‘Give thanks to the Lord, proclaim his greatness; tell the nations what he has done. Sing praise to the Lord; tell the wonderful things he has done. Be glad that we belong to him; (Psalm 105: 1-3, GNT) Indeed, let us give thanks to God, for calling all of us to serve him and each other.
I wish to acknowledge the Presbytery and the Waiuku and Districts Combined Churches Parish Council for this great opportunity, allowing me to share my ministry, to serve God, through this vibrant community of faith, as your Stated Supply Minister,
Ministry Statement:
‘To serve, and not to be served’ Jesus’s words in Matthew 20:28, and Mark 10:45, shape and guide my ministry.
Who am I?
As a ‘pk’ (pastor’s kid), I immigrated to NZ in 1976, from Samoa. As a Methodist ordained minister, I retired, (or shall I say, ‘rewired’, as one of my retired colleagues put it), in the beginning of 2026, after 16 years in ministry. Some people asked about my pre-ministry life. Among other various employments, I was employed by Te Tari Taake, aka The Inland Revenue Department, for 20 years until 2007, when ‘I moved to the other side of the fence.’, training for ministry. Married to Vai (who is my number one supporter and partner in ministry), we have three adult children and four beautiful grandchildren, Caleb (23mths), Marcel (3yrs), Malachi (6yrs) and Grace (11yrs). We live in Papatoetoe. I look forward to working with the Parish leaders, my colleagues in ministry, staff and volunteers and be part of the team and community. Vai and I and our family, really look forward to getting to know you all, to walk and journey with you during our time in the parish. I have an ‘open door’ policy, so please feel free to come and have a talk otherwise I can visit you at home, or a café.

Anisha serves as Senior Parish Lead at Waiuku and Districts Combined Churches and is deeply committed to walking alongside people in faith and life. She supports and coordinates a range of ministries, including pastoral care, playgroup, mainly music, Zoom Bible study, Tweens, and the English Conversation Group, which she initiated to support and connect the local immigrant community. Her heart is for building connection, nurturing spiritual growth, and creating a welcoming space where everyone feels valued and included. Anisha holds dual Master’s degrees—one from India and another from Scotland—and a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). She also serves as Chair of the Waiuku Family Support Network, reflecting her strong dedication to serving the wider community. Anisha leads with compassion, humility, and a genuine commitment to servant leadership and shared ministry.

I joined the church staff in September 2023, although I have been a member here since 2015. My background is in the Christian not-for-profit sector, having worked in a variety of roles from customer service and clerical administration to fundraising and communications. I love the community focus of this parish and enjoy helping in whatever way I can.

I have been the Manager of our church Opportunity Shop since May 2016. My occupation prior to that was a primary school teacher for 20+ years both overseas and in NZ. I have been residing in Waiuku for the past 10 years. Prior to that I was living in the Caribbean for 14 years. I am widowed with two young adults who are still living at home with me. I am an active member of St. Andrew's Church and have served on many committees responsible for organizing church activities. I warmly welcome you to visit myself and my team of over 80 volunteers at the most popular shop in town!