Celebration and thanksgiving...
It was a very wet and wild afternoon outside but inside, the warm fellowship of ministry wives from all over Sydney prevailed. The Moore College dining room was transformed into a tea parlour to celebrate and give thanks for Di Davies’ more than 40 years of ministry in our diocese.
Amanda Garlato, Karen Crichton and Virginia Lee testified to Di’s kindness, good fun, hospitality and care for them through life and ministry’s ups and downs. Special mention was made of her long-term network group, still meeting after 16 years! - the ‘Polys’ (aka the Poly-fillas).
Di said she had a relatively change-free life before marrying Glenn and she isn’t someone who finds change easy. Yet the last 40 years of marriage have involved many different seasons, including: a curate’s wife at St Stephen’s Willoughby, 1981-1982; a Moore College faculty wife, 1983-1995 (including 2-1/2 years in Sheffield UK for Glenn’s PhD); the rector’s wife at St Luke’s Miranda, April 1995 – Dec 2001; the northern region bishop’s wife, Jan 2002 – Aug 2013; and the Archbishop of Sydney’s wife, Aug 2013 – Mar 2021.
We asked Di if she could go back and give her ‘young-self’ any advice, what would she say…
Remember that God is a gracious God, who loves you and is always with you. He delights in giving you opportunities to grow in your knowledge and trust of him, so do not be anxious about new situations and ministries.
Spend more time praying, reading the Bible and trusting God, and less time worrying.
It is a privilege to be able to be involved in ministry with your husband, and so share deeply in other people’s lives. (And be thankful for him!)
Be yourself. Don’t waste time wishing you had gifts and skills of other women you know. Be open, honest and make yourself vulnerable, and don’t be a whinge!
Enjoy each new situation and treasure every friendship you make. Some may only be for a season, but others will last a lifetime.
A book of messages and photos collated by Janine Clarke was presented to Di. Along with a box of ‘favourite recipes’ that were collected at the tea. If you weren’t able to attend and you’d like to send Di a message and your favourite recipe (please include your name and parish on the recipe), you can still email it or post it.
e: ministrywives@sydney.anglican.asn.au
p: PO BoxQ190, QVB Post Office NSW 1230
We finished the afternoon in prayer. Kathryn Thompson led us in thanking God for Di and Glenn’s years of ministry amongst us; Belinda Edwards for their next season; and Christine Jensen for our diocese (see below).
Gracious Heavenly Father,
We specially pray for our Diocese at this time of change. Please give the synod wisdom in their deliberations and the resulting election. We pray for the candidates that they will have peace of mind and be content with the result. We pray that you will give us unity under your Word.
We pray for whoever is elected that he will lead the Diocese in proclaiming Christ in these times of uncertainty and opposition to your Word. We pray that he will be committed to making Christ known in all the world. We pray too, for his family that they will be be a means of support and strength and that they too will reflect the gospel of the Lord Jesus.
We pray for the ministers of our churches that they will be good shepherds of the precious sheep of the Good Shepherd. In particular we pray for all of us ministry wives that we will be sustained and blessed in our often challenging roles and that we will continue to support each other with love and joy. We bring before you our families that they will have faith and trust in Jesus and do pray for those who are struggling that your Spirit will turn the light on in their hearts.
And finally we pray for our churches, thanking you for the faithful men and women of our diocese, praying that they may trust in Jesus for salvation and live lives of integrity and godliness. We pray that they will strengthen each other and that our churches will be marked by faith, hope and love.
And so we commit our diocese into your gracious hands in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.