In a letter written on August 18, 2021, Nancy Wilson, wife of the General Conference President, addresses us as friends, asking us to consider a very serious topic – abuse. She writes, among other things:
„As Seventh-day Adventist Christians, what can we do to counteract this terrible wave of wickedness in the world?
First, we need to be aware that it is happening--in the world, in our countries, in our neighborhoods, and sadly, even within the church. Secondly, we need to recognize the signs of abuse and learn how to help those who are experiencing or have in the past experienced abuse. One of the most important things we can do is to lift the dignity of each person, helping them recognize they are a precious child of God, who loves them intensely and offers them hope and healing.
We need to learn about precautions we can take to make our churches safe places for the most vulnerable. Here in North America, anyone working with children and youth in any capacity of the church must go through special training and have a legal background check. This is an important preventive measure and should be practiced everywhere. Furthermore, any report of possible abuse should be taken seriously and reported to the appropriate authorities for further investigation. This is vitally important to protect others from possible abuse.
While the topics of violence and abuse may be uncomfortable to talk about, as Christians it is something we need to address. To help facilitate awareness and provide education and resources, the Women's Ministries department of the General Conference coordinates the worldwide enditnow® Emphasis Day, held on the fourth Sabbath of August. This year this special emphasis day is on Sabbath, August 28, with the theme, "Bringing Peace Home."
A special resource packet has been prepared by the Women's Ministries department, containing a sermon, several PowerPoint presentations, and materials for planning an informative, helpful program for this special day. This resource packet is available for free download at: https://women.adventist.org/enditnow-day "
On August 28 Adventists are asked to address the problem of abuse in our churches around the world and to enditnow.
