First Universalist Church

Safe-Congregation Policy

A Policy for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct,
Physical Abuse and Harassment

Disruptive Behavior Policy

The First Universalist Church of Yarmouth has enjoyed a long tradition of peace, fellowship and civility within its congregation. Each Sunday, we affirm our commitment to being a free and open church where differences are respected. In order to secure our tradition of civility and tolerance, we recognize the need to address the potential for behavior that may challenge our sense of individual and communal safety and wellbeing. Therefore, the following shall be the policy of the Church if and when such a challenge may arise:

1. Situations involving disruptive behavior will be brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees. The Board may appoint an ad hoc committee to investigate the matter using this policy as its primary source of guidance.

2. Persons identified as being disruptive will be responded to as individuals of dignity and worth.

3. Information concerning the alleged incident(s) that led to concern will be systematically collected from the concerned parties by delegated committee members and documented before any action is taken.

4. The committee will meet to assess the findings and decide on a course of action, with the following four levels of response recommended to them.

a. Level One: A committee member or members contacts the person named as the source of the disruption and informs them of the nature of the concern. The person's viewpoint of the matter will be elicited, valued and documented. Committee members will then assess the situation.

b. Level Two: If the basis of the original concern is determined to be valid, this finding will be clearly communicated to the person in question and a contract for clearly defined behavioral change will be negotiated. Such communication and contract will be documented.

c. Level Three: If the person in question refuses to negotiate a contract, refuses to aide by a contract, or is engaging in behavior of sufficient severity, he or she may be excluded from the church for a specified period of time, with reasons for such action, and conditions for return, clearly communicated and documented.

d. Level Four: The person in question is permanently excluded from the church and the church premises with steps taken as needed to enforce the integrity of this decision.

5. Should the ad hoc committee decide that exclusion or expulsion from the Church is necessary, they will consult the Board of Trustees prior to action being taken.

6. The four levels of response recommended by this policy may be applied in the order determined by the ad hoc committee and the Board in their best judgment.

7. If appropriate, the ad hoc committee may offer referrals for professional services.

8. In the event of imminent risk or actual harm to church members, church employees or church property, immediate action will be taken to secure the safety of persons and property.

9. All documentation developed in the course of investigating and resolving allegations of disruptive behavior will be kept confidential. The President of the Board of Trustees will be responsible for determining access to such documentation and for ensuring its security.

The following are offered as dimensions to be used in assessing the nature and severity of referred problems:

1. Dangerousness—Is the individual a source of threat or harm to persons or property?

2. Disruptiveness—What is the extent of disruption to church functions?

3. Congregational Integrity—How likely is it that existing or prospective church members will be driven away by the alleged behavior?

4. Probability of Change—How likely is it that the problem behavior will diminish in the future?

5. History—What has been the frequency and the degree of disruption caused by the individual in the past?

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