Community participation

These standards apply to ministry groups, private group feeds, blog comments, learning spaces, online gatherings and other community activity organised by Sagacity Outreach Ministries.

They apply to members, visitors, volunteers, contributors and leaders. A group may also have its own versioned guidelines, which members accept before their membership becomes active. Where both apply, follow both.

Ministry groups, group feeds and blog comments are for adults aged 18 or over.

Participation should reflect Christian character, thoughtful listening and respect for the dignity of every person.

• Engage honestly without intimidation, harassment, humiliation or personal attack.
• Allow disagreement without questioning another person’s worth or right to be safe.
• Do not discriminate unlawfully or use threatening, sexual, hateful or degrading language.
• Do not use Scripture, prayer, prophecy, pastoral authority or a ministry role to coerce, shame, control or exploit another person.
• Do not present medical, mental-health, legal or financial guidance as professional advice unless properly qualified and authorised for that role.
• Do not impersonate another person, spread another person’s private information or encourage self-harm, violence or unlawful conduct.
• Respect the stated purpose, leadership, time and practical boundaries of the group.
• Do not promote unrelated services, collect money or solicit members without approval.

A group feed is visible only to that group’s current members and leaders. Posts, comments, reactions, images and YouTube links should serve the group’s purpose. Share images only if you have the right to share them and everyone identifiable in them is content for them to be shared.

If a post or comment in a group feed concerns you, use its report option and give a short reason. Reports go to the group’s leaders and moderators, who can remove content that breaks these standards. Report urgent safety concerns as described in the Safeguarding policy rather than only through a report.

Blog comments are public once approved and show the name you comment under. A member’s first comment waits for a leader to approve it; later comments appear straight away. Leaders may hide or delete any comment that breaks these standards.

Personal stories, prayer needs, member details, meeting links and protected resources must not be copied, recorded, photographed, forwarded or published without clear permission.

Confidentiality has limits. Information may need to be shared when someone may be at risk, where the law requires it or where authorised leaders need it to respond responsibly. No participant should promise secrecy about abuse or serious harm.

A group’s member list shows only members whose visibility has been switched on; it is off by default. Seeing someone in a member list does not give permission to use their details outside the group.

Online participants should join from an appropriate setting, use only the access details issued to them and avoid exposing another person’s private information on screen or within earshot.

Recording, transcription, automated note-taking or streaming is not permitted unless the organiser has given advance notice and the necessary permissions have been obtained.

Report an unexpected attendee, exposed meeting link or concerning message promptly, and leave an online space if remaining there feels unsafe.

Leaders explain expectations, apply them consistently and use the least intrusive response that is compatible with safety and good order.

A response may include a private conversation, removing content, pausing participation or ending access. Urgent safety action may be taken before every fact can be fully reviewed.

Concerns about how a decision was made may be raised under the Complaints and concerns policy.

Behaviour that suggests abuse, exploitation, coercion, stalking, grooming or a risk of harm is not treated as an ordinary disagreement.

Follow the Safeguarding policy, and call 999 when someone is in immediate danger.