ADM announces recipients of Women in Ministry Support Scheme grants

Anglican Deaconess Ministries (ADM) is pleased to announce the grant recipients of the 2022 Women in Ministry Support Scheme (WIMSS). ADM has awarded 16 women across Australia grants of up to $2,000 each to support their ongoing ministries.

The WIMSS program is designed to support and equip Christian women as they bring their many strengths and gifts to gospel work. The grants are open to women in ordained ministry, lay ministry, mission work, and those serving in paid and unpaid roles.

"Christian women minister faithfully across a wide range of contexts, and WIMSS funding helps contribute to the resourcing and support they need to continue their ministry," said Maryanne Davis, Interim CEO of Anglican Deaconess Ministries. "We are thrilled to support and encourage these women in their ministries." 

The 2022 WIMSS recipients serve across a diverse range of ministries, including chaplaincy, cross-cultural ministry, pastoral care, student ministry, and ministries for children and families.

The WIMSS grants provide support for five key areas, including professional development and ministry training, resources for ministry, theological education, set-up expenses for new ministries, and contribution to lost income during maternity leave from a paid, continuing ministry position.

"ADM is committed to supporting women in ministry, and we pray that these grants will help these women continue to bring the good news of Jesus to their communities,” said Maryanne Davis. "We congratulate all of the 2022 WIMSS recipients and pray for them in their ongoing service of God."

Bringing the good news to families

Several recipients received funding for ministries to families and young people, including Llynden Singh from Burnie Anglican Church in Tasmania.

Llynden shares, “I recently started up a Kids Club at our church and was eager to get some funding to help buy some resources. We have mostly non-church kids attending and I wanted to ensure we offered a quality program for them that is sustainable and inviting. 

I am passionate about kids’ ministry and have a heart to see kids and families come to know Jesus. The most recent census data for Burnie highlights that over 50% of our community are non-religious, and there is also a high percentage of single parent families and lower socio-economic families. We have good news to share with these families and the chance to serve and love them.” 

Llynden was awarded a grant to purchase a number of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) resources for the Kids Club, called Mini Makers. She explains, “The resources are open-ended and can be used for a variety of activities. These resources have been recommended by STEAM educators working in local schools. Purchasing quality resources shows that we take this ministry seriously and value the time families take in coming along”. 

Of receiving her grant, Llynden says, “I'm so thankful for the support of this grant, for enabling me to buy resources, but also for valuing the ministry and seeing its worth. Funding for women in ministry affirms the contribution that women make in our churches and ministries, and attests that women serve faithfully in various forms of ministry.”

Much more than a camera

A few 2022 WIMSS recipients were awarded grants to fund the purchase of equipment for creative and communications ministries they lead at their churches. Alison Moffitt from Christ Church Inner West explains why she applied for funding:

“A couple of years ago my ministry role moved in a surprising new direction and I found myself looking after communications at our church. I've been using this opportunity to encourage artists in our church to share stories about what God has done, about the difference the gospel makes in our lives, and about what it means to belong to God's people. It's been a blast connecting with all these writers, photographers and visual artists.”

Alison was regularly borrowing a camera from volunteers at church for this ministry, but decided it would be best to have her own camera to use and share with others for this ministry, so applied for a grant to purchase this camera.

Alison (left) working with creative volunteers at her church

When ADM asked Alison why funding for women in ministry is important, she told us this powerful story:

When I initially applied for WIMSS, a small part of me thought I was 'rorting the system'.

Surely someone else needed this money more than me.

Surely I could get by without a proper camera.

Surely we could keep relying on our existing, highly experienced, highly talented, (male,) volunteers - Liam, Cam and Miles - to supply the photography gear we were using.

Surely it was too much of a luxury to ask for money to buy a camera.  

I shushed that small voice: "Be quiet, Alison! This is exactly what the WIMSS is for!"

And I proceeded. The funding came through and I ordered a camera, one that Liam suggested for me.

In December last year, a huge parcel turned up at my house, and I started opening the box. It took me a moment to register what it was.

When I realised it was the WIMSS camera, I immediately stopped unboxing.

I can't unbox this, I thought. Not without Liam or Miles to show me what to do!

What if I break it? How will I work out how to use it?

The parcel sat on my kitchen bench for four hours. I did housework around it, and tossed up whether to call Liam or Miles to ask for their permission and assistance to keep opening the box.

 It sounds so ridiculous now that I am typing it out. Why did I think I had to ask for their permission! 

