Saturday 2nd May 2026
New Hope Baptist Church or
Streaming online
When: Saturday 2nd May 2026, 8.30am to 3pm
Where: New Hope Baptist Church, Blackburn North
or streaming from the comfort of your own home
This year we start a three year series in the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. This letter is one of the most overlooked and underestimated letters of the New Testament. In it Paul tackles such issues as the end times, friendship, love, work and death. This year we'll look at the origins of the church in Acts 17 as well as the beginning of the book. We'll be looking at how the God's good news turned the world upside down in the Macedonia of the first century AD (Acts 17:6) and continues to do so in the Melbourne of the 21st century.
Our speakers Sharon Cooper and Louisa Pfitzner are excited to be bringing this part of God's word to you. Tickets will go on sale in February. If you're further afield and would like to organise a hub please be in contact with us on entrustwomen@outlook.com
Seminars will be announced shortly.
Speakers
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Sharon Cooper is an educator, artist, and ministry practitioner committed to the authority and transformative power of the gospel. A graduate of Ridley College, she holds qualifications in both theology and finance, and currently serves as the Partnership Support Program Manager at Church Missionary Society Victoria.
Her creative background and cross-cultural perspective enrich her teaching; she loves to nurture spaces of worship, mission, and community. Sharon and her husband Greg love being part of City on a Hill Melbourne.
Louisa Pfitzner is amongst other things a child of God, wife, mother and Anglican minister. She works alongside her husband, Rene, at St Alfred's Anglican Church in Blackburn North, where she is one of the Children and Families' ministers.
Louisa loves investigating her Dutch heritage, listening to podcasts, reading, knitting, cycling, and having lunch with her husband on a midweek day off.
What they're saying:
It is so important for Jesus’ church that women are challenged in their obedience to Christ, mobilized in their gifts, and have an ever deepening vision of the beauty & power of a life lived for him. Women teaching women is such a powerful way that Jesus brings this into being. I am thankful for the contribution of Entrust in this unique and vital work.
Stephanie Judd
City on a Hill, Executive Director - Leadership Academy
It has been a great joy to see the timely emergence of the Entrust Women conference in Melbourne: young and able evangelical women committed to ministry among women based on the exploration and exposition of God’s word and mutual encouragement for ministry. I warmly commend this new venture and am glad to be associated with it. My hope and prayer is that through it Christian women across Victoria will be taught, rebuked, corrected, and trained in righteousness so that they might be capable and equipped for every good work that God has prepared for them in their families, among God’s people, and in the workplace.
Andrew Reid
I've enjoyed previous Entrust conferences for the stimulating Bible talks and seminars, on both practical and theological issues; the opportunities to see friends and acquaintances, and to meet other women who are striving to live for Jesus; and for the encouragement and joy of gathering with like-minded women - young and old, city and rural, mothers, students, workers, of different ethnicities and backgrounds, working in ministry or simply living for Jesus in everyday life.
Fiona McLean
Women's Minister, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Doncaster
A conference for women, led by women, who desire to see women across Victoria established in their faith, equipped in their ministries, and encouraged in their cross-bearing, Christ-centred life, how can it not be wholeheartedly commended. I am grateful for the evangelical women who lead this conference with a commitment to faithful expository preaching. It has been a delight to see the fruits of this conference and how it has shaped the lives and ministry of the women in our church, as they seek to live their lives as daughters of the King. My prayer is that this will be seen amongst more women and more churches for the glory of God.
John Huynh
Minister, Surrey Hills Presbyterian Church
FAQ
Helpful Information
What are the goals of Entrust Women?
We have two goals, represented by the two Ts in enTrusT:
• to provide clear, faithful Bible teaching from women and to women in Melbourne
• to provide training to women from Melbourne and wider Victoria as they learn to teach and train other women.
We took the name Entrust Women from 2 Timothy 2:2 – “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will be qualified to teach others.” That’s what we want to do: pass on the gospel by giving women an opportunity to teach one another, and to learn how to teach one another, from God’s word.
Why do we need another conference?
What’s different about Entrust Women? There are lots of great conferences with speakers from various places. Our conference is unusual because most of our speakers are women who live in Melbourne or wider Victoria. That’s because one of our goals is to give local women opportunities, models and training as they teach the Bible to other women.
Who runs the conference?
We’re run by a small group of women from different churches in Melbourne, who share the same convictions about the centrality of the cross and the Bible, and the same dream: to encourage ministry by women and to women. Our committee includes Louisa Pfitzner (St Alfred's, Blackburn North), Belinda Grant (Grace Christian Community) Erin McNamara (Mentone Baptist), Fiona McLean (Holy Trinity, Doncaster), Gabriella Djunatan (International Reformed Evangelical Church), Laura Neilson (Redemption Church, Ringwood) Melissa Dixon (Brimbank Presbyterian) and Kellie Vanderkruk (Mentone Baptist).
What happens on the day?
God-willing our conference will still run on Saturday 2nd May 2026. You can either attend the conference in person at New Hope Baptist, Blackburn North, or stream the conference from home. Either way, we'll have two great talks, a seminar, music, an interview, book reviews and other activities to make the day memorable and encouraging.
Why has the ticket price increased?
The Entrust Conference is a not for profit event. The ticket price covers the many costs of hosting the conference which have all increased markedly in the last couple of years. We had kept the ticket prices artificially low since COVID but we can no longer continue to do so.
We try to keep costs down by providing the option of BYO catering. But please get in contact (entrustwomen@outlook.com) if the cost is prohibitive and we will see how we can help you.
Parking/ transport
NewHope Baptist Church is located at 3 Springfield Rd, Blackburn North VIC 3130. There are limited car spaces available on site and we recommend allowing an extra 10 to 15 minutes to find a car park within the neighbourhood. Car Park entry is via Springfield Rd only.
If you're coming by:
CAR. Come East along the M3 take Middleborough Road exit, follow to Springfield Road, we are on the corner.
TRAIN/WALK.Take the Lilydale or Belgrave line towards Laburnum Station, walk up to Middleborough Road/ Springfield Rd, we are on the corner (Approximately 15 minutes walk).
BUS. From Box Hill Station. Take Bus number 279 towards Doncaster alight at the stop on Middleborough Road/Springfield Road, just opposite New Hope.
What COVIDsafe practices will be in place?
We will be practicing whatever COVIDsafe practices are required at the time.
However, please stay home if you are unwell. You'll still have access to the livestream so that you can participate from home.
What about our regional delegates?
You are of course welcome to attend at New Hope Baptist Church.
However, you could consider organising a watch party with other women from your church in your city. Please contact us on entrustwomen@outlook.com and we can work it out with you.
Will the conference be suitable for teens and young adults?
Yes, our aim is to have teaching that will be accessible to all. We will also be having a teen seminar again this year.
So if you’re a pastor or Christian worker, encourage the young women in your youth group, young adults’ group, or university group to attend. *Please note that delegates under 18 years of age must be supervised by their parent/guardian at all times throughout the conference, apart from the teen seminar.
I’d like to encourage women from my church to come along, but don’t know how.
Please feel free to use the promotional material on our resources page. You could also encourage your women to follow us on Facebook or Instagram for the latest news.
Can I Bring My Baby?
Unfortunately, we cannot accomodate children. However, nursing mothers are welcome to bring their baby.