Welcome to Crime Victims Council

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Crime Victims Council History

Crime Victims Council is an outreach ministry of First United Methodist Church of Ft. Worth, Texas www.myfumc.org
The ministry originated in Atlanta, Georgia, 19 years ago by Dr. Bruce Cook, Executive Director and Chaplain of Crime Victims Advocacy Council in Atlanta www.cvaconline.org. In 2005 Dr. Cook received a grant to expand this ministry across the United States.

Rev. Sandra J. Lydick was selected for the Central Texas area. She is an endorsed crime victims chaplain and a Licensed Master Social Worker. She has served churches in the Central Texas area before becoming a victim's chaplain. Since 2006 she has established Crime Victims Council as a 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organization to assist crime victims in their healing by providing

pastoral counseling services
community education
annual interfaith service for victims, their families, friends, and community
crime prevention
raising community consciousness, and
advocacy for crime victims' rights

Crime Victims Council has hosted two powerfully blessed worship services for victims, their families, friends, and the community. Worship services of Help, Hope, and Healing are held on the first Sunday of National Crime Victims Rights Awareness Week. The service is open to all victims of any crime.

The first service was held on April 22, 2007, at First United Methodist Church, Ft. Worth, Texas. The 2008 service was held on April 13th at Goodwill Industries, Ft. Worth, Texas, and was an Interfaith Service including Muslim, Christian, and Jewish participation.

Crime Victims Council networks in the community with other victim assistance and crime prevention agencies. Crime Victims Council is a member of Tarrant County Coalition of Crime Victim Services (TCCCVS) and Tarrant County Council on Family Violence (TCCFV).   Rev. Lydick is a member of the Clergy and Police Alliance Program (C.A.P.A.), a coalition of pastors who work in partnership with the police department to serve the citizens of Ft. Worth. CAPA members attend monthly meetings, ride along with police officers, and are called in to help citizens in crisis.