Remembering Rev. Narelle Jarrett: 1942-2022

On Friday 4 November, Rev. Narelle Jarrett went to be with Jesus. Narelle was the Principal of Mary Andrews College (Deaconess House as it used to be known) from 1985-2007 and Archdeacon for Women’s Ministry in the Sydney Anglican Diocese from 2002-2012.

Narelle, who was born in 1942, is being remembered as a woman of great wisdom, warmth and faith, whose ministry impacted the lives of countless people in Sydney and beyond.

Narelle trained for ministry at Moore Theological College and was awarded a Licentiate of Theology (Honours) in 1969 and then a Bachelor of Divinity (London) in 1970.  

In 1985, Narelle was appointed Principal at Deaconess House. As Principal, she had primary responsibility for a ministry training program for women enrolled at Moore Theological College, to address the special pastoral needs of female students. A variety of other programs were run under Narelle’s leadership, including ministering to the university students living at Deaconess House, part-time Bible courses for lay women in Sydney, an annual women’s conference, and Diploma courses. In 1996 Mary Andrews died, then in the following year (after consultation about alternative names), under Narelle, Deaconess House was renamed Mary Andrews College. 

Remembered by former students

Rev. Marge Mills, now lecturer at Mary Andrews College, recalls, “Mid -1987 I travelled on an overnight bus from Queensland for an interview to apply to study at Moore College/Deaconess House. After an initial interview with another staff member, I met Narelle in the hallway and she was instantly friendly, welcoming and said, “Of course you can come.” So I knew her first as student to Principal, but quickly came to have a friendship as well, spending time with her at Deaconess House, and later socially. In third year she asked me to be Senior Student and also work as a Student Minister, which deepened our relationship, working together. After fourth year she asked me on staff, which I happily agreed to and continued in for the last 30 plus years.”

Marge continues, “She was able to go beyond surface level quickly with people and get a feel of what might be concerns for them. I noticed this especially with students and boarders who were studying at Sydney Uni. This meant Narelle could teach the Bible with relevance to real life and issues and apply the Word to people’s hearts. I was initially so impressed by Narelle that I was in danger of putting her on a pedestal as some sort of Saint! However, because I had the blessing of getting to know her I discovered she was an ordinary Christian, seeking to live Christ’s way, and using the wonderful gifts God had given her. She, like me was sinful and we didn’t always agree. This was a much more helpful real view of Narelle and a more inspiring and impacting example to me of ongoing perseverance in faith and service.”

ADM’s Chair of the Board Rev. Caroline Andrews also studied while Narelle was Principal. She remembers, “I met Narelle as a teenager when she served as an honorary minister at St Paul’s South Coogee. I can remember her insightful sermons and the long conversations as I weighed up decisions to move towards theological education and vocational ministry. She was so warm and generous with her time. 

“Narelle also had a cheeky sense of humour and was lots of fun as she lived amongst the women students at Deaconess House.”

“I can remember her office under the main stairs, where I would drop in to chat or when I was summoned for a meeting. She would always have a box of tissues waiting as her gift of spiritual discernment would undo me every time and then her kind wisdom would rebuild me. Her role as Principal and mentor during these years of early theological formation whilst at college shaped me significantly in encouraging me to look to Scriptures for wisdom and when offering pastoral care and guidance.”

Remembered by colleagues

In 1989, Narelle was among the first group of women to be ordained as Deacons. Also a member of that cohort was Rev. Jackie Stoneman, who joined the Deaconess House faculty in 1994 and followed Narelle as Principal at Mary Andrews College.

Jackie shares, “I think that Narelle was a true visionary. She was able to encourage and inspire women to see the importance of serving, sharing the Gospel and being intentional about training to do those things. She was very aware that women often felt inadequate or not equipped to do this easily.  Narelle wanted to find ways to inspire women and provide the training. She also had a deeply pastoral heart.”

“I also believe that Narelle was often ministering in her various roles out of her ‘comfort zone’ and yet was prepared to serve because she believed that God wanted her to and relied on Him to enable her. She was a great example of trusting God.”

Rev. Jill Williams is another member of the MAC team who remembers Narelle fondly. She shares, “Having worked with Narelle for many years I found her most outstanding gift was being a woman of vision. This vision was coupled with her ability to inspire others to grasp the vision she set and travel with her to see it worked out. She thought big things for God’s glory and her desire was for women to grow deeply in their walk with him. I think she was humbled by how God used her. She would keep thinking of ways that people, especially women, could know Jesus more. It was amazing to see God work beyond what Narelle felt capable of herself, even though she was an inspiring teacher.”

Sarah Barry, MAC’s Registrar, remembers, “Narelle and a team of women organised and ran a Deaconess House / MAC Women’s Ministry Conference on a weekend in early July each year from 1990 to 2007. At these annual Women’s Ministry Conference weekends away, Narelle was always the main speaker, with a range or other women running elective seminars. This was a unique conference at the time with a few hundred other women from all over Sydney and beyond. At the time, there were no other women’s conferences like it. They were great times of faithful and thought-provoking Bible teaching, discussions, good music from a great group of musicians, and fellowship with other women (regardless of whether you had gone on your own or with a group of friends from church). Groups of women or individuals would come back regularly each year.”

In 2002, while still serving as Principal at MAC, Narelle was appointed Archdeacon for Women’s Ministry in the Sydney Anglican Diocese, a role she held until 2012.

Remembered with hope

Narelle’s friends and colleagues at MAC mourn her passing and will miss her dearly, but in the words of Jackie Stoneman, “It is at times like these that the hope of the Gospel is so real. Narelle is now experiencing the ‘best’ that the Lord has for her. To hear Jesus’ words ‘well done good and faithful servant’ and to receive that new glorious body is so exciting for her. And to know that one day we will be reunited with every tear wiped away, although I do suspect tears of joy will be in heaven.”

Read more tributes to Narelle:

Sydney Anglicans: https://sydneyanglicans.net/news/pioneering-archdeacon-passes-away

Moore College: https://moore.edu.au/moore-college-gives-thanks-for-the-life-and-ministry-of-archdeacon-narelle-jarrett/