‘Do No Harm’ event to get new date

Plans for "Do No Harm 2015," a sexual ethics summit addressing prevention of and response to abuse, misconduct and harassment of a sexual nature within The United Methodist Church, are being revised. The Interagency Sexual Ethics Task Force, convened by the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, has decided it will set a new date for the quadrennial training event after GCSRW hires a new senior director for sexual ethics and advocacy. The event originally was set for January 2015. GCSRW is in the process of hiring the new senior director now. The seminar is intended for annual conference and district leadership, congregational Intervention/Response Team personnel, conference Safe Sanctuaries Teams, Bishops and other cabinet members, as well as chancellors, conference lay leaders, Board of Ordained Ministry members, and others who coordinate annual conference or district ministries related to sexual ethics and boundaries in ministerial relationships. The event provides opportunities for conference leaders to discuss emerging issues, share best practices, and network across the denomination. The programs and workshops provide understanding, skill-building, and grounding for the participants to clarify their roles and to coordinate their efforts with persons in other roles as the church addresses problems of sexual abuse and misconduct. More information about the event is available here. GCSRW will announce the date and location on its website as soon as they are set. The Interagency Sexual Ethics task force includes representatives of GBOD, GBGM, GBHEM, GBCS, GCFA, GBOPHB, UMW, several annual conferences, and the Council of Bishops.