26 October 2019 St James & Emmanuel Dear Delegate

I’m so delighted that you’re coming to the ‘Church for Everyone’ conference. The idea behind the conference is simple: to help local churches become more inclusive. To do this we’ve produced a timetable that includes a mixture of talks, workshops and worship. We’ve also added a Q&A session and time to get to know each other, network and meet some of the folk who have been pioneering in this area.

There are many thrills and pitfalls for churches on the inclusion journey and while none of us knows everything, there is real strength in numbers and together we might just have what we need.

St James & Emmanuel has been through some dark times, but has also been glimpsing what an inclusive church could look like, and it’s a beautiful thing. The conference is ultimately about infectious hope and radical love.

This brochure has been produced to help you get here, enjoy being here and not have to worry about anything while you’re here. The organising team and I can’t wait to see you soon and if there is anything missing from this brochure then please do contact us.

Finally, we are very grateful to Lizzie’s Legacy for underwriting the costs of the conference and enabling us to plan with confidence.

Nick Bundock of St James & Emmanuel welcome 9:00-9:30 Registration (coffee and pastries) Home Café

9:30-10:00 Worship and Welcome Main Hall 10:00-10:20 Story of Lizzie Lowe and St James & Emmanuel Nick Bundock Main Hall 10:20-10:30 Lizzie’ Legacy Hilary and Kevin Lowe Main Hall 10:30-10:50 Inclusive Church Ruth Wilde and Fiona MacMillan Main Hall 10:50-11:10 Affirming Baptists Andrea King Main Hall

11:10-11:45 Coffee Home Café

11:45-12:45 WORKSHOP SESSION 1 See below for choices Various

12:45-13:45 Lunch Home Café

13:45-14:45 WORKSHOP SESSION 2 and ‘Wriggle Room’ See below for choices Various 15:00-15:20 Keynote Speech Rachel Mann Main Hall 15:20-16:00 Q&A Session All workshop leaders Main Hall 16:00-end Open Table Main Hall

WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE IN BOTH SESSIONS

Being An Inclusive Church Ruth Wilde Emmanuel Church To Have and To Hold: A Theology of Marriage Equality Father Andrew Foreshew-Cain Lower Hall

Inclusiveness: Strategising A Ministry of Presence and Belonging Hils Corcoran and Lea Appleby No 6: The Lounge

The Possibility of Difference Marcus Green Upper Hall Lexy McDonnell Upper Hall

Youth and Inclusion programme Resource Launch Stephen Edwards and Philip Williamson No 6: The Studio How To Recognise and Safeguard Against Spiritual Abuse Jayne Ozanne The Hughes Room Conference Chair Revd Dr Nick Bundock – Team Rector St James & Emmanuel, Didsbury

In addition to chairing the conference, Nick will also be presenting The Story of Lizzie Lowe and St James & Emmanuel.

About Nick Nick has been in ordained ministry since 2002 and although a southerner by upbringing has spent his entire ministry in the north, first in Sheffield and then in Didsbury since 2005. Nick’s world was turned upside-down by the sudden and tragic death of Lizzie Lowe and now campaigns for an inclusive and open church. In addition to his work as a parish and advocate for inclusion he has a passion for education and has established a new school in the parish and set up the St James and Emmanuel Academy Trust, which shares the same values as St James and Emmanuel. Nick grows cacti, has a corgi and loves massively multiplayer online gaming. meet the team KEYNOTE A Church for Everyone... even for me, you, even for them? The Rev’d Canon Dr Rachel Mann – Rector, St Nicholas Burnage; Area Dean of Withington

This keynote explores whether it is genuinely possible to model a ‘Church for Everyone’. What are the costs? What are the delights? How can we learn to live in a holy way in the midst of the Body of Christ?

