Safe Church / Safe Places
As members of the Christian community within the Anglican Diocese of Montreal, we affirm the dignity and worth of all persons, young or old, male or female, rich or poor. Through our baptism as Christians, we have committed our lives to following the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. In this commitment we have willingly and knowingly entered into a “Covenant Relationship”, the values of which are contained within this document. Adherence to this covenant is seen and understood as a necessary and vital component of each of our lives as members of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
This Code of Sexual Ethics and Professional Conduct is our standard for accountability in our sexuality. It applies to all people of the Diocese of Montreal in all the churches, no matter what status, ministry, gender, office, context of work, or position, be it volunteer, paid, lay or ordained. As a fundamental part of adherence to our sacred covenant in Christ, familiarity with and adherence to this code is seen and understood as a necessary and vital component of each of our lives and ministries as members of the Anglican Church. In particular, ordained persons, as people in positions of sacred trust and leadership, are called to uphold, promote and model the standards of professional competence and conduct as stated in the Code of Conduct contained in this policy.
This Code is an affirmation that in all matters we, as the people of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal, are accountable:
to God, to love our Creator with our entire being, mind, body, soul and strength, according to Christ’s instruction,
to one another, that our beliefs, language, actions, and commitments may reflect the value we place on a healthy relationship with God, which is the result of the reconciling work of Christ,
to ourselves, that we may value such things as will engender a healthy, life-giving rule of Christian life, knowing that the things we do in private strongly form that which we become in community,
and to the world, modeling the Reign of Christ, to the Glory of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit to spread the good news of Christ and bring people to a relationship with Jesus.
This accountability is scriptural, it is a part of our Anglican tradition, and it is based on sound reason.
Safe Church Program:
Safe Church Parish Resources:
Keeping Holy Space: Addressing and Preventing Harassment (May 12, 2018 Education Day)
(Documents from the training)