As she buys her theology books for the year, Sydney Anglican and Maori Mereana Tahere is making history.
The Moore College faculty and the Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship (SMAF) at Redfern believe she is Moore College's first Maori student.
Mereana first became involved in SMAF because her father was Te Wheoki Rahiri Tahere aka Jim Tahere, the second Maori Chaplain to serve at SMAF.
"He would be laughing right now, possibly with some pride, because ministry was once as appealing to me as cleaning toilets," Mereana remarks.
Mereana says "a Damascus Road event' occurred in her life that prompted her to accept a strong calling to follow Christ.
"Consequently, the need to learn more about God through the Bible became obvious," she says.
Mereana says she chose to study at Moore because it is a theological college renowned for maintaining high standards.
"I couldn’t conceive of attending any other college to obtain my degree."
Mereana hopes to inspire other indigenous people to see that further education is an achievable goal.
"A lot of indigenous people, Maori included, have yet to realise their full potential and it is my hope that just by doing this interview, it will raise awareness that going to Moore College isn’t scary," she says.
"As was the case for my father, and now for me, ministry is a life to love, live and breathe. I have returned to SMAF to learn from Malcolm and assist in ministering to our Maori community. Maori are unique, and ministering to our own people is a privilege."
New archdeacon for Maori ministry
The Rev Malcolm Karipa was commissioned as Archdeacon for Maori ministry in Sydney Diocese at a ceremony in Christchurch, New Zealand on November 4, 2007.
"Being commissioned as archdeacon is an acknowledgement of the work to be done here in Sydney," he says.
New Zealand Maori Anglican Bishop John Gray spoke with Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen and Bishop of South Sydney Rob Forsyth to coordinate the commissioning of Archdeacon Karipa, who regards their planning as a "collaborative effort'.
While Archdeacon Karipa's commissioning was performed by bishops in New Zealand, he is licensed to minister in Sydney by Archbishop Jensen.
Archdeacon Karipa was previously the chaplain at the Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship in Redfern and he will maintain his role as senior minister in the church.
However, Archdeacon Karipa says most of his time is already spent off-site, ministering to the Maori community throughout Sydney, rather than with the congregation members who meet at the Church of Te Wairu Tapu in Redfern every Sunday.
"As a chaplain I am ministering to pockets of Maori people all over the Diocese. For example, if somebody dies in the Maori community it is a very important event for the whole community," he says.
"Chaplaincy involves more travelling. Sunday is basically based around the Eucharist service in Redfern, then I spend most of my time from Monday to Saturday out in the community. My ministry is more to the scattered than the gathered church."
In his new role, Archdeacon Karipa hopes to take on more responsibility for teaching and training up laypeople and raising up more pastoral workers for team mission.
"I am still taking care of the church in Redfern and there is enough work here for three or four workers so it is important we keep sending more students to Moore College," Archdeacon Karipa says.
"It would be good to have a Maori male student go through and become ordained. Mereana will be able to pass on what she learns about how Sydney Diocese works and help the broader Maori community," he says.
Mereana will work as a student minister with SMAF while at Moore this year.
"Hopefully she will work for the church in a full-time role within the Maori community after graduation," Archdeacon Karipa says.
"It's not easy financially to support another full-time minister, but that is our goal."
