Hello everyone! This week I started my role in the Nelson Diocese as ministry coordinator for older persons services.
I was born in South Africa and lived beside the beautiful Indian Ocean in a village just south of Durban. I’ve been a high school maths teacher for 35 years, married to Peter for about 30 years, and have two children: Natasha and Robert. In 2007, we came to New Zealand, landing in Waiuku. In 2012, we moved to Richmond, where we made our home, and our children finished their schooling and have now moved away.
I grew up in a Christian family, and church has always been part of my world. I’m part of Richmond Baptist Church.
Everyone has a place, from children to older people. You’ve got to actually actively look at how you incorporate all parts of society in a church. I run the kitchen at my church, and when we have tea on Sundays, for many, that’s the only time in the week they connect with others.
I believe churches must provide space for people to talk, listen, and share life together. That's something that I really want to bring to this new role – making space for people to talk. Space for people to meet together.
As much as my career so far has been centred around young people, another passion has always been older people. I joined a small team from the Baptist church taking a Christian services in a rest home. After one of these services, as the team was praying together, I got an image in my mind of a “rest home revival” – I could just see walking sticks in the air!
I love to sit and talk with older people over a cup of tea, and be cheeky. And it’s that cheekiness, those self-deprecating jokes, that gets them talking and coming back. And I can always blame it on being a foreigner if I say or do something wrong. Like putting the milk in before the water when I make tea!
I just think rest home ministry is important. There are so many people who’ve heard the gospel, and I’d love to see them reconnect with the Creator.
One day I was walking home with a lady who told me about chaplaincy, and I said, “That’s what I want to do.”
So when this role came up, I applied. I knew my time with students was over.
My role has two sides. One is continuing to grow the chaplaincy ministry with volunteer chaplains in rest homes. That work is about listening, building trust, and reminding people they are valued. It involves mentoring, training, and making sure health and safety is in place.
The other side is less defined. I’ll be meeting elder care workers across the diocese, finding out what support they need. I’m looking forward to travelling to different regions and meeting people. Since Covid, needs have changed, and elder care workers need to be able to offer support in new and different ways. In no way does this mean stopping the successful and caring actions that have happened in the past. So I think there is a challenge to see what people are doing, and a challenge to open new areas of ministry. I don't know what's going to happen in this space, but I'm looking forward to finding out.
My first port of call is to get to know people. To ask: who am I serving? What are the needs? I’m an ideas person. I love to look, to notice, to think about what could be.
I’ve lived an urban life, but teaching for almost 10 years in Tapawera, I have had a taste of some of the issues for the more rural communities (tell me more so we can help set up stronger links in these areas). Cities have good structures and programmes to support intergenerational activity, but older people in rural areas often get isolated or removed from their communities. That’s one of the things I’d like to address.
I’m looking forward to meeting people around the diocese. Anyone is welcome to talk to me, and we can chat about ideas. Ring me on 021 987 837 or email me to start a conversation.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Hello everyone! This week I started my role in the Nelson Diocese as ministry coordinator for older persons services.
I was born in South Africa and lived beside the beautiful Indian Ocean in a village just south of Durban. I’ve been a high school maths teacher for 35 years, married to Peter for about 30 years, and have two children: Natasha and Robert. In 2007, we came to New Zealand, landing in Waiuku. In 2012, we moved to Richmond, where we made our home, and our children finished their schooling and have now moved away.
I grew up in a Christian family, and church has always been part of my world. I’m part of Richmond Baptist Church.
Everyone has a place, from children to older people. You’ve got to actually actively look at how you incorporate all parts of society in a church. I run the kitchen at my church, and when we have tea on Sundays, for many, that’s the only time in the week they connect with others.
I believe churches must provide space for people to talk, listen, and share life together. That's something that I really want to bring to this new role – making space for people to talk. Space for people to meet together.
As much as my career so far has been centred around young people, another passion has always been older people. I joined a small team from the Baptist church taking a Christian services in a rest home. After one of these services, as the team was praying together, I got an image in my mind of a “rest home revival” – I could just see walking sticks in the air!
I love to sit and talk with older people over a cup of tea, and be cheeky. And it’s that cheekiness, those self-deprecating jokes, that gets them talking and coming back. And I can always blame it on being a foreigner if I say or do something wrong. Like putting the milk in before the water when I make tea!
I just think rest home ministry is important. There are so many people who’ve heard the gospel, and I’d love to see them reconnect with the Creator.
One day I was walking home with a lady who told me about chaplaincy, and I said, “That’s what I want to do.”
So when this role came up, I applied. I knew my time with students was over.
My role has two sides. One is continuing to grow the chaplaincy ministry with volunteer chaplains in rest homes. That work is about listening, building trust, and reminding people they are valued. It involves mentoring, training, and making sure health and safety is in place.
The other side is less defined. I’ll be meeting elder care workers across the diocese, finding out what support they need. I’m looking forward to travelling to different regions and meeting people. Since Covid, needs have changed, and elder care workers need to be able to offer support in new and different ways. In no way does this mean stopping the successful and caring actions that have happened in the past. So I think there is a challenge to see what people are doing, and a challenge to open new areas of ministry. I don't know what's going to happen in this space, but I'm looking forward to finding out.
My first port of call is to get to know people. To ask: who am I serving? What are the needs? I’m an ideas person. I love to look, to notice, to think about what could be.
I’ve lived an urban life, but teaching for almost 10 years in Tapawera, I have had a taste of some of the issues for the more rural communities (tell me more so we can help set up stronger links in these areas). Cities have good structures and programmes to support intergenerational activity, but older people in rural areas often get isolated or removed from their communities. That’s one of the things I’d like to address.
I’m looking forward to meeting people around the diocese. Anyone is welcome to talk to me, and we can chat about ideas. Ring me on 021 987 837 or email me to start a conversation.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
