Safe Sanctuaries Policy

At Lakeside UMC, we believe every person is of sacred worth. Therefore our hope is that every person, especially children, will be safe as they learn and grow in faith. Our Child Protection Policy guides us in making Lakeside that safe place.

The following is taken from our current Child Protection Policy document which is available for review:

The Mission

Through the ages, the House of God has been a sanctuary for persons seeking a haven from harm. Lakeside United Methodist Church believes that every person is a gift of God and is to be loved, nurtured and protected by the family of faith. All persons – children, youth and adults – are entitled to a safe, secure and caring environment which enables them:

To know Jesus Christ personally
To experience the joy of the Lord
To enable them to live out their baptismal covenant
To develop a strong Christian foundation and a lifelong desire for continued Christian growth.

Based on this premise, we seek to establish the safest and most secure environment possible. The Biblical basis for this endeavor is found in the Great Commandment:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

— Mark 12: 30-31

Purpose

The purpose of this Child Protection Policy (CPP) is to assure Lakeside United Methodist Church provides a caring and secure environment for infants, children and youth, and the adults involved in ministering to such persons in all phases of the Church's life.