Last Sunday, I spoke about how we build and re-build trust at OUUC. I shared some recent experiences in our community where past hurts were apparent and mistrust was a result. You can watch the service here.
On Sunday, I said that it’s probably impossible for a group of people to get anything done and not bump up against each other’s expectations and step on each other’s toes. I said, given that this will happen, what is most important is what we do with our disappointment and hurt. My hope is that we create a community together where we can name the disappointments and hurts, and work through them in a place of safety and trust.
Safety is a big part of building trust. As a congregation, we have policies and practices in place to protect everyone, especially those most vulnerable. You can find OUUC’s Safer Congregations Policy here. You can find more information about safer congregations here.
In our OUUC Safer Congregations policy, we require practices like having two adults present with children, so no adult is alone with a child. We require background checks for anyone interacting with children. We explicitly name harassment and abuse as unacceptable behavior against anyone of any age. And we require that anything of concern be reported to and acted on by the staff, minister, and Board when needed.
OUUC has a Safer Congregations Response Team in place to respond to any concerns about safety in our community. Thank you to Barry Zickuhr, Wendy Tanner, and Rick Brandt-Kreutz for serving with me and Rev. Sara Lewis when needed.
We have also recently revised the OUUC Employee Handbook such that it clearly lays out the expectations for all staff regarding professional ethics and behavior, including expectations about relationships with congregants. Abuse of power and position is never OK toward anyone of any age.
I am also convening a Healthy Congregations Team to help us build a healthy community in all the ways we can be healthy, including building trust. You can learn more about Healthy Congregations Teams here. More about that at OUUC in the months ahead.
As a people of faith, we know that part of creating Beloved Community is creating communities that are as safe as possible. The infrastructure of policies and practices helps with that. And it is our day-to-day interactions that support a community of safety and trust. It’s the small things that build trust and break trust. It takes each of us to be clear, direct, and courageous in our interactions so that we can all feel safe. That’s how we create a community of trust.
If you’d like to talk further about past or present disappointments or hurts, or if you feel unsafe at OUUC, please reach out to me, Rev. Sara, or a board member, for a discussion.
Blessings on your week,
Rev. Mary
Minister@ouuc.org
