Safeguarding God’s People
Safeguarding God’s People (SGP) is a training program for the prevention of sexual exploitation in communities of faith. Training is designed to help participants understand the overt and the subtle, the intentional and unintentional, ways in which exploitation and harassment occur in church, school and institutional settings. The aim of the training is to prevent exploitation and harassment by making everyone more aware of her/his words, actions, and intentions as we engage together in ministry.
A component of this program covers the prevention of sexual harassment of church workers and is taught separately.
Safeguarding God’s People: Preventing Sexual Exploitation in Communities of Faith addresses the development or attempted development of a sexual relationship between a person in any ministerial position and an individual with whom he or she has a pastoral relationship; this is commonly called adult sexual exploitation.
Who is required to take Safeguarding God’s PEOPLE training?
All clergy, church employees, vestry members, lay pastoral care ministers (including Stephen Ministers), spiritual directors, eucharistic visitors, hospital visitors authorized by the church, leaders and facilitators of all adult programs and small group ministries, seminarians, interns and lay chaplains.
Safeguarding God’s People: Training Opportunities
Click here to register for a training session.
Please note that until further notice or otherwise stated, all trainings utilize a combination of online modules and live zoom sessions.
Diocesan Policies for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation of Adults
Reporting Suspected Sexual Exploitation
Anyone having a complaint or concern about misconduct by clergy or laypeople in parishes of the Diocese of Atlanta should contact the intake officer, the Rev. Canon Alicia Schuster Weltner, the bishop’s chief of staff.
Contact her by phone, e-mail, or in person by appointment: 404-601-5349; aschusterweltner@episcopalatlanta.org. She works in the Offices of the Bishop at the Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta 30305.
You will receive a timely response if you leave a message.
To schedule a training in your convocation or parish, contact Lesley Williams, Director of Safe Church Training at safechurch@episcopalatlanta.org.