SERVE Story: Safety Team
At Hillside, we strive to provide a consistently safe and secure environment for everyone who joins us—and our Safety Team plays a vital role in helping us achieve that goal.
Perhaps you’ve noticed members of the Safety Team on Wednesdays and Sundays—stationed at points throughout the building, keeping a watchful eye on all that is happening around the campus.
Steve Brown, who has attended Hillside since 2020, oversees Hillside’s Safety Team, and says “The Safety Team is primarily having an eye and ear on things.” He says the team is mainly responsible for keeping a watchful eye on all that is happening around the campus, staying in communication with one another (using walkie talkies), and providing a clear response when needed—in situations like a severe weather event or a medical emergency.
Steve’s wife, Karen, is a member of the Safety Team, and explains that it really doesn’t take much to serve. “We usually have three [Safety Team] members per service responsible for monitoring and observing different parts of the building and grounds. It’s mostly being observant and available if there is a medical issue, something questionable or safety-related, checking locked doors, etc.”
Karen, who often monitors the childcare wing, also finds enjoyment in serving in this way. “It’s enjoyable to see and greet people who come in,” she says, “A few people have commented that they appreciate knowing there is someone being watchful.”
Our church attendance has been steadily growing, and with that exciting growth comes the need to grow our safety team as well, to provide a physically safe environment for all of the adults, kids, and families who come through our doors—so we need to recruit many more volunteers to serve in this critical way. “The more people being attentive, the safer we will be,” says Steve. Will you prayerfully consider serving on the Safety Team?
If you are at all interested in learning more about the Safety Team and what it involves, Steve strongly encourages you to attend the Safety Team informational meeting this Monday, August 14 at 6:30PM in the Library. This meeting is purely informational and does not equate a commitment to join the team—but we think you will find it helping in understanding what being on the team is—and is not. “It really doesn’t take much,” says Steve. “It sounds scary at times, but it really isn’t.”
Interested in learning more but can’t make the meeting? That’s OK. Complete this interest form and Steve will get back to you.
Above all else, when it comes to safety, it’s important for everyone to remember that a safe environment is something we can all contribute toward. Do not hesitate to report anything you see or hear that doesn’t seem right, and likewise, please encourage your children and grandchildren to do the same. Steve says it well: “We should all have a safety mindset, even if we aren’t on the Safety Team.”