Louise Wernich (35) is the new senior minister at Northfield Methodist Church and will conduct her first official service under this title on Christmas Day.
She currently lives in Centurion but heralds from Springs, where she attended Pinegrove Primary and Jan Jurgens High School.
Louise is, however, no stranger to Benoni and the Northfield Methodist as she joined the church in 2012 as a probationer (a candidate for ministry) and started her training for ordained ministry here.
There is much she loves about Benoni and its people, but the thing which stands out for her is that the congregation has been extremely supportive of her promotion to senior minister.
“It is very unusual for a congregation to trust someone so young – and female – but Northfield’s congregation has made me feel welcome and loved, and I really appreciate this,” she said.
Her road to ministry started in high school.
“Someone very close to me was addicted to drugs and did everything they could to get out of it, but couldn’t,” she explained.
“One day, they told me they’d met a pastor and they came to know Jesus.
“I was sceptical this would help them out of their addiction, but it actually made a massive difference in this person’s life.
“It was such an eye-opener that I then started delving deeper into Christianity.”
It wasn’t long before the calling to work in a church became a feeling Louise couldn’t shake.
“I had actually always wanted to be an aeronautical engineer – maths and science were my best subjects at school – so this strange pull towards ministry was a struggle for me.
“I prayed for answers, and, one night, had a dream about the end of time in which some people went to heaven and others stayed behind.
“I asked God ‘what about the people who are staying behind?’ and he said ‘do you want to stay with them?’ and I said ‘yes, I will’.
“Then, I prayed for a job in the church and two weeks later I was offered the post of youth pastor at the Geduld Methodist Church in Springs. I was 18 years old.”
The new post was “terrifying” but Louise thrived under the guidance of the minister, Vivienne Over, who insisted she complete two degrees – a BCom and Theology.
She took up these studies straight out of school and last year, Louise completed her masters in Theology.
“I studied part-time through Unisa, while working, and while it was a longer road than it could have been, it was certainly worthwhile and accommodated my family’s lifestyle,” Louise said.
She met her husband, Charlie, at a church camp and they married in 2006. They have a daughter, Jeida (11), and a son, Gabriel (9).
Charlie is also in ministry at a church in Centurion.
Louise was at Geduld Methodist for six years where she said she developed amazing relationships with the youth.
After this, she moved on to the Trinity Methodist Church, in Springs, as a lay pastor and in her second year there, she was requested to take over as minister at the Geduld Methodist, where she stayed for another two years before becoming part of the Northfield Methodist family in Benoni.
“In the seven years I have been at Northfield, I have become close friends with the ministers and other team members,” Louise said.
“I love the fact that Northfield has such a big team – we are two ministers, a deacon, a lay pastor and over 30 full-time support staff.
“I really don’t think I would have considered the role of senior minister if it was not for the ministry team; they have made the transition smooth and less stressful.”
She said she hopes their work is making a difference, not only at Northfield but in the greater Benoni.
“The youth remain very important to me.
“What I would like to uphold and promote is that Northfield is a family-orientated church, and the two morning services which will be conducted on Christmas Day will be family friendly.”
