Brothers and Sisters, I have the joy of introducing you to Dorie Moore, our Diocesan Safeguarding Coordinator.

In September of 2024, the Diocese welcomed Dorie as part-time Safeguarding Coordinator. Dorie, her husband Nathaniel, and their two sons attend St. Aidan’s Anglican Church in Kansas City, where she also serves part-time in children’s ministry. She has worked in both public and private schools as well as overseas in Ukraine.

Dorie partners with our Diocesan churches to help them put best practices and policies into action as they seek to protect their congregations from any form of misconduct. She also leads an ongoing Safeguarding Committee that consults with a group of professionals as needed (therapists, experts in trauma response or risk management, and more).  

We are grateful for the experience and heart Dorie brings into this important ministry. In this interview, she shares about her faith journey, her passion for children and families, and her vision for safeguarding across the Diocese.

+Stewart
Bishop Stewart E. Ruch III

Interview by Clare VanderWeele, Communications Assistant

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how your faith journey led you to this role in our Diocese?

I had the blessing of being raised in the Church. I am a pastor’s kid who also grew up near a primarily Christian extended family. I heard and responded to the Gospel at a young age. Though I never walked away from the Lord, I can look back on seasons where my faith became more my own and less my parents’. I attended Moody Bible Institute with the intention of becoming a missionary teacher, and it was there that I discovered Anglicanism through my friend group.

What drew you and your family to St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, and what does your involvement there look like?

When we moved to Kansas City in 2021, I asked my husband if we could consider attending an Anglican church. I had to come to realize that what I had referred to as a “phase” in college probably wasn’t, and I missed the liturgy and worship that I had participated in at Immanuel Anglican in Chicago. A Google search led us to St. Aidan’s, and we quickly knew we had found our church home. Both Nathaniel and I have been involved in their children’s ministry since 2022, and our family has also been blessed by our small group.

You’ve worked in various educational settings, including overseas in Ukraine. How have those experiences shaped your passion for serving others—particularly children and families?

It is such a joy to get to work with children and their families! Working in the classroom has given me a love to see kids learn and grow, whether that be emotionally, spiritually, or physically. Getting to play a part in that growth is such a privilege.

Safeguarding is such a critical and sensitive area—how do you approach this work spiritually and practically?

It has been helpful to consistently remind myself of the spiritual importance God places upon his Church and the truth of his love for us. It can be easy to be discouraged by the news of another scandal or to read an account of a church mishandling allegations. God has been teaching me that he is building his Church. Holding that alongside the truth that abuse and misconduct deeply grieve our loving God has been something that I’ve tried to keep in mind. 

Practically I’ve found that maintaining a variety of tasks and working in smaller chunks of time helps. Of course some of that is a necessity while raising young children, but it has helped the heavy-lifting days not be so weighty.

Since stepping into the role, you’ve helped finalize several safeguarding resources. Can you share about that process?

It has been so satisfying to see these resources come to fruition! By far my favorite part of the process is watching the feedback come in, and then seeing a document gain shape and clarity through the editing process. The collaboration definitely is an iron sharpening iron kind of an experience. And of course, it’s encouraging to see a growing list of changes and edits for the next, stronger version—shaped by people’s experiences as they begin working with these documents. It’s exciting already to glimpse those improvements taking shape.

What do you find most challenging in your work? Most enjoyable?

The most challenging piece would probably be grappling with the realities of sin and broken lives.

The most enjoyable part is getting to know and work with leaders in the congregations across our Diocese! It is such a privilege to hear how God is moving in their midst and to see the love they have for the work and for the Church.

Outside of your work with the Diocese and children’s ministry, what do you and your family enjoy doing together?

We spend a lot of time outside, whether in our yard or exploring different playgrounds and trails around Kansas City. We also love good food and are always up for a kitchen adventure!