The Church and the #MeToo Movement

Saturday was a joyous day as leaders from throughout the Mountain Sky Conference met in Bozeman

Henry Timms shares with the MSC

for a day of learning, dreaming, planning and leading. We were blessed to have Henry Timms, author of “The New Power”, with us, to help us consider ways of doing and being that can help us engage and empower more people throughout our area to encounter and live out the Good News of Jesus Christ in life-transforming, life-changing ways.

There is a critical need in our communities and world for this Word. It is time for the Church to step boldly out its front doors and into the world to offer healing and hope. This week, the Billings area was rocked by news that a Miles City coach had, over the course of 28 years, deliberately and systematically abused more than a 100 boys entrusted to his leadership. The unspoken pain that has been carried throughout that area has been a weeping wound that has crippled individuals and families. We as the Church are to be agents of God’s healing. How are we responding?

The #MeToo movement and the recent #WhyIDidntReport response to the question “Why did it take 30 years for someone to report a sexual assault?” are revealing just how widespread sexual violence is. And the Church is not immune. The Roman Catholic Church is being rocked by allegations of sexual abuse, with the latest reporting that “300 predator priests have been credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 victims.”

And Jesus wept.

Tomorrow, there will be many people—women and men—attending church for whom the news has triggered painful memories of violation. There will be those who have only cried their pain to God, never uttering it aloud, out of fear that they will be disbelieved or harassed further. What will they find when they come to church? Will it be a safe place where their very being will be treated tenderly, respectfully, and with much honor? Will there be a place to share a prayer with sighs too deep for words? How will they know you will not betray them?

And what are you doing for our children? Have you reviewed your Safe Sanctuary Policy? Has everyone who worked with children had a background check? Do you make sure there are things in place to safeguard our children, so that they will know church to be a place of nurture, compassion and care? It doesn’t matter how big or small your church is, having in place policies that protect our children’s well-being—and carrying them out—is not too big a burden. It is a responsibility we all share.

Tomorrow, may all those who come into our churches, with whatever wounds they bear, know they are coming into a house that takes seriously a sacred trust to honor and respect one another. May they hear and truly believe what was written by the prophet Jeremiah:

“They found grace out in the desert, these people who survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!” God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again…you’ll resume your singing, grabbing tambourines and joining the dance.” (Jeremiah 31:2-4)

May the survivors in our midst find God looking for them. May God’s love wash over them. May they find healing and wholeness as we all stand on hold ground together.

For Safe Sanctuaries resources, see https://www.mtnskyumc.org/safe

To be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area, call the National Assault Hotline, 800.656.HOPE (4673) or check out https://www.rainn.org/about-rainn. You are not alone.