About Rachel Rachel Mann is an Anglican parish priest, writer and poet. Author of seven books, her theological memoir about growing up trans, ‘Dazzling Darkness’ was a Church Times bestseller. She is a member of General Synod, an honorary canon of , as well as a member of the ’s theological advisory board, the Faith and Order Commission. In 2019 she has had two books published, ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ (Canterbury Press), an Advent book based on the poetry of Christina Rossetti, and her debut poetry collection, ‘A Kingdom of Love’ (Carcanet). She spends a lot of time hoping to get more sleep. . meet the team PRESENTATION Lizzie’s Legacy Hilary and Kevin Lowe – founders of the fund established in Lizzie’s Lowe’s memory.

Lizzie’s tragic death shook her family, friends, church and community to the core. The immense outpouring of grief led to a deep realisation that change had to take place.

About Lizzie’s Legacy Lizzie’s death challenged her church, St James & Emmanuel, to examine how it reflected God’s love for everyone. It is now one of the UK’s few fully LGBT inclusive evangelical churches.

From their place of grief, Lizzie’s family, with the support of the church, has established Lizzie’s Legacy. At the heart of this work is one simple principle: we should all love each other as we are, not how we would like to be or how others would like us to be.

Lizzie’s Legacy supports projects that provide a safe place for young people to share and be themselves. It also promotes diversity within the church and wider community and is building relationships with organisations that support inclusion, diversity and mental health. meet the team PRESENTATION Affirming Baptists Andrea King – Safeguarding Consultant, an Associate for Research in Practice and the Local Authority Advisor for NHS England in the South East Region; Windsor Baptist Church, in Southern Counties and Independent Minister in Training at Regents Park College, Oxford University

About Andrea I have worked in children’s services for almost 20 years, starting in the voluntary sector, working for central government and providing leadership in Local Authorities, most recently as Assistant Director for Safeguarding and Prevention.

I am passionate about improving outcomes for those with little voice or power, who experience adversity, inequality or harm. I specialise in innovation and building sustainable improvement, by listening with care to the expertise and insight of local people. My approach is primarily restorative. I seek first to understand others, to understand their pressures, priorities, hopes and fears. I am often asked to facilitate difficult conversations using this approach.

I am a proud member of Windsor Baptist Church and I am the first openly LGB+ individual to be offered a place to read Theology at Regents Park College (Oxford University), as an Independent Minister in Training. It is both a privilege and a challenge to contribute to this unfolding national conversation around LGBTQi+ inclusion in churches.

In order to study I now work part-time. This includes for NHS England, providing leadership support to the most senior partnership leaders, to improve or re-design mental health services for children and young people in the South East and South West. I am an Associate for Research in Practice, which currently involves chairing a series of national conferences for the Department for Education and providing strategic management support for national pilot projects. I provide safeguarding consultancy in various parts of the country to partnership leaders, where leadership support is needed to improve safeguarding arrangements; or where learning is sought from complex, and often emotive, situations. meet the team WORKSHOP Inclusiveness: Strategising a Ministry of Presence and Belonging Hils Corcoran and Lea Appleby – St Paul’s, Withington

Individuals and groups of people feeling marginalised by church have become a ministry of presence, wanting to be heard and waiting to fully participate in all aspects of belonging to a church family. The journey to develop a strategy began after attending sessions raising awareness of the desire to become an Inclusive Church Deanery. Without a strategic approach there is a risk that responsibility is not shared. This can be a problem because individuals maybe unwilling or unable to speak up, or they may spend a lot of time and energy seeking to be understood or understand those in lead roles.

About Hils Hils is currently jobsharing as vicar St Paul’s Church, Withington with her husband Mike since April this year. She got ordained in 2015 and was in four inclusive churches in north Manchester. Before she worked as a dietitian for 10 years in a team in Leicester who supported adults and children who need to feed through a tube at home. She loved this job, not least because she got to journey with people from all sorts of different backgrounds.

Hils is passionate about sharing the all embracing love of God with all people, and loves being creative in finding all sorts of different ways to enable everyone to know God, and fully participate in the life of the church.

