Greenhouse Gatherings

Meeting each month, Greenhouse Gatherings are the place where Christian women can gather together, meet each other and connect with new people. Each month a speaker presents on a topic of broad interest and applicability, and there’s a chance to chat and enjoy each other’s company. Sometimes online, sometimes in person, but always warm and welcoming.

Our April gathering will be a hybrid event - you can register to attend in-person at St Stephens Church in Newtown, or online via Zoom. For those online, a Zoom link will be emailed to you when you register.

April Guest Speaker - Rachel Ciano on the role of women in the Christian story

Women have played a vital role in the Christian story – they were, as Dorothy Sayers so eloquently pointed out, “the first at the cradle and the last at the cross”. However, we often don’t know much about their lives; they were extraordinary teachers, evangelists, pastoral carers, disciples, mothers, and sisters. Countless women have contributed to their churches and their communities, and hearing their stories is a wonderful way to broaden our eyes to the work God has done and is doing in the world, and to be encouraged to serve him and his people in our own context, just as they did.

Our April Greenhouse Gathering will be a special occasion, as we celebrate with St Stephen’s Newtown their 150th anniversary. St Stephen’s was the parish church of a number of the early deaconesses in Sydney, the place where they were spiritually cared for, and out of which they cared for those around them. At this gathering, you’ll hear a bit about their stories, and how they impacted their growing city.

You’ll also hear from historian Rachel Ciano about some amazing women from the history of the church, and how remembering and celebrating their lives helps us live more wisely and courageously as Christians today.

While our Greenhouse Gatherings are usually for Christian women, we’re opening up this very special event to include men who are interested in learning more about women’s impact on the church, and are keen to support the Christian women in their lives as they grow and serve in the spaces God has placed them in. And for everyone who attends, there will be a chance to connect with other Christians, enjoy some delicious food, and hear more about what  The Greenhouse has to offer to women in different industries, workplaces, churches and stages of life. We’d love to have you join us!

Can’t make it in person? Join us online! We’d love you to share in the experience.

Want free tickets? Become a member of The Greenhouse, and you'll get two free gatherings tickets each month. Find out more here: https://www.thegreenhouse.digital/membership

About our guest speaker

"Rachel is a historian, teacher, writer, and thinker. She loves uncovering stories from history and making them known, and believes the past teaches us to live better here and now. Rachel co-authored 10 Dead Guys You Should Know and 10 Dead Gals You Should Know which both aim to bring forward narratives from the past and consider how they
impact us today.

She is Dean of Academic Development at Mary Andrews College, and lectures in Christianity in History at Sydney Missionary and Bible College.

Rachel speaks locally and internationally on the intersection between history, theology, and everyday life. Her research and publications are wide-ranging and particularly focus on the sixteenth-century Reformation period.

She lives in Sydney with her husband and two sons, is involved in ministry in Sydney’s Inner West where her husband is a minister, and loves to surf and soak up Sydney's gorgeous beaches."