Meet Noline Matemera – Trustee Blog
Noline Matemera recently joined our Trustees Team at Everyday Church. We asked Noline some questions to get to know her better...
How did you come to faith?
I had an interesting journey to faith because although my mother was a practising Methodist, she could not get my siblings and I to attend church with her. We found her church terribly dull and monotonous. My father was not a Christian but was always keen for us to attend church – even if he did not!
A local Baptist church near where we lived in Zimbabwe at the time, ran a vibrant youth ministry that all the youth in the neighbourhood attended. That church organised an annual Scripture Union camp on the shores of a local lake. I attended the camp one year and during one of the evening meetings, I had an overwhelming sense of my sin, brokenness and need for Christ. I gave my life to Christ that night and I vividly remember crying desperately for what felt like hours after that. I have subsequently experienced God's Spirit at different times in my life, but that encounter has stayed with me – it marked me for him for good. It was a turning point in my life.
Someone led me to faith as a young person and that changed the course of my life. As a result of my journey to faith, I care particularly deeply for youth and children’s ministry and outreach to unchurched young people.
I had an interesting journey to faith because although my mother was a practising Methodist, she could not get my siblings and I to attend church with her. We found her church terribly dull and monotonous. My father was not a Christian but was always keen for us to attend church – even if he did not!
A local Baptist church near where we lived in Zimbabwe at the time, ran a vibrant youth ministry that all the youth in the neighbourhood attended. That church organised an annual Scripture Union camp on the shores of a local lake. I attended the camp one year and during one of the evening meetings, I had an overwhelming sense of my sin, brokenness and need for Christ. I gave my life to Christ that night and I vividly remember crying desperately for what felt like hours after that. I have subsequently experienced God's Spirit at different times in my life, but that encounter has stayed with me – it marked me for him for good. It was a turning point in my life.
Someone led me to faith as a young person and that changed the course of my life. As a result of my journey to faith, I care particularly deeply for youth and children’s ministry and outreach to unchurched young people.
"I gave my life to Christ that night and I vividly remember crying desperately for what felt like hours after that."
Tell us a bit about you and your family
I have an adult child who I am lucky to live and work with! There is often an almighty scramble for the shower at about the same time as we try and get out and catch the same time train into central London each morning. I also have two sisters who between them have three kids under the age of five. So often, I will be seen in the creche with one of the other of my nephew or nieces. We are all incredibly fortunate to live very close to one another, so we are often in and out of each other's houses which is such a blessing.
I have an adult child who I am lucky to live and work with! There is often an almighty scramble for the shower at about the same time as we try and get out and catch the same time train into central London each morning. I also have two sisters who between them have three kids under the age of five. So often, I will be seen in the creche with one of the other of my nephew or nieces. We are all incredibly fortunate to live very close to one another, so we are often in and out of each other's houses which is such a blessing.
What brought me to Everyday Church?
My daughter and I moved from Bedford to SW London in 2016. In Bedford we had attended All Nations Church for a long time and were deeply embedded in that community. We initially struggled to find a new church and settle. As part of our weekly Sunday tour of churches in Kingston, we eventually found ourselves in Everyday Church Kingston.
What settled us at Everyday Church Kingston was the homeless ministry it supported. It was the first thing I saw when I walked into the building. I recall walking in and thinking this is what church should look and smell like! It resonated with Jesus' own ministry, it was not among the well-heeled, but the lepers, the outcast and those at the fringes of society.
My daughter and I moved from Bedford to SW London in 2016. In Bedford we had attended All Nations Church for a long time and were deeply embedded in that community. We initially struggled to find a new church and settle. As part of our weekly Sunday tour of churches in Kingston, we eventually found ourselves in Everyday Church Kingston.
What settled us at Everyday Church Kingston was the homeless ministry it supported. It was the first thing I saw when I walked into the building. I recall walking in and thinking this is what church should look and smell like! It resonated with Jesus' own ministry, it was not among the well-heeled, but the lepers, the outcast and those at the fringes of society.
"I recall walking in and thinking this is what church should look and smell like! It resonated with Jesus' own ministry, it was not among the well-heeled, but the lepers, the outcast and those at the fringes of society."
As part of Everyday Church Kingston, I went to Israel with the wider Everyday family in 2019. I am grateful to God for that trip as I believe he connected and prepared me for the move from Everyday Church Kingston to Everyday Church Wimbledon which happened after lockdown. Although Everyday Church Kingston is going through a fallow period, the season of fellowshipping in Wimbledon has opened me up to the whole church.
I currently call Everyday Church Wimbledon my home venue, but I have much expectation that God is doing something new with Everyday Church Kingston and we will be entering a new season soon. I look forward to "perceiving it" in the fullness of time – Isaiah 43:19.
I currently call Everyday Church Wimbledon my home venue, but I have much expectation that God is doing something new with Everyday Church Kingston and we will be entering a new season soon. I look forward to "perceiving it" in the fullness of time – Isaiah 43:19.
Tell us how you become a trustee?
Not quickly is probably an accurate answer! Simon and Helen initially approached me about becoming a trustee. My initial reaction was that I was underqualified, and that the role was for someone else. Helen very patiently and lovingly answered all my questions and addressed all my fears. Most of them turned out to be untruths of the enemy!
As part of our discussions, I began sitting in trustee meetings as an observer. I found that particularly helpful as I more readily saw many parallels between my day job and the issues discussed at meetings. I began to see trusteeship as a different way to serve God and my church – akin to children's ministry, hosting, and many other ways that others serve in church. In the fullness of time, I became a full trustee of the church.
I thank God for making a way for me to serve him with the giftings and talents he has bestowed upon me. He is having back what was his in the first place!
Not quickly is probably an accurate answer! Simon and Helen initially approached me about becoming a trustee. My initial reaction was that I was underqualified, and that the role was for someone else. Helen very patiently and lovingly answered all my questions and addressed all my fears. Most of them turned out to be untruths of the enemy!
As part of our discussions, I began sitting in trustee meetings as an observer. I found that particularly helpful as I more readily saw many parallels between my day job and the issues discussed at meetings. I began to see trusteeship as a different way to serve God and my church – akin to children's ministry, hosting, and many other ways that others serve in church. In the fullness of time, I became a full trustee of the church.
I thank God for making a way for me to serve him with the giftings and talents he has bestowed upon me. He is having back what was his in the first place!
In closing, as his church continues to grow and evolve, my prayer is we are able to discern his voice and leading as a trusteeship.
God bless,
Noline Matemera
Find out more about Everyday Church Kingston
God bless,
Noline Matemera
Find out more about Everyday Church Kingston