The ordination of Reverend Loice Betty Machiwenyika Jr has sparked a wider conversation about women in church leadership in Zimbabwe.
Reverend Machiwenyika has become the first woman to be ordained a reverend in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Manicaland, and the youngest reverend in the North East Zimbabwe Conference.
Her ordination is being described as a historic milestone, not only for her, but for every woman who has felt called to ministry and wondered whether the door would ever open.
Today, that door stands open, and a new generation of young women can see that leadership in the church is within their reach.
To understand what this moment means, this publication spoke to two women who are also serving in ministry, Prophetess Sammie, co-pastor at Ecclesia International Ministries and Madzimai Revesai Muza of Johanne Masowe Echishanu.
Both women say the achievement goes beyond one church or one denomination. It is a victory for women in all religious spaces.
“Putting a woman in a higher position in the clergy is a big achievement for every religious department. It shows that God calls women too, and that the Church is finally recognising the grace, the wisdom, and the strength that women carry in ministry.”
“When I look at Reverend Machiwenyika, I see a door opening for many of us. Young women will now believe that they can preach, they can lead, and they can serve at the highest level without apologising for who God made them to be,” said Prophetess Sammie.
A woman is trusted with higher responsibility in the clergy, it breaks long-held barriers and proves that calling is not limited by gender, but by faith, character, and commitment to serve.
They also believe Reverend Machiwenyika’s story will inspire young girls to dream bigger, to stay in school, to stay in faith, and to believe that they too can lead.
Her faith, courage, and commitment to serve are now being celebrated across religious lines, as a sign of progress for all women.
Madzimai Revesai Muza from Johanne Masowe eChiishanu said,
“In our faith, we respect the work of women in the Church, because women pray, women build, and women hold families together. To see a woman ordained as a reverend is a proud moment, and it teaches us that leadership is about calling, not about gender.”
“This achievement is for all women, in every church and in every religious movement. When one woman rises, she lifts many others with her. May this ordination encourage our daughters to serve God with boldness, with humility, and with courage, she said.
