When I arrived at Gurnee Seventh-day Adventist Church with my colleague Account Executive, Job Mairura, I wasn’t sure what to expect. We were invited to conduct a Safety Sabbath training and drill.—But what made this church even more special was that it also houses a full K–12 school. The school and church share the main building, and just outside sits a modular unit where the high school students meet. That setup naturally expanded our scope of attention: more classrooms, more exits, and more opportunities to improve safety.
“We’ve never had a child safety training—not like this. If we did, it was 20 or 30 years ago. But we’re having one today, and that’s what matters most.” — Pastor Lamont Taylor of the Gurnee Seventh-day Adventist ChurchA Church That Showed Up—And Stepped Up
Job and I worked with the leadership team to divide the building into five zones, with five groups assigned to them..
Job Mairura, an Account Executive from ARM, is providing instructions for the safety training.
Each group’s first task was to walk through their zone and identify where a child might hide or be hidden.
Elder De la Peña ensures a team understands their zone during the walkthrough.
Some parents were accompanied by their children. As groups explored, a few turned to their kids and asked, “Where would you hide in this room?” Those small interactions helped shift the atmosphere from hypothetical to personal.
The Drill That Didn’t Go as Planned—And Why That Was a Good Thing
After identifying hiding spots, we transitioned into the first full drill. The setup was simple: the pastor would hide a child somewhere on campus without telling anyone where—and the teams would search. What we didn’t expect was that he’d hide her in a car outside.
The pastor gives the team keys to inspect the shed and add it to their checklist.
As the search unfolded, each group reported their zones clear. Group 5, assigned to the outdoor area couldn’t locate the child. It wasn’t until one participant pushed back against the assumption that the child couldn’t be outside that the breakthrough came.
Members of the outside team return from their perimeter check.
“I was ready to go sit down,” the member recalled. “We thought she couldn’t possibly be out there. But Sister Lori said, ‘No, we have to check the cars.’ So, she went—and found her.”It took eight minutes.
The moment landed hard when the team realized how easy it is to fall into assumptions. The drill wasn’t just about following instructions—it was about learning how to think critically and act intentionally when it matters most.
This is why drills like this matter. The goal wasn’t just to finish the task—it was to build new habits of thinking.
From Reaction to Strategy—Debrief and Improvements
After the first drill wrapped, we debriefed.Group 1 shared that splitting up early and covering specific areas worked well.
A team member shares feedback with Job Mairura and Elder De la Peña after the drill.
Others emphasized how important it was to simply know your church family. “Knowing what our children look like, knowing who belongs where—it eliminates time,” said one participant. Still, communication challenges surfaced. One person suggested, “After each group searched their area, we should have met back at one spot to say, ‘We’ve cleared everything—what else?’” Another pointed out the need for better real-time feedback from whoever is coordinating the search.
This was a solid suggestion: “We wrote down all the places where a child could be hidden—but now we need to turn that into one master map. So, if this ever really happens, we can just grab it, divide up, and go.”
A team searches a classroom with Elder De la Peña offering guidance.
A Call to Faith-Driven Action
There’s often hesitation when it comes to doing a drill like this on Sabbath. Some churches worry it will disrupt the flow of worship. Others feel confident that “God will protect us.” And He does.But throughout Scripture, trust in God is consistently paired with action.
He calls us to prepare, to act, and to care for those entrusted to us. Especially the most vulnerable.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility—especially when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable among us.
At Adventist Risk Management, we’re here to support you. Whether it’s your first time running a drill or talking about safety, we’re honored to be part of the starting point.
If your church hasn’t participated in Safety Sabbath, I hope this story encourages you to try. Because caring for people is a ministry. And protecting them is part of the mission.
A child tests a hiding spot to help identify potential areas where a child could hide.