By Jenn Meadows

CHICAGO (Oct. 20, 2015) -- “Do No Harm helps us talk about something we have been reluctant to talk about,” said Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor of the Holston Conference. “The church needs to be a safe place for everybody.” 

“The mission of the church is affected by the health of the church,” said Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett of the North Alabama Conference. “A church that is healthy has healthy boundaries.”

Exploring healthy boundaries were more than 200 bishops, conference leaders, pastors and others attending “Do No Harm,” a sexual ethics summit in Chicago on Oct. 15-17.

The United Methodist Interagency Sexual Ethics Task Force, coordinated by the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women, hosted this third sexual ethics summit. Thanks to a grant from the Connectional Table, central conference representatives from Mozambique, South Africa, Russia and the Philippines also participated.

Offering Response Team and Safe Sanctuary training and 18 workshops, the conference addressed recent developments and challenges in preventing and responding to abuse, misconduct and sexual harassment, particularly by persons in ministerial roles (both lay and clergy) within The United Methodist Church.

Bishop Taylor was a speaker and design team member. Eight members of Holston's Cabinet and Taylor's secretary also attended the summit.

See complete report on the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women site ...

See re-launch of UM Sexual Ethics web page ...