Meet Colette Stevens, soon to be our newest deacon
On Saturday 15 May, Colette Stevens, our Diocesan Children and Families Enabler, will be ordained to the Vocational Diaconate. As we prepare for this event, we had a chat to Colette about her ministry:
Tell us a bit about yourself Colette.
I was born in Te Kuiti in 1966 and have lived within the Wellington Diocese for most of my life. I was raised Catholic, and gave my life to Jesus in 1982. Most of my formation as a young adult took place within the Upper Hutt Christian Fellowship.
In 1993 I followed God’s call to go to YWAM’s performing arts school in Ontario, Canada. . While there, experiencing the power of what became known as the ‘Toronto Blessing’. It was a time of experiencing first hand the power and transformation of God’s love. Within he YWAM training in deep discipleship and mission we undertook outreach projects to Honduras, and I went on to lead development programmes for the children of families going on overseas mission. On return to New Zealand, this love for ministry to children and families led me to leadership within Youth for Christ and the Christian Fellowship Youth Council, involving a variety of on the ground community-based mission, development and mentoring roles with young people.
In 2005, I felt God’s nudge to study to become a qualified Early Childhood Educator, and in 2010 moved up to Otaki to live and work and be closer to my wonderful family including my nieces and nephew. There I joined the local Anglican parish, and eventually became the Children and Families Enabler for our Diocese. The rest is history still being made!
What’s going to be your particular focus when you become ordained?
My diaconate role will based in the Parish of Otaki. It is my spiritual home. I’ve loved the way that the Otaki congregation has been so flexible in experimenting with new ways of expressing worship such as Mainly Music in order to reach out to those at the edges.
I’ll be leading the wonderful pastoral care team, setting up an effective structure to care for people in our community. The team meet regularly for peer support, discipleship, prayer, and accountability.
I’ll also be supporting the ‘Streams of Life’ community in Levin. This grassroots intergenerational community launched in March, and meets weekly. The team are diverse in age, backgrounds, and at different places in our journey with Jesus. Their focus is on building community and learning from one another.
Alongside this, I’ll remain in my Children and Families role for the Diocese.
You’ve chosen to get ordained in Hadfield Hall at Otaki. Why is that important for your ordination? What meaning does that place have for you in your ministry, and in your journey with God?
To get ordained in a space that is a community hub is really important for me entering the diaconate. I’ve invited lots of people from the wider community, and it’s a place where many in our area feel at home.
For me personally, I’ve led Mainly Music there for over five years, and it’s the place where we established our intergenerational ministry. It’s also the first place that I led a service!
What is your vision for the future... specifically relating to the ministries for which you are being ordained?
Well, the future as always is in God’s hands. I have had the privilege of being a minster of the Gospel for over thirty years and as I look back, I see God faithfully weaving together many aspects of my personality, passion, faith journey and skills to enable me to fulfil His call on my life, whatever that might be.
But going forward, I continue to advocate for greater intergenerational flavour across our Diocesan family. I love creating ways for children to have a meaningful voice, helping our churches rethink how to engage families as ‘families on mission’. It’s exciting to be on this adventure!
