Safe Church in New Mexico

Bethany CRC was privileged to hold a day-long training on the Circle of Grace program. Anna Groff, of Dove's Nest Ministries, drove from Tucson to Gallup, NM to lead us in this event. We had a wonderful day learning about how to implement the Circle of Grace program. The goals of the program are: to teach children and youth about healthy relationships with God and others, to teach them about safe boundaries, and to teach them to take action if they feel those boundaries have been violated. 

We had 20 people in attendance: teachers, children's worship leaders, Sunday school teachers, GEMS leaders, doctors, nurses, daycare staff, school counselors, and safe church committee members. It was a valuable and powerful day. We were able to discuss many of the challenges that we face here in Classis Red Mesa and to actively participate in several of the Circle of Grace activities so that we will be able to use them in our various areas of influence. 

Out of this one day, the Circle of Grace program is beginning to ripple through our community. It will be taught in Bethany CRC Children's Worship and daycare, Rehoboth CRC Children's Worship and GEMS, and Rehoboth Christian School's counseling sessions and small groups. It is amazing that all these programs will be launched from just this one day. Hopefully Bethany CRC will also be able to start using this program in youth group. The safe church committee of Bethany CRC hopes to introduce this curriculum to some of the smaller reservation churches as time allows. We are working on a mini-training that could be brought to these churches. 

Bethany CRC is truly grateful to Safe Church Ministry for providing a mini-grant to make all of this happen. Without these funds, this special event would not have been possible.  

Find out more about Circle of Grace on the Safe Church Ministry website.