Hils and Mike have a one year old boy. When she gets time she loves being creative with music, fabric and food

About Lea Lea trained as a paediatric nurse and has worked across the North West in various roles within the NHS.She is currently the safeguarding officer at St Paul’s Withington. She has completed the Foundations for Ministry programme and is tentatively putting one foot in front of the other in her journey of faith, hope and love. Her church has no walls but endless possibilities for Gods love to be welcomed by all. meet the team WORKSHOP How to Recognise and Safeguard Against Spiritual Abuse Jayne Ozanne – Director of Ozanne Foundation

Spiritual abuse is sadly rife in many churches, and its impact can be deadly. It is little understood, and yet can cause deep trauma and mental health problems to those it affects - who are often the most vulnerable in our midst. It is practised by church leaders, small group leaders and even whole congregations - indeed anywhere where religious teachings and practises are used to manipulate and control, leaving the victim feeling powerless, guilty and ashamed. This workshop will therefore look at how to recognise spiritual abuse and how to ensure adequate safeguards are in place to ensure that our churches are truly safe places for all.

About Jayne Jayne is a well-known gay evangelical who works to ensure full inclusion of all LGBTI Christians at every level of the Church. She is Director of the Ozanne Foundation, which works with religious organisations around the world to eliminate discrimination based on sexuality or gender in order to embrace and celebrate the equality and diversity of all.

She currently serves as a member of the government’s LGBT Advisory Panel, where she is actively involved in working to end the practice of Conversion Therapy. Jayne was a founding member of the Archbishops’ Council for the Church of England (1999-2004) and is a member of General Synod, where she is involved in campaigning for a range of issues. In 2017 she led a debate on the dangers of Conversion Therapy within the Church of England, which resulted in them calling on the government to ban it. She is actively engaged through her writings and broadcasts in helping the Church develop and promote a positive Christian ethic towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.” meet the team WORKSHOP Resource Launch Stephen Edwards – Residentiary Canon, Worcester Cathedral

Manchester Diocese is home to one of the largest LGBTQ+ communities in Europe. LGBTQ+ people have brought energy and lift to every aspect of life in Greater Manchester, including to its churches. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have called for the Church to model a radical Christian Inclusion and we wish to be bold in celebrating same-sex marriages and civil partnerships. Couples in same-sex unions often want their love and commitment to be affirmed and celebrated in a church, in the sight of God, supported by their friends and family.

Over the past two years a group of LGBTQ+ lay and ordained people have worked to develop a resource and accompanying guidance notes for which can be used and adapted to celebrate same-sex unions prayerfully and joyfully in a church setting.

This workshop will take you through the philosophy underpinning the service, the steps taken to ensure the resource conforms with the guidance of Bishop’s Council, the purpose of this resource and how it may be used to give confidence to those wishing to celebrate LGBTQ+ couples.

About Stephen Canon Dr Stephen Edwards is a Residentiary Canon at Worcester Cathedral where his role combines responsibility for promoting the Cathedral’s mission in the Diocese and local community with the pastoral care and spiritual nurture of the Cathedral community. Until August this year he was Team Rector of Wythenshawe in the Diocese of Manchester and also Area Dean of Withington – the deanery which became the first, and so far only, deanery in the church of England where all 12 parishes have adopted the Inclusive Church statement. He has been a part of the CofE’s national Turn Up The Volume initiative to increase BAME representation in senior appointments across the Church. This built on his own research exploring his ministry as a White priest within a Black-Majority congregation – a critical enquiry into issues around privilege, power and empowerment, inclusion and participation. As well as previously coordinating the Manchester Estate Ministry Network, Stephen is also a member of the Estates’ theology project which is a workstream of the Renewal and Reform agenda for the Church of England. His meet the team interests include LGBT+ inclusion and celebration, liturgy, and architecture. WORKSHOP Youth and Inclusion Lexy McDonnell – Youth Team Leader, St James & Emmanuel

As a gay young woman myself, growing up in the church has been difficult. However, I know that God is using my story to educate others how to treat young LGBT+ people within church.

This workshop is to help guide those difficult conversations youth leaders often have, helping them to be more inclusive and loving. Advice from personal experience on how to help LGBT+ young people on their own journey through faith and life.

There will be plenty of time for questions and when attending this workshop bringing any challenges or specific questions are encouraged!

