Chosen Conference organisers Catherine Simpson and Donna Springgay
Donna Springgay is passionate about seeing women growing as disciples of Jesus—growing in their ability to hear and teach God’s Word.
Donna is part of a team from Heretaunga Community Church in Upper Hutt that has been developing a culture of discipleship involving women sharing testimonies, deepening their study of God’s Word, and providing opportunities to use their teaching gifts in ministry to other women.
At Heretaunga Community Church, the overall responsibility to lead and teach the church is taken up by qualified men only. Heretaunga’s eldership supports and encourages women in their ministry to other women.
For Donna, this model is a practical outworking of Titus chapter 2.
“I’ve never been to Bible School, but I have a passionate desire to learn more about God’s Word. I was blessed to have really good input from other women who’ve discipled me as I’ve grown in my faith.
“From the day I got saved at 18 I had someone—who is now a good friend—take me aside and ask me if I knew how to read God’s Word, and then show me how. That deep study was really mind-blowing. I realised that in order to understand my faith I needed to know what the Bible says. I’m still very much a beginner when it comes to theology, but I think we can often underestimate women when it comes to their capacity for deep study of God’s Word.”
Going Deeper into God’s Word
In 2020 Donna and her husband Jon completed a two-year servant leadership course called SaLT with then-pastor Miles Davison. Donna had been meeting up with Jodie Shirley regularly to pray, and the two of them were growing in their desire to encourage other women in their love for God’s Word.
“We were keen to get women further into God’s Word, past short daily devotionals. We wanted to encourage intentional relationships—where we go beyond the ‘how are you? I’m fine’ conversations and share our lives. We also wanted to grow a platform for women in our church to grow their teaching gifts—for the older women to teach the younger alongside practical fellowship. Along with Jodie, I went to Miles and we pitched the idea for ‘Testimonies and Teacups’”
The elders were supportive, so Donna and Jodie got to work:
“We kept it really simple. We literally open a packet of biscuits, someone tells their story, then we pray for that person, and then we have some teaching. Everybody is expected to have their Bible, we open the Bible and unpack a bit of a passage, as you would at a Sunday service—to the best of our ability. At first it was just me and Jodie doing the teaching, then Catherine Simpson joined us, and the team has continued to grow.”
‘Testimonies and Teacups’ has been running once a month since then, opening the way for ministry to a wider group of women—from Heretaunga Community Church and beyond.
Launching Chosen Conference
“I’d been part of women’s retreats and conferences before. I’d come away blessed out of my boots, I’d be so encouraged in my walk with God, encouraged as a woman, encouraged as a mother, encouraged as a woman who went to work, and I just really valued hearing other women teach! Catherine had been overseas at The Master’s Seminary with her husband while he studied and she’d had a taste of the American version of a women’s conference.”
With the elders’ encouragement, they went ahead and launched the Chosen Conference for women in 2024.
“We were working on the keep-it-simple theory. We just did a day, finishing in the afternoon. Two sessions of full-on teaching and worship led by women. It’s a conference for women, by women.
Women enjoying the Chosen Conference 2026
“We decided not to charge for our conference which was a massive step of faith, as women are often the first to say, ‘we can’t afford that, so I won’t do it’. There’s an opportunity to give a koha and we trust God for whatever we need. Every time we break even. I’ve seen little old ladies give a generous koha, knowing that young mums might not be able to afford it.”
On May 16 this year they ran Chosen Conference for a third time, with more than 100 women attending—from Heretaunga and a number of other Open Brethren Heritage churches.
“We had women from The Anchor Church, Onslow Community Church, Feilding Bible Chapel, Tawa Gospel Hall, Naenae For Christ Community Church, and Broderick Road Chapel, as well as women from several other local churches.”
The conference is blessed by a group of men who serve in the kitchen, “There are a group of men who are amazing cooks and were pleased to help make the conference possible—no women were allowed in the kitchen!
A glimpse of the amazing spread put on by the team of men who were serving in the kitchen.
“It’s an opportunity for women to take a day together to sit and talk, and really be honest with where we are with God. We have time to take a deep breath away from our families, away from our work commitments—and spend time together in God’s Word.
Leanne Wickham was this year’s main speaker, teaching from Philippians 4:11, and Philippians 4:13 on ‘Walking With Joy and Contentment’. Workshops from Cyndy Hauwaho, Tania Fleming and Suzanne Thom featured testimony, teaching and practical wisdom.
Main Speaker Leanne Wickham.
“What excited me the most, and brought me to tears, was hearing these three sisters in Christ speak—it’s something they hadn’t done before. Tania Fleming, one of the most gracious Christians I know, spoke so beautifully about how to have joy and contentment in times of anxiety and struggle—through time with God in his Word. Cyndy spoke about joy and contentment in family life—sharing her testimony. Suzanne spoke about joy and contentment in the workplace. The aim was to cover all the phases of life to speak to women different stages.”
Workshop Speaker Suzanne Thom.
Workshop Speaker Cyndy Hauwaho.
Moving beyond the superficial
It’s the desire to go beyond the ‘pink fluffy stuff’ that keeps Donna and the team motivated.
“I’m a big advocate of Matthew 28:19, ‘therefore go and make disciples of all nations’—and that’s an action. ‘Go and make’, that doesn’t mean ‘hope that it happens’, that doesn’t mean ‘have a nice conversation’ it means be involved—the best disciples are the ones who are active in their community. The first disciples didn’t go to a commune and hide away, they were active in their communities.
“Both Chosen Conference and Testimonies and Teacups came from simply wanting to just get started. We kept it simple. I think that where the ‘pink fluff’ comes from, is that we can be caught up in thinking that every time women get together we have to bake a cake, there has to be sparkly lights, beautifully arranged flowers or matching outfits… It can get complicated and we end up missing the main thing!”
