by Staci Stought
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month (NCAPM). This month focuses on raising awareness, supporting families, and preventing child abuse through community efforts. Child abuse happens more often in our congregations than we may realize. Many people in our churches have been harmed. Our children are at risk, and some members are living in unsafe homes or relationships. Too often, churches respond to these issues with silence or denial. Sometimes, the church even adds to the harm by moving predators, silencing children and vulnerable adults, or making things harder for survivors.
The ELCA has recently made child and vulnerable adult protection a key Christian responsibility. In November 2025, the ELCA adopted a social message on Child Protection. Bishop Curry highlighted the urgency of this message as part of his Pastoral Message on Child Protection.
Many congregations lack the structure needed to put the social message’s recommendations into practice. Unnamed No More, A Lutheran Safe Church Ministry, helps fill this gap. Founded by Staci Stought, Pastoral Care Minister at Messiah Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio, Unnamed No More helps faith communities talk openly and respond to gender-based violence.
“How can churches faithfully respond to abuse?”
Staci Stought founded this safe church ministry while pursuing her degree at Luther Seminary. Stought is a retired Sexual Assault police officer with specialized forensic experience in child abuse. She uses her background in child abuse investigations, offender safety planning, and child protection to combine professional knowledge with faith-based reflection for the church. What began as an answer to a final assignment question in an Old Testament course, grew into a Bible study and is now an organization.
Unnamed No More’s mission is to equip Christian leaders and congregations to minister to people affected by abuse, and to address harm from a faith perspective. Unnamed No More partners with congregations through a range of ministries, including Bible studies, sermons, ministry workshops, Sex Offender Safety Planning, Pastoral Care Support, and helping churches to follow through with the recommendations of the ELCA Social Message on Child Protection.
Unnamed No More focuses on caring for people affected by abuse, including those currently experiencing abuse, those healing from past harm, those who have caused harm, and vulnerable adults and children. The ministry uses trauma-informed theology to address these issues in ways that avoid retraumatizing survivors or ignoring harm. It aims to reflect God’s justice, accountability, and hope.
Currently, 15 Lutheran congregations have engaged in more than 40 sermons, trainings, Bible studies, and workshops. In 2024, the ministry was selected for a Lutheran SEEDS Fellowship through Luther Seminary. Unnamed No More received a Women of the ELCA (WELCA) Katie’s Fund grant in 2025. Unnamed No More envisions a future in which churches are no longer silent in the face of gender-based violence. Rooted in the call to “consider, take counsel, and speak out” (Judges 19:30) and grounded in Christ’s promise of abundant life (John 10:10), this ministry works toward sanctuaries that are safe, accountable, and life-giving for all.
Apply for a Katie’s Fund Grant: The Katie’s Fund Grant will have two annual grants cycles. The first cycle will open on June 30th each year, with all completed applications due by September 1st. The second cycle will open on November 1st each year, with all completed applications due by February 1st.