About Lexy I’m 22 and currently in my final year of studying Theology at Nazarene Theological College. I grew up in Lancaster moving to Manchester 5 years ago now. I’ve been going to church all of my life and have a passion for Jesus and people. I’m very close to my family and love seeing them as often as I can, especially the dog Toby! I’m engaged to a beautiful, incredible women called Hala, and we are very excited to be on this amazing journey called life together. I work on a part-time bases for St James and Emmanuel as their youth team leader and have been in this role for just over a year now. Finding a church that’s been so radically inclusive has made such a difference not only to my faith but my whole being! meet the team WORKSHOP To have and to hold – a theology of marriage equality Father Andrew – Church of England priest, retired; Equal, The Campaign for Equal marriage in the Church of England

The Church of England currently refuses to allow same sex couples to marry in its Churches, to bless those in Civil Partnerships and insists on celibacy for both its ordained and licensed lay minsters in Civil Partnerships. To see change in this stance those who affirm same sex relationships must be able to make a good case theologically and from a clear interpretation of Scripture.

In this session we will look at the history of marriage, key themes and an approach to Scriptural interpretation that will enable us to confidently answer the questions of others.

About Andrew Father Andrew is married to Stephen, and lives in the Peak District. He retired from licensed ministry after nearly 30 years in 2017, and because of his marriage the hierarchy refuses to license him in a new parish. He heads the Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England which is arguing for the conscience of all members of the CofE to be respected. He has recently started a new job as Chaplain to Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford, an Anglican institution independent of the Bishops of the CofE, and is enjoying fulfilling again his vocation to ministry with the people of God. meet the team WORKSHOP Being an Inclusive Church Ruth Wilde – National Coordinator of Inclusive Church

Ruth will lead a workshop on being an inclusive church, looking at different aspects of inclusion, diversity and welcome. There will be time for sharing our own experiences of inclusion and exclusion as a group and time for hearing voices that we may not usually hear. By the end of the workshop, Ruth hopes to send you away better equipped to make your church an inclusive and welcoming place for all, especially those who are often marginalised.

Ruth will also be presenting Inclusive Church with Fiona MacMillan.

About Ruth Ruth Wilde is National Coordinator of Inclusive Church – an ecumenical, educational charity which works with churches on inclusion. The focus of the charity was originally inclusion in terms of sexuality and gender, but has since broadened out, in particular to mental health, disability, ethnicity and poverty.

Every year in October, Inclusive Church runs a conference on Disability and Church with its partner St Martin-in-the Fields, organised by and for people with lived experience. It is a progressive and ground-breaking conference which is always very popular.

Inclusive Church works with volunteers on the ground in different regions, called ‘regional ambassadors’, and alongside partners with different specialisms, for example Church Action on Poverty, One Body One Faith and Women and the Church. This enables IC to do more and have greater capacity, creating change across the churches and denominations. We believe that church should be welcoming and inclusive of everyone, and that is why we’re excited to be sharing with you in your conference in Didsbury. meet the team WORKSHOP The Possibility of Difference Marcus Green – Theologian, author and priest; member of Living in Love and Faith – the House of Bishops’ project on human identity, sexuality and marriage.

Author and priest Marcus Green looks at a Biblical affirmation for inclusivity. Marcus has wrestled with the Biblical texts from an evangelical perspective and finds a God of unconditional love whether gay or straight.

About Marcus Marcus is an Anglican clergyman working in North Oxfordshire. He is openly gay and evangelical. His first book, Salvation’s Song, published by Survivor Books, looks at the cross as the heart of worship. His second,The Possibility of Difference, published by Kevin Mayhew, is a biblical affirmation of inclusivity - a wide-ranging take on how the Bible shows God loves us all. He has a blog of the same title which pursues issues of sexuality, justice and Scripture within the church.

Marcus also wrote a chapter inJourneys in Grace and Truth, published to help the Church of England’s General Synod as it engaged with issues around sexuality in 2016, as well as contributing to the latest edition ofReflections , the Church of England’s Bible reading resource.

