St Matthew-in-the-City appoints first female Vicar

May 1st 2014

St Matthew-in-the-City appoints first female Vicar

The Rev. Dr. Helen Jacobi will be inducted as the new Vicar of St Matthew in the City, in a service led by the Anglican Bishops of Auckland, this evening.

Helen was ordained in the Diocese of Wellington in 1991. She was the Dean of Waiapu Cathedral, Napier for nine years until 2013, and before that, Vicar of St Luke’s, Wadestown, Wellington.

Helen has also lived in Ottawa, Canada, where she was involved in Christian education and community ministry, and in France. Last year, she completed a 3 month stay in the USA where she was a scholar in residence at Virginia Theological Seminary.

Helen also has experience in social work, and in social policy research.

Helen is married to Stephen Jacobi who is a former diplomat and is Executive Director of the International Business Forum. They have two daughters: Hannah, a fourth year law and arts student at Victoria University, and Miryam, a second year acting student at Toi Whakaari, NZ Drama School.

Gavin Rennie and Judith Faithfull, Wardens at St Matthew-in-the-City, expressed their delight that Helen Jacobi is joining the parish as Vicar.

Commenting on the appointment they said, “We look forward to welcoming Helen, and to working with her.”

Helen’s appointment is historically significant as the first woman to be appointed Vicar of the Parish.

"I am very much looking forward to joining St Matthew-in-the City,” says Helen.

“It’s a parish with a strong tradition of service to the city and speaking out on issues of justice both within the city and nation. I look forward to continuing that prophetic voice. I feel privileged to be taking on that mantle from my predecessors and am keen to discover what this next period in the life of the parish will bring."

ENDS

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