Di Nicolios

The Venerable
Di Nicolios
Born
Dianne Dialecti Nicolios

1947 (age 78–79)
ReligionChristian
ChurchAnglican Church of Australia
OrdainedDeacon 1989, priest 2002
Offices held
Archdeacon for Women's Ministries, Anglican Diocese of Sydney

Priest-in-Charge, St John's Anglican Church, Diamond Creek parish, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

Archdeacon of The Yarra, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

Dianne Dialecti "Di" Nicolios (born 1947[1][2]) is a retired Australian Anglican priest. She was the first woman appointed Archdeacon for Women's Ministries in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. She held that position from 1994 to 2002. She was also one of the first group of 14 women to be ordained a deacon in 1989 in the Sydney diocese.[3]

In 2002, Nicolios resigned as archdeacon to become an ordained priest in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne and rector of St John's parish in Diamond Creek.[1][4][5] She later became Archdeacon of The Yarra,[6][7] then an assistant priest in the parish of Kew and returned to Sydney as an assistant at Christ Church Lavender Bay.[2]

Life and ministry

At the October 1993 synod of the Sydney Anglican diocese, Archbishop Harry Goodhew announced: "With a view to advancing the ministry of women in the Diocese, I have appointed the Reverend Dianne Nicolios as an Archdeacon with special responsibilities for women's ministry. She has an extensive job description which includes the support and encouragement of women both ordained and non-ordained."[4] During her time as archdeacon, Nicolios developed a strategy for ministry by women, both lay and ordained and organised conferences for women in ministry.[8][9]

At the same synod, Nicolios was elected to the board of management of the Department of Evangelism and as a diocesan representative on General Synod. During this period she was a member of: the Olympic Games Taskforce and helped establish Anglican Sports Ministries, the Minute Reading Committee, the Synod Committee on Clergy Tenure, the Stipends and Allowances Committee, the Synod Standing Committee,[10][11][12] and the Board of Management of the Department of Evangelism.[10][11][12] She was also an Associate Evangelist, Department of Evangelism.[13] As chair of Anglican Deaconess Institution, she established scholarships for women to open up new areas of ministry.[14]

In 1994, Goodhew asked Nicolios to report to him on the ministry of women and the report was released to the standing committee in 1996. Nicolios found two results significant: majority support amongst clergy for women to be assistant ministers including as teachers, preachers and service leaders; and from women in ministry, the desire for acknowledgement and valuing of their ministries.[15][16] Recommendations included: “That a review of diocesan policies be made... That a Women’s Advisory Council be established... [and] That the issues raised in this report... be promoted for discussion within the Diocese...”[17] Nicolios organised the 1998 Conference on Women's Ministry. Two papers for and against the ordination of women as priests were discussed, Nicolios gave an overview of part time and voluntary work conducted by women in the diocese, and other women ministers presented on their work.[18][14]

In 2002, Nicolios resigned and became rector of St John's in Diamond Creek, Melbourne. The Sydney diocese does not ordain women as priests, and this move was reportedly a surprise to the Sydney Anglicans including the new archbishop, Peter Jensen, as she had not been an activist for women's ordination.[19][1][20] However Nicolios and the archbishop have said that she left Sydney on good terms.[20][21]

In 2009 after the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, Nicolios managed local bushfire relief, counselling and support through St John's.[22][23]

In April 2019, the 30th anniversary celebration of women's ordination into the diaconate was held at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney. Most of the women ordained as deacons in 1989 attended, including Nicolios who gave the main address, preaching on 2 Timothy 4:1-8.[24][3][25]

