The Methodist Council has pledged to tackle issues of bullying and harassment within the Church. The move is a response to concerns raised about the vulnerability of churches to destructive patterns of behaviour and affirms the desire for the Church to be a safe and inclusive community for all. ‘It is uncomfortable and difficult to admit that bullying and harassment do sometimes occur in our churches,’ said Tony Tidey, Connexional Wellbeing Adviser. ‘But the decision made today, and the recommendations that will be made to the Conference in July, are something to be proud of. By clearly stating our commitment to addressing this issue, we are calling everyone in our churches to a standard of behaviour that should reflect our calling as Christians to treat one another with dignity and respect at all times.’ Council members affirmed that bullying and harassment were always unacceptable and that dealing well with these issues in a church context is vitally important. See also the statement from 'The Mill Gathering'in last week's Prayer Alert.