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“The witness of Scripture recognizes and affirms God’s love for all members of the human family and the priority given in Jesus’ ministry to children and the vulnerable of society.”

— Excerpt from the Charter for the Safety of People within the Churches of the Anglican Communion, adopted by General Synod in 2019

Safeguarding the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all in our churches has been underscored as a priority at all levels of the Anglican Communion. The recent Lambeth Call on Safe Church speaks of the creation of communities in which all people are safe and cared for as a key part of the Church’s mission. Reflecting our commitment to Safe Church, Archbishop and Primate Linda Nicholls invites you to join an upcoming online workshop series featuring Mandy Marshall, the Anglican Communion’s Director for Gender Justice.

Becoming a Safer Church

Sessions will include a mix of participant activities and presentation content—please be prepared to participate. Registration is limited to 60 individuals per session, to maximize the value of participant interaction. Please sign up for sessions only if you are able to attend—you may sign up for as many sessions as you are able to join.

For those unable to attend: Recordings of the session presentations will be made available on this page for on-demand viewing following the workshop.

Sessions full—registration closed

About the presenter

Play Video

Mandy Marshall is the Director for Gender Justice at the Anglican Communion Office. She started the role in April 2020 during lockdown in the UK and began by delivering a resource titled Domestic Abuse and COVID-19: How Churches Can Respond, which is available in seven languages. Mandy is the link Director for the global Anglican Safe Church Commission, the International Anglican Women’s Network and the International Anglican Women’s Network. She also sits on the Mother’s Union Advocacy group.

Read Mandy's Full biography

Session One: Power & Identity

Monday, October 31 @ 2pm ET

What role does power play in maintaining boundaries? In this session, we will work to increase our awareness of the power we have and hold, how to use it well and how this relates to how we see ourselves. There will be group work—please come ready to participate, and sign up only if you are able to attend. (A recording of the presentation will be made available on anglican.ca for on-demand viewing following the session.)

Areas which will be covered:

  • Identity in Christ
  • Influences on us as individuals and groups
  • Types of power and the use of power
  • Jesus as an example of the good use if power
  • Completing a power audit

Recommended reading / viewing (in advance of the session)

  • Read Luke 8:41-56 and think about the different types of power that Jesus used in the passage
  • Take a look at the Power Cube (Sussex University) and reflect on the different types of power that you hold

Session Two: In Churches Too – Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse

Tuesday, November 1 @ 2pm ET

What are the signs of domestic abuse? What can we do? In this session, we will work to gain insight into the nature and outworking of domestic abuse, and how the church can have a trauma informed response. There will be group work—please come ready to participate, and sign up only if you are able to attend. (A recording of the presentation will be made available on anglican.ca for on-demand viewing following the session.)

Areas which will be covered:

  • Definitions of domestic abuse
  • Statistics and who is affected
  • Myths of abuse
  • Duluth model
  • Theology and its impact
  • Action churches can take

Recommended reading / viewing (in advance of the session)

Session Three: Trauma Informed Care and Response

Wednesday, November 2 @ 2pm ET

In this session, we will learn about creating space for exploring trauma informed care and response with and for survivors. This session will be a safe space and all in attendance will be required to respect the space as participants choose to share (or not—no one will be expected to share, the decision is voluntary). Please sign up only if you are able to attend. (A recording of the presentation component—not the participant sharing components—will be made available on anglican.ca for on-demand viewing following the session.)

Areas which will be covered:

  • Types of trauma
  • Brief overview of childhood attachment theory and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
  • Impact of trauma on the mind and body
  • 4R’s and the 6 Principles
  • Reflect on policies, procedures and practices

Recommended reading / viewing (in advance of the session)

Mandy Marshall

Mandy Marshall is the Director for Gender Justice at the Anglican Communion Office. Mandy started the role in April 2020 during lockdown in the UK and began by delivering a resource on Domestic Abuse and COVID-19: How Churches Can Respond which is now available in seven languages. Mandy is the link Director for the global Anglican Safe Church Commission, the International Anglican Women’s Network and the International Anglican Women’s Network. She also sits on the Mother’s Union Advocacy group.

Before joining the Anglican Communion, Mandy co-founded and Co-Directed Restored, an international Christian alliance to transform relationships and end violence against women which she directed until March 2020 when she left to take up the role of Director for Gender Justice.

Mandy previously worked for Tearfund as their Programme Development Advisor for Gender which saw Mandy travel globally teaching, speaking and training on gender justice, equality and preventing and ending gender based violence from a Christian faith perspective. She has various published articles & spoken at many different Christian events and churches nationally & internationally.

In 2011, Mandy won a Deloitte Women Who Rock Award for her work on gender equality and ending violence against women.

Originally from Southport, Mandy now worships at St Stephen’s Church in Twickenham and plays hockey.

 

Rev. Susan C. Johnson

National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Rev. Susan C. Johnson is serving her fourth term as National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), having first been elected by the National Convention in June 2007.

Bishop Johnson is active in the international Lutheran community and in the World Council of Churches. She is committed to the work of ecumenism, full communion, reconciliation, and passionate about engaging the church in a call to spiritual discipleship. She has led the church to speak out in several areas of justice and is actively involved in the work of KAIROS.