He is a member of the Living in Love and Faith project (the House of Bishops’ commission to engage with matters of human identity, sexuality and marriage) and also sits on the oversight group for the Oxford Diocesan LGBT+ chaplaincy.

He shares his rural rectory with a remarkably energetic Springer Spaniel called Harry, and somehow finds time to write a little music and play third trumpet and sing with a local swing band. Years ago he led his own big band, which still has a recording available on iTunes,Every Breath. They reveal what contemporary worship music might have sounded like if only things had taken a rather jazzier turn. meet the team The Church for Everyone planning team has been on an exciting journey preparing for the day itself. Here are some of our key people.

Dr Gill Green Professionally, Gill is CEO and co-founder of STORM® Skills Training CIC, a social enterprise providing Suicide Prevention, Postvention and Self-harm Mitigation training. She understands only too well the risk of suicide in young LGBTQi+ people, some of whom are questioning or struggling to reconcile their faith.

Personally, Gill has been married to her wife for just over 3 years. Gill decided to turn away from the Church of England during her confirmation ceremony at the tender age of 10 years old. She realised even then that being ‘different’ meant needing to make a choice; to live a lie or to be free from rules that were inconsistent with who she felt she really was - finally putting a name to this feeling at the age of 15 as being gay.

With unwavering faith, Gill journeyed alone with God. It wasn’t until 2018 at Didsbury Pride – at the tender age of 53 - that she found her ‘Church family’ at St James & Emmanuel. She is PROUD to be a part of this inclusive Church family where there is genuine love felt for ‘everyone’. Gill is passionate about helping others as they journey towards being diverse and inclusive Church communities.

Alex Simms I’m Alex, 33 years old, originallyfrom Northumberland but have lived in Manchester a long time. I identify as both a gay man and a Christian and it took a long time for me to be comfortable with both, despite always being both. I work in healthcare and currently look after diabetic pregnant women. I’ve been going to St James and Emmanuel for about three and a half years. I love being in a community where everyone is interested in who I’m dating not because they want to judge me for my partner’s gender but because its exciting gossip! The freedom to be yourself, unashamedly who God made you is liberating. planning team Adelaide Fowler-Harris Adelaide works as a caseloading midwife and is married to Kathryn. She grew up in church, surrounded by the ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’ rhetoric. As a young teenager, she had a friend who desperately wanted to believe, but said that he would always be on the outside because he was gay. What she knew about God was in congruent to what she experienced in church – “wasn’t God, in all sense of the word, FOR everyone?” Although she didn’t understand it at the time, this had a big impact on her faith expression, and she stopped going to church for about 10 years.

When Adelaide met Kathryn, she was determined to find a safe place where they could grow their faith together. Adelaide and Kathryn eloped in October 2018 and celebrated their marriage at St James Church in June of this year. It was the ceremony that Adelaide had always dreamed of, but thought she would never get, especially in an Anglican Church. Adelaide and Kathryn choose to live and love visibly, as LGBT Christians, in the hope that others will feel emboldened to do the same.

Philip Williamson I became a Christian in my mid-twenties. My partner and I were enormously fortunate to join a very inclusive church. This church became not only our spiritual home but the place where faith was nurtured and grew. It was also the place that, over thirty years after joining the church family, became my “Sending Church” from where I embarked on training for the ordained ministry. I was ordained in 2016 and Priested in 2017. I am privileged to serve in a benefice that is committed to inclusion.

I am aware that not everyone has the good fortune to experience acceptance and inclusion within the Church. I am passionate that our churches should be places of love, support and welcome for everyone; places where all seekers can have a personal encounter with God, knowing His unconditional love for each of us.

