This Year’s Safety Sabbath is March 23
Every church has a community of members who fellowship, worship, and grow together. Members come together and pray for one another or study the Bible. When a church member is sick, we visit them and help them. When someone shares their answered prayer requests, we join in praise with them. The church community, both members and leaders, care for each other in many different ways.
Part of showing someone you care involves keeping them safe. If we see an elderly woman having difficulty descending the stairs in the church hallway, we will go to her aid and help her get to where she is going safely. If a child trips and scrapes his knee, we help him and remove whatever obstacle caused him to fall.
One of the ways we show our members we care is by how well we prepare for their well-being and safety. This can be done in different ways such as maintaining the church parking lot, planning ahead for ice and snow removal, having handrails on stairs, having an emergency plan, and holding regular safety drills.
For the past three years, Seventh-day Adventist churches across the North American Division have joined in conducting an annual church emergency drill on Safety Sabbath, the 4th Sabbath in March. At SafetySabbath.com, church leaders have registered for the event, downloaded materials and resources to prepare their churches, and conducted various emergency drills including fire, active shooter, missing child, and earthquake drills. When a church takes part in this church safety day and practices how to help church members during an emergency situation, leaders are able to show the church community they care and that each person’s safety is important. This year you have the opportunity to show your church you care by holding a drill on Safety Sabbath, March 23, 2019.
Emergencies of all kinds can happen anywhere, even in our churches. Based on where you may be located, you might have a different set of potential emergencies. Whatever the crisis, it is always better to be prepared and have a plan before emergencies occur. Practicing the plan through conducting emergency drills allows your church members to understand better what to do and be ready to act should an emergency arise. This gives them the opportunity to learn how to stay safe through an emergency. By conducting emergency drills in your church, you are showing your church members that you care.
A Call to Action: One Sabbath. One Drill. A Safer Church.
Adventist Risk Management, Inc. invites you to join in this annual safety event and show your church you care by conducting a church emergency drill on Safety Sabbath. This unique opportunity allows you to demonstrate to your church that their safety is a priority and that planning for emergencies is essential. Your church will be able to practice what to do when an emergency occurs and learn how to improve so that each drill is a success.
Get started at SafetySabbath.com and help your church be ready!
