YOU CAN #BeAConnection, especially North Carolina’s Faith Communities, especially now!
Become a Connections Matter Congregation
Our NC Faith Communities lift people up and keep families strong! This I an upstream approach to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Your acts of service and community outreach provides essential protective factors and hope to the children, families, and communities you serve which is why we would like you to consider becoming a Connections Matter Congregation.
A Connections Matter Congregation invests in building a safe and nurturing environment for children, families, and their communities. Prevent Child Abuse NC (PCANC)will partner with our Connected Congregations through Connections Matter and encourage you to choose at least two priorities from the list below that best align with the goals of your place of worship. PCANC is here to help support you and to be a partner on your journey.
Review the list below and then contact LouMecia Staton, Prevent Child Abuse NC’s Community Relations Manager, to help build your plan. As a Connections Matter Congregation, you will receive a sign to post to shine a light on your congregations commitment to young children and families in your community.
What you can do:
For more information please contact LouMecia Staton.
- Host a Connections Matter Presentation for your congregation and learn how implementing trauma-sensitive practices can support families, congregations, and the communities you serve
- Host a Connected Congregations Connected Communities Children’s Sabbath celebrating the importance of positive connections in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
- Download bulletin inserts, talking points, and these sample sermons from NC faith leaders: 1) The Power of One and 2) Breaking the Silence for your Children’s Sabbath.
- Promote positive social connections by hosting a Community Café where you can learn the priorities of the children and families in your community. Need ideas? Check out Solid Rock UMC Community Café
- Encourage those working with children and youth to take our free online course Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment
- Observe safe practices by referring to PCANC’s Child Abuse Prevention Policy and Procedures Guidelines and Checklists
- Implement at least one (1) policy change. Click here for examples from Connected Congregations from across the state.
- Implement at least one (1) environmental change. Click here for examples from Connected Congregations from across the state.
- Share your connections! Click here for a social media toolkit.
- Become a Connected Congregation Prevention Action Network Member
TOOLS & RESOURCES:
Faith One-Page Flyer
Please share this Faith One-Pager explaining the faith communities’ upstream approach in raising awareness, recognizing trauma and toxic stress, and how being a caring and supportive connection can literally rewire our brains, reduce the effects of trauma, and help build resilience that is essential in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
Children's Sabbath Resources
WHAT IS A CHILDREN’S SABBATH?
North Carolina’s Children’s Sabbath is a day your congregation commits to highlighting connections that matter …and investing in supporting children and families through sermons, readings, hymns, and sharing the caring connections that have made a difference in your life. Our children and youth need caring supportive connections more than ever and research shows that the importance of these connections can preventing child abuse and neglect. Host a Children’s Sabbath in April to align with Child Abuse Prevention Month. There is power in numbers and while the date is set for April, we know this is a busy month. What’s most important is finding a date that will work for you and your place of worship.
Learn more about hosting a Children’s Sabbath.
Recorded Webinar Series: Strengthening and Connecting Families, Congregations and Communities
In October 2020, Prevent Child Abuse NC had the esteemed honor to partner with IEI Rural Faith and Partners in Health and Wholeness for a week-long series with faith leaders and community experts learning together about the 5 Protective Factors and how making Connections that Matter protects and supports children, families and their communities.
Please listen to our webinar series (linked below).
Providing Hope through Strengthening and Connecting: Families, Congregations, and Communities Webinar
We encourage you to watch this before the Daily Protective Factors Open Conversations.
Link to Recording
Day 1: Parental Resilience-Mental Well-Being, Open Conversation with Reverend Jessica Stokes of PHW
Discover ways can we help build resilience for ourselves and those caring for children and families. “What gives me hope and strength during a difficult time is shared vulnerability especially during the isolation of COVID”.
Link to Recording
Meet Reverend Jessica Stokes
Day 2: Social Emotional Competence of Children with Kimberly Allen, PhD
Look for opportunities to, “Be in the moment”.
Link to Recording
Meet Kimberly Allen, PhD
Day 3: Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development with Dr. Dawn Baldwin Gibson of Peletah Ministries and P.A.C.E. Academy
“Helping families understand they are uniquely special”.
Link to Recording
Meet Dr. Dawn Baldwin Gibson
Day 4: Concrete Supports with Emma Baltezore, One Christian Network
Learn resources and ways we can connect families to essential supports. “What you learn you teach; what you get you give”.
Link to Recording
Meet Emma Baltezore
Day 5: Social Connections with Reverend Clifford D. Barnett Sr., Warner Temple AME Zion Church
Discover how you can #BeAConnection, make a difference, learn how to create safe spaces encouraging Connections that Matter! “Hope Providers foster connection”.
Link to Recording
Meet Reverend Clifford D. Barnett, Sr
Virtual Town Hall
Conversations with Faith and Community Leaders on how they are strengthening and connecting families and their communities.
Link to Recording
Meet Reverend Darren L. Crotts
Social Media Toolkit
Having trouble with messaging? Not to worry. Please check out our social media toolkit for ideas and ways YOU CAN #BeAConnection.
Faith Tip Tuesday Social Media Materials
Check out PCANC Faith Tip Tuesdays on Facebook and Instagram. We encourage you to share on your websites and social media content for ideas on ways to connect through random acts of kindness.
Community Café Resource Guide
A Community Café gathers interested community members who are inspired to make a change. Want to learn more ? Check out how Solid Rock United Methodist Church and Harnett County’s Partnership for Children collaborated in hosting a Community Café. You will be amazed at the results. During their Community Café, a trauma-informed Resource Guide was generated and inspired the generation of the Harnett County Resilient Initiative. Check out how, Solid Rock UMC and Harnett County Partnerships for Children used the Community Café as a tool for collecting community feedback and facilitating change.
Paper Tigers Viewing Materials
Paper Tigers is a documentary from the producers of Resilience that follows six youth through a school where a trauma-sensitive approach is implemented. This documentary can be useful for youth groups and can be found on Amazon Prime. Please see here for the link to The Resilience Faith Instructional Guide to accompany your viewing.
Additional Resources for Faith Communities
Learn More About What Connections Matter Congregations Do
Click the buttons to learn more.
