Announcing the 2024 Women in Ministry Support Scheme grantees
Anglican Deaconess Ministries (ADM) is pleased to announce the 26 recipients of the 2024 Women in Ministry Support Scheme (WIMSS). These grants—valued up to $2,000 each—are designed to empower Christian women across Australia as they serve God in creative and meaningful ways.
Now in its fifth year, WIMSS continues to offer practical support to women engaged in gospel work, celebrating the many ways they use their gifts to minister to others as they embody the hope of the gospel in their diverse contexts, ministering to the brokenhearted, discipling the next generation, and proclaiming Christ’s love in places of need. The scheme is open to women serving in ordained and lay ministry, mission, and both paid and volunteer roles, providing crucial encouragement as they pursue their ministry calling.
In the 2024 round of the Women in Ministry Support Scheme, funding priority across all categories was given to applications from women in ministry in Low Income Parishes or Provisional Parishes which have an income of less than $150,000. Priority for theological education grants was also given to women studying at Mary Andrews College, and for maternity leave funding that was matched by the employing church.
“Christian women play a significant role in the life of the church and their communities, often in contexts where resources are limited,” says Mary Un, CEO of Anglican Deaconess Ministries. “WIMSS exists to encourage women in ministry, and their employers, to develop their capabilities as gospel ministers and pursue creative, new initiatives to address the unmet needs they around them.”
WIMSS funding focuses on five core areas: professional development and ministry training, theological education, ministry resources, startup costs for new initiatives, and maternity leave assistance for those in ongoing ministry roles.
“For over 133 years, ADM has remained committed to supporting and championing women in ministry,” says Mary Un. “While the challenges women face and the ministries they are involved in have shifted over the decades, our mission remains constant: to walk alongside them as they faithfully serve the Lord. Congratulations to all our 2024 recipients – may God bless and strengthen you as you continue your important work.”
Christmas dinner at St Andrew’s Lakemba
Christmas dinner reaching out to people from Muslim backgrounds
Elizabeth Hooper, who serves at St Andrew’s Anglican Church Lakemba, received a grant of $2000 to fund a Christmas dinner hosted at her church on 7 December. 80 women attended the dinner, the majority from Muslim backgrounds. These women are existing contacts of the church, from their playgroup ministry, English classes, food pantry and monthly community barbecues.
Liz shares, “I serve as a teacher in the English class, and in the pantry and music playtime ministries. Here we sow gospel seed as we tell stories of Jesus and establish relationships of trust with our local Muslim friends. I (as well as others on the team) seek to visit women in their homes where we can meet regularly to investigate the Bible and, under God, introduce women and their families to Jesus Christ.”
For the dinner, the church hall was decorated brightly for Christmas, with decorations featuring words like ‘Emmanuel’ and ‘peace’ written in English, Arabic and Bengali. The attendees enjoyed a catered meal of biryani and curry and then heard a talk on Luke 2 and the peace of God, translated into Bengali, Arabic and Urdu. There was a particular focus on the uniqueness of the birth of Jesus, to help the women – many of whom believe that Jesus was a prophet – see the divinity of Christ. At the end of the evening, the women were gifted a notepad, pen and magnet with a Bible verse from Luke 2 on it. Catering, decorations and gift were all funded by the WIMSS grant.
“ Muslim people always invite us for a big celebration, often at their homes, like for Eid,” Liz says. “So as a church, it's really good to be able to share one of our big celebrations like Christmas and to share with the women that we're working with what the meaning of Christmas is. Please continue to pray that God would be opening the women's eyes to see that Jesus is so much more than one of many prophets, and that he is the King and our Saviour.”
Sylvia (in pink shirt) with students from the Evangelical Union.
Resources for Bible teaching ministry at the University of Sydney
Across town, on campus at the University of Sydney, Sylvia Barry serves with the Evangelical Union. Some of her colleagues have previously received WIMSS funding, and she was encouraged to apply in 2024. She received a grant of $1500.
