“As owners of Trak-1, an NAPBS Accredited Background Screening firm, we have had the pleasure of collaborating with, working alongside and even serving the Rev. Joy Melton, Esq. as she has gone about transforming the safety of The United Methodist Church across the country. Joy understands the inner workings of the church community and the unique challenges that those communities face implementing safety and risk reducing practices. She has a heart for the church communities she serves. Joy does not just teach and speak, she helps organizations and church personnel alike to actually live out the safety practices she recommends. We highly recommend her books, her teaching and her consulting services.”
—Dan and Nancy Lynn Roberts, Owners, Trak-1
“Ever the storyteller, Joy Melton weaves the story that holds the deep dark secret and exposes the skeleton hidden in the dark closets of our church and culture: elder abuse. In a culture that worships youth and in which there are more retirees than ever before, generations of caregivers are beside themselves trying to care for their elderly family members and don’t know what to do, which can lead to layers of pain and suffering. As always, people turn to the church in hard economic times, but the church, like those younger generations, has fewer resources for dealing with the growing number of older adults who need care. The church, after all, is a fallible human institution made up of fallible human beings who have to decide how to care for ALL God’s children, not just the young. In her frank, forthright way, Rev. Melton not only tells the dark story but offers tools for “happier endings” if the church attends to the needs of all the people: victims, families, perpetrators, and communities. These tools include templates and sample forms for all aspects of working with elders and their families. Continuing her advocacy as an attorney and clergy person, Joy Melton faithfully fulfills her calling to care for the ‘least of these.’ Every church staff member and agency should have this book.”
—Rev. Dr. Patty Meyers, Professor of Christian Education, Pfeiffer University
“All of us in the faith-based sector have been blessed with the presence, intellect and passion of Rev. Joy Melton. For me it is personal as she has become a proven peer whom I consult on matters sensitive and mundane. She probably has seen what I am facing for the first time. She no doubt will provide counsel that is balanced and fair. We know she was on target, for example, with the child misconduct crisis (which often looms below the surface for many years) because she was among the first to put in place a system of awareness building so that there are safe sanctuaries for the vulnerable. Years later crises would unfold – and they continue to this day around the world – and her proven “Safe Sanctuaries” would be a remedy that could be customized to the customs and culture of that ministry. She is a prolific speaker and story teller who speaks both from the heart and from difficult experiences. How blessed we are to have a colleague in Rev. Joy Melton – filled with experience and the Spirit.”
—Peter A. Persuitti, Managing Director, Religious Practice | Nonprofit Practice, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.