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Creating a Safety and Security Ministry
February 10 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
About the workshop:
The SeaTac Missional District of The Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church is sponsoring a workshop, Creating a Safety and Security Ministry, on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 10 am to 3 pm. The workshop will be held in the Lee Activity Center at Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church.
The pandemic years showed us that something can disrupt even the hallowed routine of attending church on Sunday. Recent changes in our world have challenged our sense of safety and security, creating a continued feeling of unease. Rev. Derek Nakano, District Superintendent for the SeaTac Missional District, tasked his member churches to address church safety and security during their charge conferences.
Join workshop facilitator Ronald Miller, MA, MS, and his wife Joanne, MSN, RN, ARNP, who will discuss the steps to create a Safety and Security Ministry for your church. Helping others create safe and secure ministries is a passion and personal ministry for the Millers.
Why attend?
Many churches find planning for safety and security challenging. Bluntly, “It could never happen here” is irresponsible and naïve. The “normal” has changed. Frequently, through prayerful discernment, we need a change in basic assumptions. But where do you start?
- The scriptural basis for protection.
- A brief review of the history and trends of violence on faith-based properties.
- Proactive v Reactive—The Mindset.
- Initial steps to creating a ministry for safety and protection.
- Threat vulnerability and mitigation of identified factors.
- Building the Ministry team, Equipment, and Training Resources.
- On-going networking and training.
- Potential legal liabilities for failing to plan and prepare (not legal advice).
- Federal funding programs for Faith-Based Organizations.
Who should attend?
Anyone who feels called may serve in this ministry. If you have the heart, there is a role for you. We are first and foremost Ambassadors for Christ who “watch over the flock” for the Shepherd. That is the mission. Clergy are urged to attend with their congregants.
The workshop costs $50 per person or $100 for up to 4 same congregation members. For questions, please email Erin at etombaugh@pnwumc.org. We will provide lunch and refreshments.
Register and pay online here.
About the presenters:
Ronald Miller, MA, MS, sits on the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia’s Board of Directors and serves as the Safety and Security Coordinator for the Diocese. He is a retired police officer, trained as a forensic scientist, a retired Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and a court-appointed Forensic Investigator specializing in behavioral evidence analysis in homicide investigations. He is a certified firearms instructor.
Joanne Miller, ARNP, is a retired advanced practice registered nurse specializing in trauma, ICU, and palliative care. She is also a certified firearms instructor who focuses on women’s issues and needs in handgun training. Together, she and Ron provide private firearms safety and training instruction.