But, in that moment, I really did have such a low sense of my abilities and agency in this ministry, I genuinely believed that I couldn't begin using this equipment on my own. Even though I had the backing of my minister, the approval of ADM, and the encouragement of my volunteers, I still felt like I wasn't qualified or experienced enough to own this camera and shape this ministry.

After four hours I came to my senses and realised the insanity of it.

I opened the box, charged the camera and started watching YouTube tutorials to build my confidence with the new gear.

Today I look back on that moment and thank God for the way he used that WIMSS parcel to reveal something I couldn't see.

We call it by many different names - an inferiority complex, imposter syndrome, low self-esteem. Whatever it was, until that day I didn't think it was my problem. But it came to the surface through that parcel on the kitchen bench. I got to see it, call it out as a lie, and hold tightly to the truth that God is helping me to do this work he has asked of me without fear. 

I love my camera. It's become a sign to me that God can help me learn new things, a sign that I can encourage others to learn new things, and I sign that I can nurture a growing team of volunteers.

This is why I think funding for women's ministry is important.

Sometimes we think we don't need funding, or we don't deserve funding.

When we fall into the trap of thinking like this, funding programs like WIMSS can help women face up to the incredibly important reality that our ministry actually is valuable and worth supporting.

Where will God take her?

Tirzah (who is using a pseudonym due to her sensitive work in missions contexts) is in her third year of Bible College. On top of her studies, this year she is entering into a process of discernment about where to serve God after College.

Tirzah applied for a WIMSS grant after organising a four-week mission and survey trip to a country in West Asia. 

She explains, “I’ll be using my WIMSS grant to contribute towards the travel expenses of this trip. Having spent time being trained to share Jesus amongst diaspora communities here in Sydney, I am using this trip to explore future opportunities in church planting and discipleship in a country which is very unreached. I’m excited to meet believers from this country and hear how God is at work.”

Tirzah continues, “It was personally very encouraging to receive a WIMSS grant. Yes, the grant is helping to meet a financial need but it is doing more than that. It is an affirmation. Receiving a WIMSS grant says to me: ‘I believe what God is doing in and through you is valuable and I want to be a part of it’.”

Practical help for modern ministry

Several recipients have been awarded grants to meet practical ministry needs, including purchasing books, technology and paying for courses.

Felicity Kerr (pictured in header) is a ministry trainee (a ‘Howie’) with the Sydney University Evangelical Union. She was recommended to apply for WIMSS by her trainer.

Felicity says, “I was surprised and excited to realise that there was an organisation that would be so committed to supporting women in ministry -- not only in principle, but in such a practical and genuinely helpful way.

I have used the grant to purchase a new laptop for my work. I use my laptop every day for all aspects of my ministry traineeship: to prepare and write Bible Studies; to work through the digital training booklets we are provided with each week, both as trainees and in turn for training our students; to email/text/message students and staff that I minister to; to conduct ministry over zoom, such as prayer groups, training courses, and Bible Studies; and to complete my theological studies as I progress through an Online Diploma of Ministry.”

Felicity (second from right) and other Howies in training at Sydney University

Far beyond just meeting a practical need, Felicity explains the impact that receiving this grant has had for her: “It is an incredible encouragement as a woman in ministry to know that you are valued and your work is significant; that you are not 'second-class.' Grants such as WIMSS help to affirm, support, and make possible the role of women in ministry spaces, celebrating their unique contribution and encouraging them to continue in their work.”

The 2022 WIMSS Grantees:

Professional Development and Ministry Training

Megan Haviland
Erskineville Anglican Church, Newtown

Louisa Macourt
St John's Anglican Church, Ashfield

Vicki Brasington
Sydney Anglican Focus on Ministry (Women)

Miki Sinfield
Richmond Anglican Church

Resources

Elizabeth Barrish
Cross and Crown Church, Gold Coast

Courtney Morris
Christ Church St Ives

Alison Moffitt
Christ Church Inner West / St Oswald's Haberfield

Felicity Kerr
City Light Church, Balmain / Sydney University Evangelical Union

Hilary Smith
Orange Presbyterian Church

Anna Moran
City Light Church, Balmain

Set-Up Expenses for a Ministry

Arda Cholakyan
Lakemba Anglican Church

Llynden Singh
Burnie Anglican Church, Tasmania

Katrina Pritchard
Dundas Telopea Anglican Church

Chloe-Jane Muscat
Fairy Meadow Anglican Church

Theological Education

Tirzah Smith
Thornleigh Community Baptist Church

Lauren Dewhurst
Christ Church St Ives