Breaking the Silence: New Lutheran Ministry Responds to Abuse in Our Communities
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month—a time to raise awareness, support families, and commit to protecting children and vulnerable people. In the ELCA, that call is taking concrete form through ministries like Unnamed No More, A Lutheran Safe Church Ministry, now supported by a Women of the ELCA (WELCA) Katie’s Fund grant.
Founded by Staci Stought, a pastoral care minister and former sexual assault police officer, Unnamed No More equips congregations to respond faithfully to gender-based violence, including child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual violence. The ministry offers Bible studies, workshops, sermons, and safety planning resources designed to help churches move from silence to action.
This work comes at a critical time. In November 2025, the ELCA adopted a churchwide social message on Child Protection, affirming that safeguarding children and vulnerable adults is a core Christian responsibility. Yet many congregations lack the structure or training to implement these recommendations. Unnamed No More helps fill that gap—offering trauma-informed, theologically grounded tools that reflect God’s justice, accountability, and hope.
The need is real and often closer than we think. Abuse exists within our communities, and too often churches have responded with silence, denial, or harmful practices that protect perpetrators instead of survivors. Unnamed No More challenges these patterns by encouraging congregations to “consider, take counsel, and speak out” (Judges 19:30), grounding its work in Scripture and Christ’s promise of abundant life (John 10:10).
Since its founding, the ministry has partnered with 15 Lutheran congregations, leading more than 40 trainings, sermons, and workshops. With support from Katie’s Fund, the ministry is now available on a sliding scale, ensuring access for congregations regardless of financial capacity.
Congregations are invited to take next steps:
Engage in workshops or trainings to better understand abuse and response
Foster open, honest conversations that break silence and stigma
Support safe church practices that prioritize accountability and care
Katie’s Fund offers two annual grant cycles for ministries like this: applications open June 30 (due September 1) and November 1 (due February 1).
As Lutherans, we are called to love and protect our neighbor—not only in word, but in action. Ministries like Unnamed No More help us live out that calling, creating congregations that are safer, more honest, and more reflective of Christ’s healing presence.
Learn more about this ministry and how your congregation can engage.
