Vale: Reverend Rowena Harris

1 August 1961 to 25 May 2025

In the tapestry of religious leadership, certain figures stand out for their unwavering dedication, compassion and ability to inspire transformation within their communities.  Among these remarkable individuals was the Reverend Rowena Harris, whose life and ministry have left an indelible mark on the lives of countless people.  Through her innovative approach to faith, inclusive outlook and commitment to social justice, Rowena was a good friend who brought hope to many.  While she had a life-long conviction as a member of the Uniting Church, she companioned and journeyed with those in the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane who campaigned for the ordination of women as deacons and priests.

Rowena grew up the inner northwestern suburbs of Brisbane, in a home where values of kindness, community and resilience were woven into daily life.  Raised in an environment that cherished compassion and open-mindedness, she was encouraged from a young age to ask difficult questions and to seek answers not just in sacred texts, but in the lived experiences of those around her.  Her family’s commitment to service set the foundation for a lifelong journey of faith.  In later years, when she became a Minister in Association at Ashgrove, during the time she was in chaplaincy at the Wesley Hospital, she’d share somewhat wryly how there were still folk in the UCA at Ashgrove who “remembered changing my nappies”, as Ashgrove had been the church her family attended.  She’d wait for a laugh from her interlocutor and then comment fondly about those dear folk she had the privilege of ministering with many decades later.

Rowena first trained as a social worker, a role that gave her many skills she was able to transfer into her ministry.  Ordained in 1988 as a Minister of the Word (and at the tender age of 26), her ministry over more than thirty years encompassed parish ministry, school chaplaincy, hospital chaplaincy and frontier services ministry.  From what I observed, it seemed Rowena was in her element most during her ministry in Victoria.  She loved the mountains of Gippsland and relished the ministry she had to remote communities, for whom the church was the last institution standing in town, long after the banks and other services had moved out.

Rowena ministered extensively after the fires in 2020 – having herself been airlifted out of a scary situation in Mallacoota at New Year.  She told stories of being stuck on the beach with the other residents of Mallacoota, of the eery skies, of the moments of levity in the midst of disaster which kept people’s spirits up as they waited for evacuation.  I am sure Rowena herself contributed to those moments of levity, because she was able to see the humour in life, even in the midst of great trauma and suffering.  And she would have been suffering herself, because of her chronic asthma, for which the smoke of the fires was no good.

I first knew Rowena as part of Ship of Fools, connecting online in 2001.  She loved people, loved engaging with the online community of the Ship and participating in it.  She and our friends from the Ship were integrally involved in my discernment of vocation, and when I put my hand up and was accepted for training and ordination in Brisbane, she said, “Don’t go and live in the ratholes at St Francis’ College; come and live in my manse.”  She was in the process of moving at the time and deliberately selected a rental property close to the Wesley Hospital – and close to St Francis.  I sometimes quip that my ordination as an Anglican was because of the largesse of the Uniting Church in housing me through my theological studies.

Rowena was like that, generous and larger than life: she offered a home to a number of friends over the years.  In the last few years of her ministry in Gippsland she engaged HelpX workers, often people from overseas on a gap year, who came to stay with her in exchange for help around the house.  She had endless stories to tell of the people who passed through her life – with so many of whom she retained ongoing friendships.

I was glad, through 2020-2022, to be able to visit Rowena regularly between Monash Hospital and Kingston Rehab in Melbourne, and to spend some time with her.  When I’d visit, she’d talk about the people who’d visited her that week.  Even at such a remove from the communities she’d been part of, there was a steady stream of regular visitors – which is a testament to the way Rowena connected with people.

She was a person of great empathy, who saw ministry not as a position of authority, but as a vocation of service, humility, and courage.  Rowena stood in solidarity with those who were on the fringes.  She spoke out against racism, gender inequality, and environmental degradation, framing these struggles as matters of faith.  Her pastoral care was renowned for its warmth and attentiveness.  She walked alongside individuals facing illness, bereavement, family conflict and spiritual crisis, offering guidance that was both practical and deeply rooted in compassion.  Through counselling, prayer and presence, she helped many rediscover hope and belonging in times of darkness.

Rowena was a kind and good friend to me.  I’ll miss her quirky humour that could take me by surprise, her retellings of hilarious ministry moments which always had her listeners rolling around on the floor laughing.  I’ll miss her compassion, her insight, her interest in other people and their lives, her sunny personality and, above all, her friendship.  I’m so thankful that she was engaged in MOW, that she stood with her Anglican sisters as they waited and watched for the opportunity to serve as ordained persons in the church.  And I’m so thankful for the way she supported me in my own journey to ordination and beyond.

Rest in peace, Rowena.  And sing with the angels!

Very Rev’d Keren Terpstra