Friends. I continue to ponder the awful events that have occurred at Penn State and the reality that no institution or its people are immune to such violence. More than anything else, I think about our children and how we can create a safe environment for them to grow into the people God intends them to be.

What sort of conversations are you having with your children and families about issues related to child abuse, making safe choices around strangers, feeling confident to reach out for help, how recognize signs of abuse among others? I wonder how we might learn from one another through this for our ministry with children. I invite you to share your thoughts and concerns (by email, on the comment line below or on our Facebook fan page where this note is also posted).

Please know that I as your pastor and every elder and deacon in our church is a mandated reporter in such circumstances. And, Gordon Braudaway, our clerk of Session, and I are two leaders that you can speak to about such issues in our church.

Thank you for the many ways you care for children and create a safe environment for them to live, play and grow. I hope you will join in prayer for all the people involved in the Penn State crisis as well as for a world in which children may thrive.

Chip