I am delighted to have been privileged to play a small part in the planning of this conference. I believe it to be of immeasurable importance at a time when there are so many tensions within the Church regarding LGBTI issues. The conference will play a major role in encouraging both lay and ordained to strive towards a Church for Everyone in every parish and diocese of our land. planning team Lily Axworthy Professionally, Lily is the Development Officer for Greater Together Manchester, a charitable joint venture between the Diocese of Manchester and Church Urban Fund, which aims to work with communities to tackle poverty and deprivation and support the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Lily is 28 and originates from Beaconsfield in South Bucks. She has a degree in Theology from Durham University, and has been a Christian since childhood. Until recently moving house, Lily attended St Elisabeth’s Church in Reddish and was a member of their fantastic church choir. Lily first started attending church when she was around 6 years old, having moved to live a few doors down from the church and demanded that her parents took her. Lily considers herself a liberal catholic and as a teenager trained as an acolyte, an MC and a Thurifer. Despite trying lots of different church traditions over the years, Lily is still at home amongst the “smells and bells” of high Anglican churches.

Lily has been with her fiancée Katie for nearly 9 years, and they got engaged this summer at Niagara Falls. Lily is a proud gay Christian and is passionate about the real and radical inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in all aspects of church life. Not just because she would very much like to get married in the church she spends her life working on behalf of, but because it’s what Jesus would do!

Robert Eloff Robert has a background in the Performing Arts, Financial Services and; in recent years, has worked independently as a Presentation Skills trainer and Voice Coach. Robert is currently in his final year of training for Ordained ministry within the Church of England and is currently an Ordinand at St Mellitus College in the North West. Robert is drawn to Benedictine Spirituality; particularly Cistercian Spirituality and the contemplative life. Robert has a heart for Mission and growing communities of love. planning team Didsbury is in south Manchester and is well served by transport links. The parish has two churches – Emmanuel is on Barlow Moor Road, near the centre, and St James is less than a mile away, to the south of the village.

The Church for Everyone conference is taking place at the Emmanuel site.

GETTING TO DIDSBURY

By tram There are several tram stops in Manchester city centre and there are network maps at each stop. Didsbury Village tram stop is a short walking distance from Emmanuel Church.

By bus From Manchester city centre, travel south on Wilmslow Road. There are frequent buses (40, 42, 42A, 42B, 45A, 142 and 157).

From Stockport, travel west on Didsbury Road (A5145). There are frequent buses (20, 23, 23A, 370).

Ask for Didsbury Village.

By rail There are frequent local trains from Manchester Piccadilly to to East Didsbury station (usually every 30 minutes).

By road The Emmanuel site has a car park serving the church, Parish Centre, No6 and Home Café.

SatNav: M20 6TR what3words: feels.loaf.input

From the M56 Leave at Junction 3, following signs for Didsbury A34.

From the M60 (clockwise) Leave at Junction 5, following signs for Manchester city centre (A5103) and then Didsbury/Stockport (A5145).

From the M60 (anti-clockwise) Leave at Junction 5, and take the next immediate exit for Northenden (B5166). Turn right and immediately right again, taking you back on to the motorway useful information useful approach. Follow the signs for Manchester city Centre (A5103) and then Didsbury/Stockport (A5145). LOCAL ACCOMMODATION

If you plan on staying in Manchester overnight, here are some local Hotels you may be interested in:

• Britannia Country House Hotel & Spa • Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester, England, M20 2WG • Waterside Hotel & Leisure Club • Wilmslow Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 5WZ • Eleven Didsbury Park • Didsbury Park, Didsbury Village, Manchester M20 5LH • Didsbury House Hotel • Didsbury Park, Didsbury Village, Manchester M20 5LJ

For details of more local hotels and bed and breakfasts, please visit the following websites:

• visitmanchester.com • hotels.com • booking.com • hoteldirect.co.uk • travelodge.co.uk • premierinn.com

DISABLED ACCESS

We have full disabled access to Emmanuel Church and the Parish Centre. If you will be attending a workshop at No6 or have specific needs please email [email protected]

FOOD

We will be providing Coffee/Tea and Pastries on arrival and a full Buffet Lunch will be available for all delegates. Vegetarian and Vegan options will be available, however, if you have specific dietary requirements, please email [email protected]

CONTACT DETAILS

St James & Emmanuel, 6 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6TR 0161 446 4150 [email protected] stjamesandemanuel.org useful information useful 26 October 2019 St James & Emmanuel