Code of Conduct | Faithfulness in Service

All people are created in the image of God and are of equal value.

The authority and training associated with the roles of clergy and church workers means that they have power in pastoral relationships which is always to be exercised in the service of others.

While clergy and church workers often enjoy personal friendships with those to whom they minister, their pastoral ministry responsibilities take precedence.

Children are entitled to be safe and protected. They have the right to be respected, listened to and their particular needs addressed in all church activities, whether mixed, aged or child specific.

Ministry where children are involved requires absolute trustworthiness.

Clergy and church workers have authority over children because of their position and power because of their greater age, maturity, physical size and life experience. Any form of child abuse is always wrong.

The personal behaviour and relationships of clergy and church workers have a significant impact on the Church and the community because they are a model to others.

Abuse of power is at the heart of many relationship problems in the Church and the community. In essence, abuse is one person's misuse of power over another. Abuse can take any of several overlapping forms; bullying, emotional abuse, harassment, physical abuse, sexual abuse or spiritual abuse.

Sexuality is a gift from God and is integral to human nature. Clergy and church workers value this gift by taking responsibility for their sexual conduct, maintaining chastity in singleness and faithfulness in marriage.

It is part of the role of clergy and church workers to care for, protect and respect all with whom they have a pastoral relationship. It is never appropriate to take advantage of their role to engage in sexual activity with a person with whom they have a pastoral relationship.

In both their personal capacity and their pastoral ministry clergy are involved in matters of a financial nature. The ministry of church workers may include financial management. Financial integrity is essential to all financial processes and transactions.

Clergy and church workers with overall authority for financial management in a church body are responsible for the implementation and maintenance of proper systems for financial integrity and accountability. They cannot delegate this responsibility to anyone else.