We’re thrilled to share the news that the Sherlocks have been accepted as mission partners with NZCMS. John, Connie and Emily will be heading to Rwanda early next year to serving alongside the Anglican Church in Rwanda through theological education and community ministry. With farewells, training in Melbourne (July to Nov 2025), and language immersion in Kigali ahead, they’re inviting others to journey with them in partnership. The Sherlocks have been a part of the Nelson diocese whānau for over a decade and contributed significantly especially in mission space. Come along and celebrate with them the start of this new adventure in mission as they are commissioned at St Stephen’s Tāhunanui on 29 June and at Lake Rotoiti on 4 July.
I asked the Sherlocks how this journey had come about. As you read, may you be encouraged to consider your call to God’s mission in response to Jesus’ invitation:
Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
John 20:21
John has had 18 years in parish ministry, completing his Masters of Theology on the topic of Mutuality in Mission in 2022. He is currently working in Wahi Oranga – the mental health inpatient unit at Nelson Hospital. You can often find him in a café talking, reading, or studying languages, and he does a great drum roll, among his many musical talents.
Connie is a primary school teacher who, in her spare time, has put her relational and organising skills to use in developing community-based events and partnering with community initiatives. She also loves to read a good story.
We have three children, Jesse (20), Finlay (19) and Emily (11). Both Jesse and Finlay work in hospitality; Jesse, waiting in Wellington, and Finlay is doing a chef apprenticeship based in Tasman.
Emily is currently in year 7 and loves art, dancing and hanging out with friends.
Through an invitation from Bishop Richard, we came to Nelson in 2013 to minister at Hills Community Church in Māpua. It was an amazing privilege working in an inter-denomination setting in the small, growing community of Māpua. Alongside this, as a family, we treasure the deep friendships we have made across the diocese in the nearly 13 years here. Convergence and Leadership camps have been highlights.
John visited Kenya in 2007 as part of a CMS short-term mission encounter (hosted by one Rev Steve Maina). Later, in 2015, we were able to take a sabbatical and spend 3 months living in Nairobi. While there, John studied two papers through Regents College, Vancouver, looking at African Christianity and an immersion paper looking at the ministry and mission of Nairobi Chapel.
As part of this sabbatical, we spent a week in Rwanda to visit our World Vision Sponsor Child; being hosted by Rita and Nzimbi (now at Victory Parish).
Through John’s studies, we developed a friendship and link with the organisation: TLAfrica (Transformational Leadership Africa) who have had a long-term vision of developing Thousand Hills University in Northern Rwanda.
Through friendship with the founder, Dr. Faustin Ntamushobora, an invitation came in 2022 for us to consider exploring working alongside TLAfrica, in partnership with an NZ mission agency.
As an ordained Anglican minister, it is important for us to be working alongside and within the Anglican church in Rwanda as we serve the needs of the wider church in Rwanda.
That’s a great question. Initially we will be based in Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, learning language and culture. After this, we may be living more rurally in roles of ministry and theological education and supporting community initiatives.
There is currently an urgent need for theological education for pastors in Rwanda across all denominations. SAMS (U.S. equivalent of CMS) has had mission partners working in this capacity but more support is required. One of the key ministries will involve spiritual formation and mentoring of students.
The connections we have currently could lead us to be based longer term in the capital Kigali, specifically to East Africa Christian College in Kabuga, or to a planned adjunct campus in the diocese of Gahini, or north to the developing Thousand Hills University.
One of the most common questions we are asked is… Why Rwanda? and How safe is it?
Our journey, especially over the last 18 years – as long as John has been in ministry, we have sensed God developing in us a strong relationship with the church in Africa and it has been amazing to see God’s fingerprints over the deep friendships we have been blessed with along the way.
On a day-to-day basis, Rwanda is one of the safest countries in Africa. In the wider region especially the Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of Congo it is a more complex and unstable dynamic.
As we depart, we go as an extension and expression of the ministry and mission of the Nelson Diocese, partnering with both NZCMS and the church in Rwanda. We look forward to continuing the journey together.
Please pray for us – John, Connie and Emily who are going, and Jesse and Finlay who will remain in NZ. Please prayerfully consider financially supporting us regularly through NZCMS at this link: https://www.nzcms.org.nz/our-people/mission-partners/john-and-connie-sherlock/
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.