Sylvia is a senior staff worker serving with the Arts and Social Work faculty. She is heavily involved in leading Bible studies and training student leaders in how to teach the Bible to others.
Sylvia has used her WIMSS grant to purchase a full series of Bible commentaries through the Logos Bible Software. This allows her to access the commentaries alongside Greek and Hebrew texts of the Bible, supporting her as she prepares Bible studies, talks and training material.
“ Having one really good reliable resource to be able to start with is just really helpful when coming to God's Word and opportunities to teach,” Sylvia says. “But the reality is, living in Sydney is expensive. There's only so many things that I can budget for and spending $1500 on a set of books is not really in the personal budget! So being able to use the grant to help fill the library and provide a resource that will last me for literally the rest of my lifetime in ministry is pretty incredible.”
Sylvia recently led a strand group at the AFES National Training Event. The conference focused on Matthew, and Sylvia spent time deep in God’s word beforehand, preparing to lead. She was struck by Matthew 27 when, at the point of Jesus’ death, the gospel records that tombs broke open and the dead went into Jerusalem and appeared to people.
“ I knew that would be a question that would probably come up on NTE, so I pulled up my commentary and it was so helpful in understanding that passage so I could talk about it with the students,” Sylvia explains.
Sylvia is particularly grateful for how the WIMSS grant expresses support for women like her serving in ministry, coming from other women. “ Sometimes it feels like we women have to do ministry solo because we are quite spread across lots of different ministries. I'm very thankful at Sydney Uni that we have a really solid team of women who are there, but I know that that's not the case at every university. I know that one day I would like to go and work on a less-resourced campus where maybe I will be the only woman in ministry. And so, to have a network of women in ADM who are like minded and keen to spur one another on, both in prayer and spiritually, but also as a financial contribution, is really encouraging and really affirming.”
The 2024 WIMSS grantees
Lucy Parsons, Banksia Women, St John’s Anglican Church, Darlinghurst.
Jessica Chow, Parish Council representative, St Barnabas Anglican Church, Fairfield & Bossley Park
Stephanie Jane Judd, Director of Ministry, City on a Hill, Melbourne.
Tabatha Reed, Assistant Chaplain, Orange Anglican Grammar School.
Grace Flagg, Generation Kids, St Paul’s Anglican Church, South Wagga.
Chanelle Harington, Assistant Director, Surrender Leadership Program.
Fiona Thomson, Student minister, St Anne’s Anglican Church, Ryde.
Samantha Begg, Student minister, St Mark’s Anglican Church, Darling Point
Kim Mason, Playtime, St Luke's Anglican Church, Berry.
Amanda Hallihan, Kids & Women's Ministry, Figtree Anglican Church.
Elizabeth Hooper, Ministry to Muslim women, St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Lakemba.
Abby Vanmidde, Kid’s Ministry, St Mark’s Anglican Church, Pennant Hills
Robyn Lloyd, Ministry Resident, St James’ Anglican Church, Turramurra.
Honoria Brennan, Senior Staff Worker, Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, University of Queensland.
Cecile Lau, MTS apprentice, Multicultural Bible Ministry Church, Blacktown.
Jacqui Willing, Student minister, Anchor Church, Marrickville.
Maggie Ha, Playtime, Multicultural Bible Ministry Church, Parramatta.
Josie Seto, Youth Group, Multicultural Bible Ministry Church, Parramatta.
Stephanie Larkin, Student minister, Kids ministry, Marrickville Road Church.
Sylvia Barry, Senior Staff Worker, Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Sydney University.
Candice Bergamin, PhD Candidate, Moore Theological College. Staff worker, Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students.
Diana Barnett, Assistant Pastor, The Bridge Church.
Laura Moss, MTS Apprenticeship, Multicultural Bible Ministry Church, Parramatta.
Christine Knobbs, MDiv at Australian College of Theology (ACT).
Jillian Betts, Menai Anglican Church.
Nerida Gifford, ministry training with CMS Australia.