SEXUAL ETHICS POLICY FOR CHURCH PROFESSIONALS

SOUTHWEST TEXAS CONFERENCE

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

I. DEFINITIONS

Church professionals shall include full, associate, and probationary ministerial members of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference, as well as ordained deacons (full and transitional) and elders, diaconal ministers and local pastors, in both the effective and retired relationships, and other persons serving the Conference or any local church under appointment of the Bishop or under the supervision of a District Superintendent, including persons keeping their membership in another annual conference or in another denomination and persons holding orders issued by these annual conferences while on Honorable or Administrative Location.

Church leaders include lay persons elected, assigned, or employed by the church to leadership roles. Sexual misconduct includes sexual abuse and sexual harassment and is a chargeable offense as defined by the 2000 Book of Di8scipline paragraph 2702 or pertinent paragraphs in subsequent Book of Discipline.

Sexual abuse means inappropriate physical conduct of a sexual nature, sexual contact or sexualized behavior and may include, by example, touching, fondling, other physical contact and sexual relations. Sexual harassment is any inappropriate sexual advance or demand, either verbal or physical, that is reasonably perceived by the recipient as demeaning, intimidating or coercive. Sexual harassment must be understood as an exploitation of a power relationship rather than as an exclusively sexual issue. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, the creation of a hostile or abusive working environment resulting from discrimination on the basis of gender.

II STANDARD FOR CONDUCT

Church professionals and other church leaders exercise their ministry in covenant with God and all persons, especially with those whom they lead and serve in ministry. They are in positions of great trust, power, and responsibility, which provides the opportunity for unique relationships of grace and caring. Therefore, both Church professionals and other church leaders shall meet the requirements of the Child, Youth, and Adult Safety Policy of the Southwest Texas Conference. They shall not engage in sexual abuse, harassment, or misconduct with a congregant, client, employee, student, staff member or any other person and shall be guided by the standards outlined in the most recent Book of

Discipline.

III. THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

From the Genesis stories where human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, we can affirm that God values every person as having worth and dignity. From the incarnation accounts in the Gospel where God becomes flesh in Jesus Christ, we can affirm that God claims all of humanity as deserving salvation. In the resurrection accounts in the Gospels where Christ is raised in bodily form, we can affirm that our bodies are holy. From the letters of Paul where the church is described as the body of Christ, we can affirm that God intends for us to be partners together in wholeness. The words and actions of Jesus teach us to forgive others. However, discipline should be distinguished from forgiveness. A church professional or church leader guilty of sexual misconduct needs and my receive forgiveness and be offered avenues for redemption and change, yet the church must still take steps to protect the people of God.

The primary focus of these policies shall be the search for truth to assure justice for the complainant and the accused.

IV. MAKING A COMPLAINT

Persons who believe that they have suffered sexual abuse from any church professional shall report the circumstances of such situation to any District Superintendent or the Bishop. Persons who have knowledge of possible violations of this policy by a church professional related to the Southwest Texas Annual Conference should report the same to any District Superintendent or the Bishop. Church professionals who have knowledge of a possible violation of this policy must report it to a District Superintendent or the Bishop. A compliant is not officially recognized until a person fills out a formal document with a District Superintendent or the Bishop. This document will be updated to indicate the status of the situation until its resolution. Upon any complaint, the Conference will take action in accordance with the provisions of the current Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church paragraph 359 and paragraphs 2701-2719.

V. AVAILABILITY OF POLICY

These policies shall be printed in the Conference Journal annually. Futhermore, they shall be posted on the Conference web site continuously, printed in the Conference newspaper at least annually, and mailed to each local church and appointment beyond the local church annually, where they shall be prominently displayed in common areas.

IV. TRAINING

At the beginning of each quadrennium, the Board of Ordained Ministry shall provide at least four hours of training in clergy sexual ethics for all church professionals who are related to the Southwest Texas Conference. On quadrennial basis, those serving outside the bounds of the Southwest Texas Conference shall provide verification to the Board that they have received such training in the places where they serve. First time church professionals, transfers into our conference, and others must take such training within the first year of their assignment. This training will be provided on an annual basis by the Board at the local pastor’s school or other venue. Records of those who have received training will be kept at the Conference Center by the person assigned to work with the Board of Ordained Ministry. The chairperson of the SPR and the Cabinet will be sent notification of the successful completion of this training.

Failure to undergo the training in clergy sexual ethics could have the following consequences:

If charges of sexual misconduct are ever bought against the accused, the accused’s document failure to participate in the required training could be used as evidence against the accused in both church and civil venues.

The documented failure of the accused to participate in the required training will be considered in any decision to commit conference resources to the accused’s defense.

The failure of the accused to participate in this training may be shared with the pastor-staff relations committee of any church to which the accused may be appointed.

VII. RESPONSE

In the event of an alleged act of sexual misconduct, the Bishop shall utilize a process that may involve a support team or individual whose goal is to offer to congregations affected, the complainant, the accused, and their families counseling services, educational tools, communication skills, mediation insights, and other resources to bring about healing.

The Southwest Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church strives to be a vehicle of God’s grace even in the midst of difficult situations. While it is recognized reconciliation and healing come through God and in God’s time, we commit ourselves to working toward them in all situations. To this end the Conference, under the direction of the Bishop and the Cabinet, will respond to each individual situation in a way intended to promote reconciliation and healing. They will seek to employ strategies and tools to meet the special needs of congregations, victims, and offenders, as well as addressing issues of prevention, justice, and the protection of the rights of the victim or the accused. Reconciliation and healing will be pursued at the same time as a way of witnessing to God’s grace which always and in all things is working for good.

All complaints should go to one of the following:

Resident Bishop of the Southwest Texas Conference 888.349.4191

Austin District Superintendent 512.444.1983

Corpus Christi District Superintendent 361.852.8268

Kerrville District Superintendent 830.896.6400

McAllen District Superintendent 956.686.5342

San Angelo District Superintendent 325.486.1500

San Antonio District Superintendent 210.408.4520

Victoria District Superintendent 361.573.4233