Rev Dr Helen Jacobi Auckland’s glbti-friendly Anglican parish St Matthew-in-the-City has inducted its first-ever female Vicar. The Rev. Dr. Helen Jacobi says she is very much looking forward to the new role, replacing Glyn Cardy who has moved on to St Lukes Presbyterian in Remuera. “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,” she says. “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." Jacobi comes from Napier, where she has spent the past nine years as Dean of Waiapu Cathedral. She’s married to Stephen Jacobi who is a former diplomat and is Executive Director of the International Business Forum and they have two adult daughters. Jacobi has also lived in Ottawa, Canada, where she was involved in Christian education and community ministry, and in France. Last year, she completed a three month stay in the USA where she was a scholar in residence at Virginia Theological Seminary. She also has experience in social work, and in social policy research. St Matthew-in-the-City wardens Gavin Rennie and Judith Faithfull have expressed their delight that Helen Jacobi is joining the parish as Vicar. “We look forward to welcoming Helen, and to working with her.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 2nd May 2014 - 11:30am