CHURCH: ALLEGED ABUSERS MUST STAND DOWN Brenton Stacey/Adventist News Network Wahroonga, New South Wales

Seventh-day Adventists being investigated for claims of child sexual abuse will have to stand down from local church leadership positions, according to a statement released by the denomination.

The local church board is responsible for ensuring this happens until an authority or the church in Australia and New Zealand's Professional Standards Committee proves or disproves the allegations.

The board must reinstate and reaffirm as a member in regular standing an individual cleared by an authority or the committee. However, it must also censure for one year or remove from membership an individual not cleared.

Individuals not cleared cannot hold any position of responsibility while under censure, and cannot ever again hold any church office or position of responsibility that places them in contact with children or young adults.

The board of a local church can reinstate these individuals after one year, but only in offices or positions that do not place them in contact with children, and only after acting on the advice of an authority or the committee.

The church in the South Pacific released the statement at its year-end Executive Committee.

Bryan Craig, a committee member who is also the church's family ministries director, says the denomination must always uphold its duty of care to its members. "We have a responsibility to make the church and its ministry activities a safe place for all worshippers, young and old."

Brenton Stacey Communication Department Seventh-day Adventist Church South Pacific