WLDG
Women’s Leadership Development Group
Who We Are
The St John’s Theological College Women’s Leadership Development Group (WLDG) exists to serve Anglican women in leadership women in lay or ordained ministry, and/or women who have either been or are being trained theologically.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to discover, grow, send and support Anglican female leaders to be confident, courageous, credible, competent, and generous disciples who disciple others, using the spiritual gifts, knowledge, and skills God has given them for ministry and mission – for the sake of the world.
We hope to do this Intergenerationally and in partnership with Dioceses, Hui Amorangi, and the AWSC, by creating a provincial network where friendship and collegiality might be discovered, given and received – through networking, training and mentoring and advocacy.
To achieve these aspirations – we would love your contribution!
If you would like to contact, receive updates or let us know how you might be able to contribute to this developing WLDG network please click here to email the group coordinator.
Key Priorities
Discover those God is calling into ministry and mission through:
- Creating a provincial network where friendship and collegiality might be discovered, given and received
- Online story circles
- Vocational retreats
- Resourcing current leaders to encourage and support young women to explore their calling and vocation.
Grow emerging female leaders by:
Affirming and developing their confidence and gifts, and providing opportunities for supported practice through:
- Networking
- Ministry exchanges and shared best practice
- Specialist training
- Mentoring/coaching relationships
Send and support them:
- Into roles where their flourishing leads to the flourishing of their communities and to a new generation of women in leadership. This includes ‘shoulder tapping’ fellow women leaders to prompt them to consider senior roles.
- Support them by facilitating peer mentoring communities and coaching relationships across generations and localities.
- Actively advocate for representation of women at governance and leadership level, and provide training and support focussed on this institutional challenge.
- Actively research challenges and opportunities unique to women in leadership and provide forums/hui for reflexive dialogue and action that include men.
Meet the Group
Meet the wāhine involved with the Women’s Leadership Development Group.
Rev’d Dr Eseta Mateiviti-Tulavu
Eseta taught for 12 years in various Secondary Schools around Fiji and also in an Anglican School, a Hindu School, Catholic co-ed boarding School and a Methodist School.
She has tutored at the University of the South Pacific through DFL, and mentored and tutored students at the University of Auckland. Her subject of interest is Identity, Leadership and Discipleship. She was appointed in 2013 as Tokoni for Tikanga Polynesia and Chaplain in 2014. She is currently Tokoni for all 3 Tikanga and offers student-learning support to students across the different institutions that students in residence at St Johns are enrolled in.
Jax Clark
Jax is a very recent residential student of St John’s. She completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Practical Theology with honours, exploring “What the Church could learn from 12 Step Spirituality”, and is currently completing a Masters in Professional Practice with Otago Polytech in values-based leadership.
In 2022 Jax was discerned and ordained a Transitional Deacon in the Diocese of Wellington and has relocated to be the Ministry Unit Leader for Lyall Bay Community Church – a pioneering, re-new community.
Jax held a coordination role in the Women’s Leadership Development space at St John’s last year and as a current member is discerning the shape of her contribution going forward.
Jax loves the outdoors, theatre and spending time with her girls – and would love coffee if you are in Wellington!
Moeawa Callaghan
Moeawa is an experienced programme designer and co-ordinator, undergraduate and postgraduate academic supervisor and administrator. She has a background in Anglicanism, Practical Theology, Christian Thought, Treaty, and Maori and Indigenous Theologies. Moeawa has a PhD in Theology (University of Auckland 2011), Master of Arts (Hons.), (Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California 1999), Bachelor of Theology (University of Auckland 1997), Te Whare Wananga o Te Rau Kahikatea – Diploma Social Services 1993.
The Reverend Dr Nyasha Gumbeze
Nyasha is an ordained alumnus of St John’s Theological College. She serves in the Diocese of Auckland as Vicar of St Michael’s and St Mark’s in Henderson. Nyasha and her family came from Zimbabwe 19 years ago. She attended Laidlaw College, is a graduate of the University of Auckland and completed a Doctorate in Ministry in 2019 through Virginia Theological Seminary.
Nyasha is passionate about people from all walks of life. For many years she was the Link Representative for the Diocese of Auckland on the Anglican Women Studies Centre.
Currently, she is a Councillor on the same board. Nyasha is passionate about women fully taking advantage of the opportunities given to them and seeks to encourage those interested in theological study to put their hands up when opportunities are presented to better themselves. She believes if given equal opportunities women can excel in every way possible.
Further to her love of people she has an eye for nice shoes and enjoys having a good laugh with friends, time outdoors and is a physical exercise fanatic. Above Nyasha is a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Recommended Websites
Anglican Women’s Studies Centre
The Anglican Women’s Studies Centre was set up by General Synod to serve and to advance the interests and needs of the women of this Church particularly those undertaking theological training.
We have a working partnership with AWSC and collaborated with them to offer our first writing retreat.
The Company is a communion of Australian and New Zealand women either contemplating or committed to church planting, journeying together and being trained and equipped to bring the good news to their community. It is highly relational, deeply formational, contextual, organic, and missional.
The John Kinder Theological Library
The library for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia provides thousands of books and is free to join for members of the Anglican and Methodist church. It is a wonderful resource and we have spent many hours engaging with the books and online journal articles made available to us.