Iowa churches are asked to stop Boy Scout Troop charters; SNAP denounces Methodist Bishop’s remarks.

August 30, 2021

Bishop Laurie Haller, head of the Iowa Area of the United Methodist Church, sent a message to parishes in the state to stop chartering Boy Scouts troops because of child sex abuse lawsuits by former scouts. This directive is intended to shield the churches from further liability since it has been discovered that the Boy Scouts of America do not have sufficient insurance to cover sponsoring parishes. In 2020, more than 3,000 United Methodist churches chartered over 9,000 scouting units serving more than 300,000 youth, according to United Methodist Men, which oversees the denomination’s scouting ministries.

To us, it seems that Bishop Haller is more concerned about liability and preserving the finances of the church than about protecting the boys who participate in Methodist troops. We have seen this scenario unfold in other denominations. Catholic parishes nationwide also played host to many Boy Scout groups, to the detriment of countless children. Catholic bishops would shuffle perpetrators from place to place, while BSA supervisors would quietly encourage abusive scoutmasters to resign without notifying the parents of troop members or sponsoring parishes as to why. Both organizations also used euphemisms to sanitize the abuse and tried to keep their secrets hidden from the public; the Catholic bishops had their "secret archives" and the BSA had its "perversion files." To date, we have not seen as much effort by these organizations to minister to the wounded.

The message from Bishop Haller should be focused on a demand for changes within the BSA, not a focus on the financials. Methodist bishops like her should use their power and bully pulpit as leverage to demand that scouting come clean about past abuse and demonstrate how they will change.

Finally, we find it very disturbing that Bishop Haller, at least as reported, does not express any concern for the boys harmed in scouting, including those abused in Methodist troops. The Bishop should be telling her parishes how many former Methodist scouts have come forward alleging abuse, and who they have accused. Parents and future parents need this information. It would not only help the wounded to heal, but it would also help keep today's children safer.

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Winter Appeal 2023

To our friends,

2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’

At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.

To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.

Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.

Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.

Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!

Warmly,

Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.

Interim Executive Director

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