Kevin Smith, chairman of the study committee, hopes that the report will help congregations begin to see racism as a moral issue, like abortion. And as with other moral issues, Smith notes, refusing to talk about the issue will not make it go away.

“[Children] are members of the covenant community and members of the church. It makes me sad to think that often we ship them down the hall and they don’t participate in the great event of the gathered church,” said Jason Helopoulos.

The seminar will highlight the cultural context that makes a show like “13 Reasons Why” so popular, while providing guidance and resources to equip pastors who want to better understand the issue and minister to congregants who might be contemplating ending their lives. 

Throughout most of Christian history a concern for the vulnerable led to founding orphanages, building hospitals, rescuing abandoned children, and teaching that one’s work is an act of worship to God.

A trained counselor, Joan Stratton McConnell knows abuse lurks in the church. She has worked with Westminster’s pastoral and ministry staff in abuse situations and helped the session understand and embrace a recognize-respond-rescue approach to abuse.