The Lutheran Community Foundation

The LCF Ending Family Violence Initiative grew out of a collaboration between the LCF and Lutheran synods and social ministries.  It aims to end an enduring epidemic of domestic violence with resources, education and awareness through congregations.  The collaboration - Lutheran Advocates for Safe Families (LASF) - was created to inspire and refocus the movement within our faith community to address domestic and sexual violence.

Healthy and Safe Congregations is the initiative's first project, and its goal is to prepare clergy and lay leadership to intervene in and prevent family violence, as well as create safe congregations and facilities.

Through the LCF Ending Family Violence Initiative and in partnership with the ELCA Justice for Women in Church and Society, four Healthy and Safe Congregation Workshops took place:

• Baltimore (September 2009)
• Chicago (October 2010)
• San Francisco (February 2011)
• Minneapolis (May 2012)

Through these workshops, 315 people from 88 ELCA congregations from across the country were trained and returned home to prepare their congregations to be safe places for the most vulnerable. 

These workshops are facilitated by the Faith Trust Institute and are designed to help Lutheran ministers and lay leaders understand the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence, and better equip them to respond to victims/survivors and abusers.  Participant feedback indicates very high satisfaction with the training and high energy as they determine their next steps as a congregation.  The LCF is committed to making this training available to as many congregations as possible, and to that end covered travel/training expenses up to $1,100 per each person attending.  

The second project is a series of 12 webinars available to Lutheran congregations and faith team leaders to address issues surrounding domestic violence.

For more information about the Ending Family Violence Initiative, contact Susan Hayes.

Related:
Grants from Collaborative Funds