Interview with Kylie Chappell

Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your husband and ministry etc?

I am Kylie Chappell, married to John, and we have 4 kids who are 12, 11, 9 & 2 years old.

We live in North Ryde, Sydney, and John is the Minister at North Ryde Anglican – we have been here nearly 5 years now. Apart from being involved in church stuff, taking care of the kids (which for me this year has meant trying to work out how to be the Mum of a High Schooler & a toddler at the same time!) I also work one day a week at the School House Museum (which is just next door) and this fits in well with everything else.

What have been some of the joys of being in ministry?

One of the best things about ministering where we are is really being part of a strong community. Our house is literally right in the middle of everything, and so we are crossing paths with people all the time – this of course helps us to get to know others (church members & non-Christians too) so much more quickly. Most of these relationships have been formed through our kid’s friends, or activities, and so we thank God for our kids and the way that God has used those opportunities through them to build up His kingdom.

It is exciting seeing local families come to understand the Gospel more and more over time – adults and kids, and watch them become more passionate about getting involved at Church and wanting to serve others in the Gospel.

What have been some of the challenges?

I guess the down side of living in a community is that I feel we are often on public view – even when we check the mailbox! This can be challenging, for myself and the kids particularly, and sometimes we miss the privacy and neighbours that come with living in a regular house.

I also find ministry life quite draining relationally as I am constantly trying to keep up with other women at church, school, playgroup, work & also family members, and sometimes all these networks can overwhelm me. It is also difficult to relate to women of all ages and stages of life all at once, when I am my unique stage of life as a busy Mum to young-ish kids.

How does partnership in serving God with your husband work out in practice for you?

I have always wanted to be a team with John in ministry and have tried to help him over the years in different ways according to our stage of life, and how old our kids were at the time. At the moment, I am involved with Women’s Bible Study groups and book groups at church, women’s outreach events, teaching Sunday School as well as hospitality for the Youth Group leaders and newcomers. We also open our home for most of the church meetings (eg Parish Council).

I also try and be a good listener for John as we talk through ministry issues – this could be late at night after meetings, or early in the mornings – who knows – ministry life is so unpredictable and surprising in a way!

What's the one piece of advice you would give to a younger woman about to become a ministry wife?

I am finding that Ministry is definitely a long haul marathon race, rather than a sprint, so it’s always good to take that long term view when you are thinking about how to spend your time and energy. Remember the various seasons of life, and try and match your expectations of what you can do for your particular circumstances – I have found that for every stage of my life there have been different opportunities in ministry, and also restrictions on my ministry, so you just need to be creative & flexible in how you serve God according to your specific situation.