Our History
September 18, 2002 The idea for a Clergy Task Force began in a meeting with Jo Terry (Community Coalition on Family Violence), David Kitts (Knoxville Police Dept.) and Thea Peterson (Knoxville Inter-City Churches United for People [KICCUP])
October 29, 2002 First meeting of the task force was held at Church Street UMC.
February 2003 First seminar held at Cokesbury Center.
"Responding to Family Violence: Developing Skills for Religious Leaders" (A Seminar for Clergy, Youth Leaders, Church Counselors, Parish Nurses, and Lay Leaders). Focus: General DV awareness.
November 2003 Second Seminar held at the Foundry
"Responding to Family Violence Part II: Counseling Techniques & Resources for Religious Professionals, Social Workers & Psychologists" Focus: practical steps that congregations could take to stop DV; began addressing core theological issues.
January 13, 2004 Group formally voted on the task force name and decided to be an allied group with the Community Coalition on FAmily Violence.
November 2004 Third seminar held at the Knoxville Convention Center. "Faith-Based responses to Family Violence" with keynote speaker Marie Fortune. Focus: Dr. Fortune's theological work as one of America's leaders in Religion and Family Violence issues.
August 2005 During a two day seminar, several of the members of the Clergy Task Force were trained and became volunteer chaplains at the new Family Justice Center.
May 2006 Group completed a 28-day devotional booklet entitled A Companion For the Journey for clients served through the Knoxville Family Justice Center.
November 2006 Fourth Seminar held at Temple Beth-El. Focus: a small group of Knoxville's religious leaders testing new training materials and awareness campaign approach to be duplicated for a regional seminar in November 2007.
November 2007 Fifth Seminar held at Knoxville Convention Center. "Messages of Hope: Pastoral Care and Family Violence" with keynote speaker Al Miles. This seminar focused on pastoral care and how to preach on the issue of domestic violence.
Today The Clergy Task Force meets regularly on the first Tuesday of each month at noon in the 2nd floor auditorium of the Knoxville Family Justice Center and continues to seek ways of getting out the message of hope to DV victims and the religious leaders who serve them.
