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Marcia Dixon profiles the women making a major impact within the church and society
DURING THE past two decades, churchgoers have undergone a revolution and women have been the beneficiaries.
We live in an era where people believe that they can achieve their dreams, and now many Christian women are having a major impact within the church and society.
The Voice has compiled a list of Christian women who are excelling in their various fields.
Tobi Olujinmi
Olujinmi (main photo) is founder of popular website WTalk. This web-based media platform, aimed at Christian women aged 18-35, features topical articles about life, faith, work and culture, a podcast and specially-made programmes for the site. The WTalk podcast has even been endorsed in Black Hair magazine’s must-listen-to podcast list.
Ruth Yimika Awogbade
Awogbade is the founding editor of Magnify Magazine. This 28-year-old is one of the growing band of young Christian women who are utilising media to share gospel values. She launched Magnify Magazine, which focuses on faith, fashion and feminism in 2008 and recently became the youngest person to sit on the board of the Evangelical Alliance, which represents more than one million Christians.
Pastor Yvonne Brooks
Brooks co-pastors New Jerusalem Church, Birmingham (one of the largest in the city) and founded Women of Purpose Ministries, which aims to positively impact women’s lives. This former mental health nurse and qualified behavioural consultant also runs Esther’s Academy, which runs courses for women. It is operational in several sites across the UK and in some African nations.
Antonia Burrell
Burrell is making a mark in the beauty world with her products and is the first woman to produce her own skincare system made of 100 per cent natural ingredients. Burrell is highly regarded by beauty editors for her skills as a facialist and serves as an associate lecturer in the Chemistry of Aromatherapy at the London College of Fashion. She has featured in numerous media including The Telegraph, New York Times and Vogue magazine.
Pastor Marjorie Esmowei
Esmowei is co-pastor of Triumphant Church International (TCI) and founder of the Wise Women Awards. TCI has branches in Tottenham and Basildon, South Africa and Nigeria. Pastor Marjorie also heads the Wisdom for Women International and the Wise Women Awards, the only event to recognise the contributions of Christian women in the church and society.
Dr. Rev. Kate Coleman
Coleman is a groundbreaking female church leader who made history when she became the first black British woman to be ordained as a Baptist minister more than two decades ago. Since then she has occupied influential positions within the wider church, including as chair of the Evangelical Alliance Council (2012-2014) and president of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (2006-2007). Coleman regularly runs leadership programmes for Christian, public sector and private business organisations.
Charmaine Noble McLean
Noble McLean is director of content at Premier Media Group and one of the most influential women in Christian media. Since joining Premier Radio, one of the UK’s most well-known faith-based media organisations, Charmaine has risen up the ranks. She started off as a reporter and is now director of content across Premier Media platforms, which now include Premier Gospel and Premier Praise. She is also a director of the station.
Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin
Hudson-Wilkin is a Church of England priest, chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, vicar at Westminster Abbey and chaplain to the Queen. This Jamaica-born minister is one of the most high-profile black female ministers within the Church of England and occupies several positions of influence.
Karen Gibson
Gibson is an award-winning choir director who is considered a leader in her field. She runs her own choral outfit The Kingdom Choir and has trained choirs in countries such as Japan, Latvia and Nigeria. In recent years, Gibson has featured on TV programmes about choral singing, most recently BBC2’s The Naked Choir. In 2014, she directed Lewes Sing Gospel to victory in the BBC Songs of Praise Gospel Choir of the Year competition.
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