We’re thrilled to share the news that the Sherlocks have been accepted as mission partners with NZCMS. John, Connie and Emily will be heading to Rwanda early next year to serving alongside the Anglican Church in Rwanda through theological education and community ministry. With farewells, training in Melbourne (July to Nov 2025), and language immersion in Kigali ahead, they’re inviting others to journey with them in partnership. The Sherlocks have been a part of the Nelson diocese whānau for over a decade and contributed significantly especially in mission space. Come along and celebrate with them the start of this new adventure in mission as they are commissioned at St Stephen’s Tāhunanui on 29 June and at Lake Rotoiti on 4 July.
I asked the Sherlocks how this journey had come about. As you read, may you be encouraged to consider your call to God’s mission in response to Jesus’ invitation:
Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
John 20:21
John has had 18 years in parish ministry, completing his Masters of Theology on the topic of Mutuality in Mission in 2022. He is currently working in Wahi Oranga – the mental health inpatient unit at Nelson Hospital. You can often find him in a café talking, reading, or studying languages, and he does a great drum roll, among his many musical talents.
Connie is a primary school teacher who, in her spare time, has put her relational and organising skills to use in developing community-based events and partnering with community initiatives. She also loves to read a good story.
We have three children, Jesse (20), Finlay (19) and Emily (11). Both Jesse and Finlay work in hospitality; Jesse, waiting in Wellington, and Finlay is doing a chef apprenticeship based in Tasman.
Emily is currently in year 7 and loves art, dancing and hanging out with friends.
Through an invitation from Bishop Richard, we came to Nelson in 2013 to minister at Hills Community Church in Māpua. It was an amazing privilege working in an inter-denomination setting in the small, growing community of Māpua. Alongside this, as a family, we treasure the deep friendships we have made across the diocese in the nearly 13 years here. Convergence and Leadership camps have been highlights.
John visited Kenya in 2007 as part of a CMS short-term mission encounter (hosted by one Rev Steve Maina). Later, in 2015, we were able to take a sabbatical and spend 3 months living in Nairobi. While there, John studied two papers through Regents College, Vancouver, looking at African Christianity and an immersion paper looking at the ministry and mission of Nairobi Chapel.
As part of this sabbatical, we spent a week in Rwanda to visit our World Vision Sponsor Child; being hosted by Rita and Nzimbi (now at Victory Parish).
Through John’s studies, we developed a friendship and link with the organisation: TLAfrica (Transformational Leadership Africa) who have had a long-term vision of developing Thousand Hills University in Northern Rwanda.
Through friendship with the founder, Dr. Faustin Ntamushobora, an invitation came in 2022 for us to consider exploring working alongside TLAfrica, in partnership with an NZ mission agency.
As an ordained Anglican minister, it is important for us to be working alongside and within the Anglican church in Rwanda as we serve the needs of the wider church in Rwanda.
That’s a great question. Initially we will be based in Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, learning language and culture. After this, we may be living more rurally in roles of ministry and theological education and supporting community initiatives.
There is currently an urgent need for theological education for pastors in Rwanda across all denominations. SAMS (U.S. equivalent of CMS) has had mission partners working in this capacity but more support is required. One of the key ministries will involve spiritual formation and mentoring of students.
The connections we have currently could lead us to be based longer term in the capital Kigali, specifically to East Africa Christian College in Kabuga, or to a planned adjunct campus in the diocese of Gahini, or north to the developing Thousand Hills University.
One of the most common questions we are asked is… Why Rwanda? and How safe is it?
Our journey, especially over the last 18 years – as long as John has been in ministry, we have sensed God developing in us a strong relationship with the church in Africa and it has been amazing to see God’s fingerprints over the deep friendships we have been blessed with along the way.
On a day-to-day basis, Rwanda is one of the safest countries in Africa. In the wider region especially the Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of Congo it is a more complex and unstable dynamic.
As we depart, we go as an extension and expression of the ministry and mission of the Nelson Diocese, partnering with both NZCMS and the church in Rwanda. We look forward to continuing the journey together.
Please pray for us – John, Connie and Emily who are going, and Jesse and Finlay who will remain in NZ. Please prayerfully consider financially supporting us regularly through NZCMS at this link: https://www.nzcms.org.nz/our-people/mission-partners/john-and-connie-sherlock/
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
