hosted by Westbury

Around 60 people from Westbury, Summerhill, City, Gateway, Georgetown and LifeWay churches recently gathered at Westbury for Creating Safe Spaces (CSS) training, led by Matt Garvin and Nicholas Alexander.

It was a significant milestone for Tasmanian Baptists, being the first time CSS has been delivered locally without assistance from our NSW/ACT colleagues. Participants engaged enthusiastically, with plenty of discussion, thoughtful questions and opportunities to connect with people from other congregations. A big thank you to Westbury for being such generous hosts—and for providing a delicious morning tea!

More than simply meeting a government requirement, CSS reminds us of something much deeper: keeping vulnerable people safe is everyone’s responsibility. Throughout Scripture, we see God’s particular concern for those who are vulnerable, oppressed and marginalised. As churches, we want to create safe spaces not simply because we are required to, but because we genuinely care about people and want our churches to reflect God’s heart for them.

This is an important part of what it means to be the church—a community where people are welcomed, valued, protected and able to encounter Jesus with confidence.