The Rev Thomson (51) was ordained at First Church last Sunday and will give her first services this weekend, including one in Samoan.
The daughter of an Auckland-based minister, Mrs Thomson moved to Dunedin more than 20 years ago to study at the University of Otago.
Studying divinity "for fun", Mrs Thomson was adamant she was not going to be a minister.
"For 24 years people have been asking me 'when are you going to be a minister?' - it never seemed to go away. Back then I didn't want to be a minister."
Married with four children, the stay-at-home mum decided to "follow the calling", enrolling at the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership several years ago.
Of the six to graduate in her year, she was the last to be ordained.
"It was a lovely experience," she said, and "the completion of a whole process".
Joining the Rev Tokerau Joseph at First Church, Mrs Thomson will work part-time, taking three services a month, the main English service at 10am, an 11.30am Cook Island service and a Samoan service at 2pm.
"I am busy practising some Samoan for this Sunday's service. I hope I can get beyond ta lofa lava for that service and kia orana when I take a Cook Island service next week."
With her home congregation of Knox Church sharing First Church while a new sprinkler system is installed, "it was another example of God's sense of humour, that I can be a minister for my church family".
