Revd Molly Chitokwindo

Hello,

I’m Rev’d Molly Chitokwindo, and I am delighted and grateful to be part of the West Oxfordshire Methodist Circuit. I am married to Allen Zvikomborero Chidziya, and we are blessed with two daughters, Kunashe and Sheanopa. Their Shona names tell a beautiful story: Kunashe means “There is a God” and Sheanopa means “God gives” together, their names form the sentence, “There is a God who gives.” That is a reminder to our family of God’s goodness and generosity.

Allen and I love being outdoors and especially enjoy mountain climbing. Allen has climbed Mount Snowdon five times, I have climbed it three times and Sheanopa twice. I have also climbed Ben Nevis once on my own while Allen was playing in his squash league in Walsall! Both our girls played sport growing up, with both enjoying netball and Kunashe also playing table tennis. University life has now taken them away from their sporting activities, but we still enjoy being active as a family whenever we can.

I have been a Methodist minister for many years, and my journey of faith and ministry began in my teenage years in Zimbabwe. From the beginning, I found myself drawn towards people, community, justice and those who are often overlooked or on the margins. My ministry has taken me through many different communities and experiences, including prison ministry, work with vulnerable communities, refugee and migrant communities, multi-faith work and supporting people who have found themselves displaced or in need of a safe place to belong.

At the heart of who I am, I have always believed that church is not simply a place we come to, but a community we build together and take out into the world.

At the heart of my ministry is a very simple belief: love must be lived, not just preached, sung or talked about. I believe every person is created and loved by God, and I want my ministry to help create communities where people are welcomed, valued, heard and able to discover their gifts and their place in God’s story. I love being with people, listening to their stories and discovering the gifts and richness that each person brings. I believe every person is precious and valued by God, and I want my ministry to help create communities where people know that they belong, are welcomed, and are loved.

Prayer is one of the pillars of my life and ministry. My prayer is that my life will speak about Christ Jesus even before I have spoken a word. My passion is to build communities that reflect Jesus communities of love, compassion, welcome, justice and hope, where people can encounter something of God’s love through the way we live and care for one another.

I am excited about what God is already doing across the West Oxfordshire Circuit and grateful for the opportunity to join in. I look forward to getting to know you, sharing in your joys and challenges, and discovering together where God is calling us next.

It is a real privilege to be here, and I give thanks to God for bringing me to this new chapter of ministry. I look forward to meeting you all!