[Anglican Communion News Service] Anglican women leaders from across the Communion gathered at Virginia Theological Seminary Feb. 25–28 for the Women Mentoring Women Leadership Conference, an event designed to empower, connect and support women in ministry and leadership.
Hosted by the Center for Anglican Communion Studies at VTS, the four-day conference brought together over 40 women from 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and North America. Participants included bishops, rectors, non-governmental organization leaders, church representatives, and students from VTS, creating a diverse space for sharing experiences, wisdom, and strategies for advancing women’s leadership across the Communion.
The conference provided a space for women to engage in mentorship, peer learning and mutual encouragement, fostering strong networks for continued collaboration. Sessions explored pressing issues such as poverty, conflict, gender injustice, violence and the future of women’s leadership in the church. Participants engaged in panel discussions, small group reflections, worship, and mentoring sessions, all aimed at equipping and encouraging one another.
The Rev. Katherine Grieb, director of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies, reflected on the impact of the gathering, saying, “The conference empowered Anglican women to lead with nuanced understandings of self, history and context, and provided a space for Holy Spirit-led visioning and dreaming. It was exciting to hear powerful testimonies from so many leading women from around the communion.”
A key highlight of the event was a screening of The Philadelphia 11, a documentary about the first women to be ordained as priests in The Episcopal Church, which sparked rich conversations about the challenges and breakthroughs of women in ordained ministry.
Representatives from Women on the Frontline and the International Anglican Women’s Network were present, engaging in discussions on future collaborations and strategies to advance gender justice. The Anglican Communion Office was represented by Mandy Marshall, director for gender justice, who led a session on well-being and self-care for women in leadership.
She described the gathering as a powerful moment of solidarity, learning, and encouragement, saying, “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have met with an amazing group of women from across the communion, who are bringing hope and light into dark places. Over these days, we have learned from and with one another, standing together in solidarity, prayer, and support. With so much happening in our world, it has been vital to gather, encourage one another, and strengthen our shared commitment to walking the path God has given us.”