Who is this petition directed to?

Seventh-day Adventist Church Leadership in British Columbia

Camp-Meeting Organizers and Conference Administrators

Child Safety and Risk Management Departments

Immediately reform Camp-meeting policy to prohibit convicted child sex offenders from attending in person, strengthen transparency and safety protocols, and establish an independent safeguarding board to protect children and vulnerable individuals.

We, the undersigned, are calling on the Seventh-day Adventist Church in British Columbia and affiliated leadership to take immediate, transparent, and accountable action to protect children, youth, and vulnerable individuals attending Camp-meeting events.

 

The Problem:

It has come to public attention that convicted child sex offenders have been permitted on-site at BC Camp-meeting events, in close proximity to families and minors. Although current policy requires these individuals to register in advance and be assigned a monitor, this process is not robust enough. The lack of transparency, clear boundaries, and consistent enforcement leaves children at risk and families uninformed and unprotected.

Allowing known offenders to attend without meaningful consultation with the broader community, and without strong, enforceable safeguards, violates sacred trust. This reflects a systemic failure to prioritize safety over institutional convenience or secrecy.

We recognize that the gospel calls us to healing, restoration, and inclusion—but this must never come at the cost of safety. A pathway for restoration must be real, accountable, and distinct from spaces where children gather, ensuring that healing for one does not mean harm for another.

 

Our Demands:

We call on church leadership and Camp-meeting organizers to take immediate action by:

1. Banning all known or convicted child sex offenders from attending BC Camp-meeting in any physical or volunteer capacity, regardless of supervision or registration status;

2. Implementing a clear and public child protection policy that includes screening and vetting for all adults in family campgrounds and volunteer roles;

3. Requiring Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Checks for all adult volunteers, staff, and overnight attendees;

4. Providing full transparency to families and community members regarding safety protocols and the presence of any high-risk individuals onsite;

5. Establishing a third-party safeguarding review board made up of independent professionals, survivors, and child safety advocates to oversee implementation and compliance.

Why This Matters:
Camp-meeting is meant to be a space of spiritual renewal, family connection, and community worship—not a place where survivors are retraumatized or children left vulnerable due to secrecy or insufficient policy.

Christ called us to protect “the least of these.” We are accountable not only for what we allow—but for what we choose to ignore. Safety, healing, and truth-telling must come before comfort or control.

 

Our Commitment:
We are committed to building a faith community that is safe, just, and transparent. We ask for the courage, compassion, and moral clarity to act swiftly and decisively.

Add your name to demand reform and to declare:
Children’s safety is sacred. Silence is not protection. We demand better—because God requires it.