ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA has named Nancy Kauffmann, former board president of Dove’s Nest and longtime Mennonite church leader, as the interim denominational minister of Church Safety for MC USA’s Church Vitality office, effective June 26, 2023. This new position was created so that the denomination could address the need for continued abuse education and prevention work.

This need came after Dove’s Nest, an abuse prevention ministry, dissolved May 31, 2023. MC USA will use the name Safe Church to continue and to expand on the work that Dove’s Nest started, according to Michael Danner, MC USA associate executive director of Church Vitality. By Aug. 1, many of Dove’s Nest’s resources, including the “Circle of Grace” curriculum, guidelines for setting up safe space policies, consultation services and a speakers’ bureau will be available on the MC USA website.

For more information, please see the MC USA news release: https://bit.ly/MCUSAChurchSafety.