Key People

Meet the Forge Aotearoa Team

Darryl Tempero

Darryl lives in Christchurch with Michele and their sons.  He is minister of “Kiwi Church,” a relatively young network of small relational communities, and also has a role in the wider church supporting the training of ministers and leaders. He loves sport, movies, being outside and Star Trek. 

Anne Overton

Anne is passionate about the wayfinding leadership model and the wisdom of listening deeply to community voices.  She lead the Community Relations Team for Presbyterian Support Northern and has been involved in a number of community led development initiatives involving gardens, food security and social justice issues.

Josh Olds

Josh serves as a minister in two ‘wayfinding’ contexts in Christchurch. As the community minister at The Village Church, he leads an emerging mission initiative centered around a community drop-in space, fostering connections and community within a local neighbourhood. Additionally, with the Prestons New Mission Seedling, Josh leads a small community that is exploring what it means to be church in the community in which they live. Beyond his ministry roles, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife Susan and their three daughters, along with their overfed cat, Alfie. An avid sports enthusiast, he also relishes outdoor adventures in his free time

Stuart Simpson

Stuart is the Mission Catalyst for Presbytery Central, which sees him travelling around the lower North Island, encouraging and supporting congregations discern how they can participate in God’s Mission.  He lives in Wellington with Lala who he met while they were both studying missiology in Selly Oak, Birmingham.  Together they have three children and two cats.  One of Stuart’s main loves is trail running.  

Diane Gilliam-Weeks

Diane’s passion for Forge Aotearoa comes from her twelve years in parish ministry in Wanaka, where she pioneered Spirit of the Lake – a café style gathering for the local new age community, telling the gospel story in contemporary parables and using interactive drawing and playdough to help adults and children alike enter into the story more deeply. 

Earlier Diane was producer, director and journalist with TVNZ then Director of Communication for the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand before answering God’s call to ministry. Today she is a Spiritual Director and Professional Supervisor based in Wellington. 

I’ve felt the companionship of God since childhood. Conversation with God came naturally to me.

I grew up Presbyterian in the United States. I have been in New Zealand for 50 years. I finally felt spiritually at home on our Presbyterian Marae at Ohope Beach. My mother’s people were native American. 

I was ordained to ministry in 2002.

 

Abi Trevathan

Abi is the Kairuruku Whanake (Formation and Development Coordinator) for Alpine Presbytery. She is passionate about local church and enjoys supporting congregations who are wanting to engage with the mission that God has called them to in their local context. She is currently studying towards her Graduate Diploma in Theology, with an interest in intercultural church. She lives just outside of Christchurch with Isaac, they have three children, two cats and five chickens.

Honey Thrupp