We are a group of concerned friends and workers within Washington, North Idaho, and Alaska who are working together to create a safer path forward in our fellowship while providing meaningful support to survivors of sexual abuse.
Our Charter: Creating a safer path forward in our fellowship while providing meaningful support to survivors of sexual abuse connected with our community.
The advocacy group started forming organically in April 2023 when the need for additional support to address the current crisis was identified.
Last year the advocacy group, working in conjunction with the ministry, resulted in our region’s relationship with GRACE, the Survivor’s Therapy Fund, the eight-issue WANIDAK newsletter, and collaboration with the ministry to offer sexual abuse awareness training to members of our fellowship. In 2024, our efforts will center around education, communication, advocacy training for our members and other interested people in our region, and safety accountability.
The advocacy group is completely separate and different from the Safety Team. The Safety Team is comprised of individuals nominated by the church, and appointed by the ministry to apply our regional guidelines.
Those working in the advocacy group have all volunteered to participate due to their strong desire to create safer community gathering practices in our fellowship; we all feel vulnerable doing this and know that we will need grace and forgiveness for inevitable stumbles. We aim to be a varied, inclusive, and effective group. Our group is made up of those who still attend meetings as well as those who have stepped away, but still love and want to support those who are hurting. We welcome new members from within the WaNIdAk region. Please use the link below to reach out.
We start small and think about how to share more broadly
We seek to be aligned with and guided by scripture
We stage our outcomes with the goal of reducing polarity and fostering meaningful dialogue between people
We aim to have open and authentic collaboration with the ministry
We are mindful and respectful of confidentiality
We provide a safe space to share thoughts and feelings but focus primarily on working effectively together
We want to be a varied group of young and old, married and single, elders, workers, and current or former members within the Washington, North Idaho & Alaska region
We get a lot of questions about how these groups relate to each other. Confusion comes because there are members of the Guidelines and Safety Teams that are also members of the Advocacy Group. The Guidelines and Safety Teams are ministry led and appointed by the ministry. The Advocacy Group is self-selected & volunteer. The Advocacy Group is not appointed by the ministry. Some members are workers, some members are in the fellowship, and some members are no longer in the fellowship but care deeply about people in the fellowship.
Alisha Barr
Jeff Belding
Nikki Belding
Andrea Berglin
Sonja Bruce
Brenda Egge
Ron Egge
Matt Elley
Sydnee Erickson
Malia Forza
Yumna Green
Rebekah Hamon
Becky Hamon
Valerie Johnson
Deanna Kitchen
Vera Lundell
Justin Matthews
Joyce Peterson
Melody Ring
Sarah Sharp
Charity Shehtanian
Phyllis Standahl
Tawn Thompson
Kathy Thornton
Jenn Petays-Tschetter
Kevin Wright
Monica Zosel Macias
Communication Team Responsible for This Website:
Alisha Barr
Jeff Belding
Nikki Belding
Malia Forza
Rebekah Hamon
Vera Lundell
Justin Matthews
Joyce Peterson
Sarah Sharp
Jenn Petays-Tschetter
Monica Zosel Macias