Safe Sanctuaries Course
The NC Conference Lay Servants Ministries team presents a Safe Sanctuaries course with Suzanne Cobb…
January 4, 2025 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
$15
Order Your Book!
All participants will need a copy of Safer Sanctuaries. If your church does not already own a copy, consider asking your church to purchase one that you can borrow for this course.
To prepare for this session, read Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, and Part VIII.
About the Course:
Every United Methodist congregation is required to have a safe sanctuaries policy. But safe sanctuaries is more than just a policy. It’s a way of doing ministry. Join us for this course and become an advocate for safe sanctuaries in your congregation!
This year’s course has been revised to include material from the new Safer Sanctuaries resource.
Who can join? Anyone! Though the course is designed for those training to become certified lay ministers, this course is open to anyone (clergy and laity alike) who would like to better understand the need for safe sanctuaries in every congregation.
Will I receive Lay Servant Ministries course credit? While this half-day course does not count as an “advanced course” for LSM renewals, it is required for all those preparing to become certified lay ministers in the NC Conference. Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
About Suzanne Cobb
The Reverend Doctor Suzanne Cobb was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She is the daughter of the late
Dewey and Florence Crutchfield. She has three siblings Jane Brocious of Raleigh (husband Bob), Joe
Crutchfield of Pine Knoll Shores (wife Debbie), and brother Paul of Apex (wife Kim).
She has been married to Jimmy Cobb for 45 years and together they have three sons. James Cobb of Clayton (wife Laura), Joseph Cobb of Louisburg (wife Paige) and Jacob Cobb of Spring Hope (wife Sara).
James and Laura have blessed she and Jimmy with a beautiful 3 1/2-year-old granddaughter Evelyn Joy (Evie Jo) and a handsome 20-month-old grandson Moses James. Jospeh and Paige have blessed them with a beautiful 3-year-old granddaughter Rory Mae.
Suzanne is a graduate of Atlantic Christian College (now known as Barton College) class of 1979. She received a B.S. Degree in Education of Hearing Impaired. She taught Special Education for 5 years upon graduation.
After James was born, she was a “stay at home” Mom for nine years. During that time, she served as the Director of Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian of Raleigh; Cub Scout leader; head swim coach; taught swimming lessons to hundreds of children; volunteered in multiple areas of ministry.
In 1988 she and Jimmy moved their church membership from First Presbyterian of Raleigh to Soapstone UMC where she served as the Children’s Choir Director; Sunday School Superintendent; Youth Counselor; VBS Coordinator; Women’s Group leader; Chair of UMW; Chancel Choir member; was instrumental in the
church starting a preschool program where she served on staff from 1992-2004.
In 1995, at the altar of the church on Ash Wednesday Suzanne finally accepted the call to ministry that she had felt since she was 15 years old. She attended Duke Divinity School from 1996-1999 and graduated with an M.Div. Before she graduated, Soapstone hired her to serve on staff as the Director of Youth
Ministry and Missions from 1997-2004.
In 2004 she took an appointment and served Leah’s Chapel/Shiloh UMC from 2004-2006; Saint Luke UMC-Sanford 2006-2011; The Milwaukee Charge 2011-2015; Fletcher’s Chapel UMC- Durham 2015-2024.
She retired in June of 2024.
In 2010, she decided to go back to school and received her Doctorate in Ministry in 2013 from Hood Theological Seminary where her doctoral work was focused on “How to Build Trust in the First Six Months of a New Appointment”.
During her tenure as a pastor, she served on the Conference Disaster Relief Committee; the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Committee; the Chair of the MERCI Board; the Sanford Disaster Relief Coordinator; in multiple positions within Conference Youth Ministry to include the Chair of the Conference Committee on Youth Ministries.
Suzanne retired in July of 2024 and is currently serving as the Chair of the Raleigh Wesley Board and the Conference Safe Sanctuary Committee.