involved. A first step is to begin praying for children—either by name or in general. All it takes to get involved is for one person in the congregation
to spearhead the cause and get a few members interested, she said. Cherish All Children provides a handbook, phone consultation and “Encouragement Circles” where congregational leaders problem- solve with each other to move the ministry forward. Involvement can be small,
Hartman said. Her congregation, Our Saviour Lutheran in Minneapolis, provides snacks for a local survivors group. “It doesn’t seem like much,” she
said, “but it does let the women know we care. I’ve been told by a survivor, ‘I can’t believe that someone other than God cares about us enough to bring a snack every week.’ ” Congregations might also con-
sider raising awareness of sexual exploitation with employees and volunteers who work with their chil- dren’s programming. Lori Strang, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio, made sure that all who work with youth had child safety training. “Too many of our congregants
are unaware of the real implications and long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse,” Strang said. “Tere is so much misunderstanding about how to keep our children safe, and from whom. As churches, we have operated too loosely in the past with protocol for the protection of children.”
‘Too many of our congregants are unaware of the
real implications and long-term
effects of childhood sexual abuse.’
Read the ELCA’s statement on com- mercial sexual exploitation at
www.elca.org/socialmessages.
For more information about Cherish All Children, visit
www.cherishallchildren.org or go to
www.facebook.com/ cherishallchildren.
Learn more about child sexual exploitation at www.missingkids. com.
Author bio: Healy is a writer and member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Brewster, N.Y.
Harbor of Hospitality Seafarers
for
In the Ports of Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey New York & New England
Immigrants from detention centers in New Jersey & New York
and You in our guest house
Harbor of Hospitality
123 East 15th Street, New York, NY 10003 Phone: (212) 677-4800
Book online:
www.sihnyc.org
Your patronage supports our mission for seafarers and immigrants. A Mission of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
September 2015 37
ISTOCK/KEMTER
ISTOCK/MAXHOMAND
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52