Faith, Hope and Love

Churches together creating a future free from family violence.

Families and Culture Commission Conference
2-3 September 2024, Melbourne

The Families and Culture Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia is excited to announce our National Conference for 2024

Faith, Hope and Love:  Churches together creating a future free from violence against women.

We are delighted to be partnering with Common Grace in bringing you this national Christian conference.

We invite people from across the breadth of our Australian churches, denominations and ministries to join us.

If you want to play a bigger part in your faith and ministry in preventing violence against women - join us in Melbourne as we listen and learn from one another.

The conference will run over two days in September (2nd -3rd), and will feature a range of keynote speakers, practice workshops and talks themed around the hopeful work of how our church communities can help to create a future free from violence against women. There will also be a great opportunity to connect with others at the conference at our Monday evening networking event. The conference will also provide spaces to join others in prayer for the work, and for victim survivors of violence.

  • Dr Michael Flood

    Keynote Speaker

    Dr Michael Flood is an Associate Professor at the Queensland University of Technology. His research focuses on the primary prevention of violence against women, while he also researches men and gender, male heterosexuality, fathering, and sexual and reproductive health. He has published on best practice in primary prevention, how to engage men in violence prevention, factors shaping violence-supportive attitudes, young people’s experiences of violence in their relationships and families, youth and pornography, and other issues. We are still narrowing down Michael’s amazing range of keynote topics and will post an update shortly.

  • Patty Kinnersley

    CEO, OUR WATCH

    Patty Kinnersley is the CEO of Our Watch - a national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Patty will be speaking about the work that our Watch has done in identifying the faith sector as one of the key next frontiers in our national goal to prevent violence against women.

  • Dr Leisa Aitken

    Keynote Speaker and Practice Workshop presenter.

    Dr Leisa Aitken is a clinical psychologist and theologian who will be speaking on the difference that Hope makes. Psychology and theology in conversation. The gospel of hope for those impacted by domestic and family violence. Lisa will also run a practice workshop on pastoral care: “lending hope when it is short supply.”

  • National Director, Common Grace

    Gershon Nimbalker

    Director, Common Grace. Keynote Speaker.

    Gershon is the Director of Common Grace, and has a proven passion for Jesus and justice. He is well known and deeply respected across the Christian social justice and aid sector in Australia, having worked for more than 15 years in advocacy, policy and research, as well as leading and growing grassroots movements to campaign on issues of social justice. Gershon will speak about how churches can engage well in their local communities and advocate against violence in the national space as well.

  • A variety of workshop presenters

    We are calling for workshop presenters from across the breadth of our denominations- You can express interest in sharing about your work in the prevention and faith space by submitting a proposal - click the button as you scroll further down this page.

Register now for your early bird discount.

Open to anyone from all churches, delegates are invited to connect and learn together to discuss how we can continue to further the work of preventing and responding to domestic violence, both within our church as well as the role we can play in the community.

With a mixture of speakers and workshops, we're looking forward to gathering to deepen our understanding of why domestic violence occurs and what role the church can play in response and prevention.


Early Bird Tickets are now on sale! Purchase by June 30 to save $85.

Workshop submissions

Share the work that you are doing in the violence prevention and response space in the context of your faith community.

We are looking for presentations that utilise an interactive, peer-learning approach and we have a preference for team of two or more people conducting the workshop. Each workshop will be for 30 minutes and your workshop will need to be summarised in a 1500 word paper that can be circulated to conference attendee’s

To make a submission, please click here, or contact reception@anglican.org.au.

Workshop submissions will close on 7 July 2024