The Remembered Table Discord Moderation Policy
Purpose
This document outlines the practical moderation policies for The Remembered Table (TRT) Discord community. It serves as a guide for moderators to consistently enforce community guidelines while fostering a supportive space for those who have been wounded or worn out by traditional faith spaces.
TRT Guiding Values
Diverse and Inclusive
TRT wants to honor everyone's background, journey, and personhood and create an environment where we learn from a variety of people, communities, and schools of thought. To this end, we are inclusive and seek to uphold diverse voices. Whether race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, theological background, or experiences, we will welcome, accept, and affirm the presence, personhood, and value of every person with us. None shall be excluded from opportunities to participate or to lead based on any of these factors (provided that hate and harm are not part of a person's engagement).
Supportive over Prescriptive
Because everyone will be coming with their own set of experiences and challenges, TRT seeks to create supportive spaces for everyone to find their own practices and people rather than prescribing set ways of doing things. Though suggestions will be available if desired.
People First
Rather than focusing on rigid dogma, TRT seeks to focus on people. In theology and practice, we want to make room for a variety of beliefs and backgrounds, and we will put the people we serve before the protection of the organization.
Integration over Compartmentalization
At TRT, wholeness is paramount. We do not seek to separate our lives into spiritual and physical, intellectual or actionable. We want to help make practice of faith and connection to community simple and meaningful and to create pathways to deeper connection to God and others that honor our becoming as much as our doing or believing.
Community-Oriented
Though development of personal practices will exist, even in that we hope to develop in the presence of others. This is also not a content-forward organization, but one that invites participation together. TRT helps to rebuild what was lost as the people we are today. Content is included, but the program content (vs. marketing content) will always have a community participation opportunity in order to engage ideas and one another.
Trauma Aware
We recognize that leaving toxic church environments may come with a variety of spiritual trauma. We will not minimize these experiences, and we will operate as though trauma exists in every space we curate. We will also own the times we unintentionally trigger those in the room, and we will apologize and update processes and procedures accordingly.
Apostles’ Creed
We will not be in the business of policing beliefs of participants, but the organization holds and operates within the historical confession of the Apostles creed. However, we respect those who do not hold those beliefs and will gladly hold space for them and engage in respectful dialogue.
Moderation Principles
Compassionate Enforcement: Apply rules with understanding of members' diverse backgrounds and potential past trauma.
Restorative Approach: Focus on healing and growth rather than punishment when addressing violations.
Transparency: Clearly communicate moderation decisions and reasoning when appropriate.
Consistency: Apply guidelines fairly across all community members regardless of status or tenure.
Trauma-Informed: Recognize that violations may stem from triggered responses and respond accordingly.
Violation Categories and Response Framework
Level 1: Minor Violations
Examples: Off-topic posting, minor disruptions, accidental rule violations
Response:
Private message with gentle reminder about guidelines
Redirect to appropriate channels when necessary
No formal warning unless behavior persists
Level 2: Moderate Violations
Examples: Repeated minor violations, dismissive language, mild disrespect
Response:
Direct message explaining the violation and impact
Formal warning noted in moderation logs
Temporary restriction from specific channels if appropriate
Request for acknowledgment of understanding
Apology to harmed party
Level 3: Serious Violations
Examples: Harassment, discrimination, hate speech, invasions of privacy
Response:
Immediate content removal
Temporary timeout/mute for 24-48 hours
Direct conversation with senior moderator about expectations
Final warning with clear consequences for continued behavior
Apology to harmed party
Level 4: Critical Violations
Examples: Repeated serious violations, doxxing, illegal content, threats
Response:
Immediate removal from community
Documentation of incident for moderation team review
Potential permanent ban based on severity and intent
If legally required, report to appropriate authorities
Moderation Procedures
Incident Reporting
Monitoring: Moderators regularly review community activity across all channels.
User Reports: Take all reports seriously and acknowledge receipt within 24 hours.
Documentation: Log all moderation actions in a private moderator channel.
Decision Making
Once moderation requires more than the Executive Director and/or one other moderator, the following should inform how decisions are made.
Individual Moderator Actions: Moderators may independently address Level 1 and 2 violations.
Team Consultation: Level 3 violations require discussion with at least one other moderator.
Senior Review: Level 4 violations require review by senior moderators/administrators.
Intervention Process
Observe: Identify the specific guideline violation.
Assess: Consider context, history, and potential impact.
Respond: Take appropriate action based on violation level.
Follow-up: Check in with affected community members as appropriate.
Document: Record the incident and response in moderation logs.
Specific Moderation Scenarios
Content Moderation
Triggering Content: When content may be triggering but otherwise valuable, request content warnings/spoiler tags.
Inappropriate Links: Remove links to content that violates community guidelines.
Debates vs. Discussions: Redirect heated debates to appropriate channels or suggest a cooling-off period.
Conflict Resolution
De-escalation: Move heated conversations to private channels when necessary.
Mediation: Offer neutral third-party mediation for persistent conflicts.
Space: Encourage parties to take breaks when emotions run high.
Supporting Vulnerable Members
We acknowledge that moderators are not equipped to support community members through these situations and thus they will not be expected to take responsibility for crisis situations.
Crisis Intervention: Have referral resources ready for members expressing suicidal thoughts or in crisis.
Referrals: Maintain a list of mental health resources to share when appropriate.
Check-ins: Follow up privately with members who appear to be struggling.
Moderator Self-Care and Support
Rotation: Implement regular shifts to prevent burnout.
Boundaries: Respect moderators' need to step back when personally affected.
Team Support: Regular check-ins and debriefs after difficult moderation events.
Training: Ongoing education in trauma-informed care and conflict resolution.
Appeals Process
Submission: Members may appeal moderation decisions through a private message to a senior moderator.
Review: A different moderator than the one who issued the original decision reviews the appeal.
Decision: Appeals are addressed within 72 hours with a final determination.
Restoration: If an appeal is successful, clearly communicate any restoration of privileges.
Policy Review and Updates
Review this policy quarterly to ensure it meets community needs.
Solicit feedback from both moderators and community members.
Announce any significant changes to the community with clear explanations.
Final Notes
This moderation policy exists to support The Remembered Table's mission of creating a space for recovery, reconnection, and rebuilding. Moderators should approach their role as facilitators of healing rather than enforcers of rules. When in doubt, prioritize the well-being of the community as a whole while showing compassion for individuals.