173. Naomi Cooke - 30 June 2024

Australian Women Preach

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 5: 21-43

The Very Reverend Naomi Cooke is an ordained Anglican priest and is currently the Dean of the Cathedral of Grafton in regional NSW’s Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr country.

Naomi's spiritual formation has been shaped by a rich tapestry of ecumenical experiences. Her childhood faith was nurtured within the vibrant parish and youth movements of the Roman Catholic Church alongside the invitational discipleship of Sydney Anglican youth groups. She studied at a Baptist theological college, developed her vocation within the gentle and inclusive Anglo-Catholic traditions of regional QLD and NSW, worked within the democratic and inclusive ethos of the Uniting Church of Australia, and served for two decades as a School Chaplain in Independent Schools.

With degrees in Theology and Arts (English Literature), she was amongst the first women in Australia to be ordained by a female Anglican Bishop and is only the 9th woman in Australia to be installed as a Dean of an Anglican Cathedral. Naomi works closely with First Nations communities in the journey towards Reconciliation and her ministry includes the creativity of Godly Play, Taize prayer, Prayer Spaces and Labyrinth reflections.