The occasion of the Synod Service has been used to commission the Rev Kara Gilbert as the new Archdeacon for women in the Sydney Diocese.
Archbishop Jensen appointed Ms Gilbert to replace Archdeacon Narelle Jarrett, who retires this year.
Ms Gilbert attended both Sydney Missionary and Bible College and did the four year course at Moore College.
Friends and family members streamed into the Synod chamber to witness the service and see Ms Gilbert commissioned for her new position.
During an interview at the service, Dr Jensen revealed it had been difficult to 'disengage' Ms Gilbert from parish ministry, which she had successfully conducted at St Thomas' North Sydney and Crossway Anglican churches at Carlingford.
"Because I love the people" said Ms Gilbert, explaining her reluctance to leave. "One of my great loves is meeting with the women at church and reading with the bible with them, knowing them and them knowing me and us doing ministry together. Its a great grief to have left and not have that daily interaction with them over God's word."
But she sees the new position as the opportunity to encourage ministry throughout the diocese.
"I''m very thankful for the women who are serving in our churches, both ordained and lay women. I'm excited by the number of women I see serving. I have a real passion to see the gospel go out to the women of our city and know that we need lots of women to help do that" Ms Gilbert told the crowd.
The commissioning, by Archbishop Jensen, included by the laying on of hands by three of Archdeacon Gilbert's supporters - Archdeacon Jarrett, Jane Tooher, Director of The Priscilla and Aquila Centre and Tara Stenhouse, Dean of Women at Moore College.
Describing her new work, Archdeacon Gilbert said she would build on the legacy of Archdeacon Jarrett and others "to think though how can we continue to equip women for the ministry of the gospel , how can we continue to resource ministry by women and among women and how we can equip our lay women to go and serve in the communities where they live."