Positions held

  • 2015: Retired and returned to Sydney.[39]
  • 2018–2019: A member of the Professional Standards Review Board for Kooyoora Ltd and Diocese of Melbourne.[40]
  • 2017-: Assistant Minister, Christ Church Lavender Bay, Sydney.[41][2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Anglican women's leader gives up on Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 May 2002. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Clergy – Anglican Church of Australia Directory". Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "Celebrating History in the Making". Anglican deaconess ministries. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 First Ordinary Session of the 43rd Synod of the Diocese of Sydney: October 1993, Summary of Proceedings, p14
  5. ↑ Report of Standing Committee & Other Reports & Papers, 2002 Report of the Standing Committee
  6. ↑ Anglican Diocese of Melbourne Prayer Diary, January 2013, p3
  7. 1 2 "The Yarra". 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  8. ↑ "A new strategy will give equal focus to lay and ordained women...". Southern Cross. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. April 2002. JSTOR community.32042633.
  9. ↑ "In brief: Growing through loss". Southern Cross. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. June 1997. JSTOR community.32042710.
  10. 1 2 Anglican Church of Australia Diocese of Sydney 3rd Session of the 45th Synod Business Paper: Saturday 3 November 2001,
  11. 1 2 Proceedings of the 1997 Ordinary Session of the 44th Synod,
  12. 1 2 "6/01 Stipends, Allowances and Benefits (A report from the Standing Committee)", Synod Proceedings for 2002
  13. ↑ Steele, Dominic (May 1998). "Gospel growth on two fronts". Southern Cross. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. JSTOR community.32042738.
  14. 1 2 "Empathy wins day at women's conference". Southern Cross. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. June 1998. JSTOR community.32042711.
  15. ↑ "Clergy support women preaching". Southern Cross. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. September 1996. JSTOR community.32042779.
  16. ↑ Pitt, Helen (5 September 1996). "Clergy join push for ordination of women". Sydney Morning Herald. ProQuest 363323541.
  17. ↑ Year Book of the Diocese of Sydney, Annual Report of the Standing Committee.
  18. ↑ 16/97 Conference on Women’s Ministry (1998), 16/97 Conference on Women's Ministry (A report from the Standing Committee).
  19. ↑ McGillion, Chris. "The Chosen Ones: The Politics of Salvation in the Anglican Church - PDF Free Download". epdf.pub. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  20. 1 2 Cameron, Marcia Helen. Phenomenal Sydney : Anglicans in a time of change, 1945-2013. p. 202. ISBN 978-1-4982-8932-0. OCLC 965135962.
  21. ↑ "Unexpected move for Archdeacon Nicolios". Southern Cross. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. May 2002. JSTOR community.32042742.
  22. ↑ "Burnt out, but battling on". Sydney Anglicans. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "Flood of prayer to drench fires". Sydney Anglicans. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  24. ↑ "Praise God for the ministry of women". Sydney Anglicans. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  25. ↑ "30 up for female deacons". Southern Cross. 25 (4). May 2019.
  26. 1 2 "New horizons for women's ministry". Societas. Moore Theological College. 1994. JSTOR community.32060019.
  27. ↑ "Vacancies on Syllabus Committees for 1979/1980". Education: Journal of the New South Wales Teacher's Federation. 59 (17): 390. 11 October 1978. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  28. 1 2 "New horizons for women's ministry". Societas. Moore Theological College. 1981. JSTOR community.32060055.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Australian Anglican Directory 2009. Angela Grutzner.
  30. ↑ Record, Australian Church (19 March 1984). "Mainly about people". The Australian Church Record. JSTOR community.32084710.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  31. ↑ Rule, Beryl (July 2002). "Sydney deacon priested". The Melbourne Anglican: 3.
  32. ↑ "Australian Christian Church Histories - Diamond Creek, VIC - St John's Anglican". www.churchhistories.net.au. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  33. ↑ "Clergy Moves". The Melbourne Anglican: 2. May 2002.
  34. 1 2 3 The Australian Anglican Directory. Publishing Solutions. 2015.
  35. ↑ "Dream, Create, Ignite" conference program, GFS Australia 2007 .
  36. ↑ "Introducing the E-Team". Sydney Anglicans. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  37. ↑ Annual report 2014 St Hilary's
  38. ↑ St Hilary's Annual Report, 2013
  39. ↑ GFS Australia Inc 23rd National Council Minutes
  40. ↑ Annual Report 2019, Kooyoora
  41. ↑ The Parish Magazine, Epping Anglicans
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