Our Vision
The Diocese through this decade is working on Regeneration. We dream of each of our ministry units being populated with new generations of believers. We pray for each of our churches to have a spread of generations in its congregations.
Our focus is on making disciples, strengthening families and building communities.
Come and join us!
Our Story
In 1850 Christchurch and the Canterbury plains and foothills were settled with migrants from Great Britain, many of whom were members of the Church of England. Anglican churches were founded. Anglican missioners shared the Good News with local Māori.
In 1856 the Diocese of Christchurch was established, Christchurch was declared a city by Queen Victoria, and Bishop Henry Harper arrived as our first bishop.
Nearly 170 years later we are onto our ninth bishop. The Diocese incorporates all of Canterbury, Westland and the Chatham Islands, divided into 54 parishes and one Cathedral ministry unit in the centre of Christchurch.
Safeguarding and Complaint Process
Safeguarding is about prevention of harm and early intervention to minimise the opportunity for the child, young person or vulnerable adult to be harmed.
If you wish to make a complaint about an office bearer in the Anglican Church (for example, a priest, deacon, bishop, licenced lay minister, trustee, etc) we encourage you to put it in writing and send it directly to the independent Registrar, either by email or post.
What is faith?
Is Christianity true?
What happens when I die?
Finding faith in a busy world.
Coming soon: We talk to 5 people with fresh stories of finding faith & community.
News and Announcements
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Read more: Bishop Peter’s Christmas message 2025
Bishop Peter’s Christmas message 2025
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Read more: Christmas and Holiday Services 2025 – Jan 2026
Christmas and Holiday Services 2025 – Jan 2026
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Read more: Primatial Christmas Message 2025
Primatial Christmas Message 2025
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Read more: AnglicanLife Issue 86 Print Magazine is out
AnglicanLife Issue 86 Print Magazine is out
Anglican e-Life
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Read more: Anglican e-Life | 21 January 2026
Anglican e-Life | 21 January 2026
Dear Friends,
It is not possible to talk about a “Happy New Year” as 2026, less than one month old, sees no cessation in conflict and oppression in Gaza and the West Bank, Syria, Sudan and Ukraine, news of Iranian citizens being slaughtered by soldiers, terrorists and police employed by their own government, the breakdown of international law and order via US intervention in Venezuela and Trump’s obsession with owning Greenland, and flooding in parts of our islands as heavy rain falls in summer (once unknown but now a regular feature in our changed climate). I ask that our intercessions in regular services and our foci in parish prayer meetings includes prayer that our God will deliver the world from evil, with a special focus on deliverance from the evil of killing people in the Middle East: Gaza, West Bank, Syria and Iran. I also ask, as we perhaps have our attention taken up with the latest headlines, such as those about Iran, that in our prayers we continue to pray for all caught up in war, not forgetting enduring conflicts that now may not receive headline treatment. Evil is being visited on our world in these days. There is no cause in this world worth killing people for. I honour those who have given their lives in recent times for the simple cause of seeking to live free lives in a civil, just society.
Nevertheless, at the beginning of this year, we have some things to celebrate, and I congratulate the following in our Diocese who have been awarded honours by the King on recommendation of our Government: the Reverend Dr Patricia Allan (ONZM), Mr Graham Carr (ONZM), Mrs Bev Forrester (MNZM), Miss Jill Kerr (MNZM). I also note that Mrs Jane Zintl who lives in Wellington but in recent times has contributed to our diocese’s boundaries training has received an MNZM. Please open up this link (or In the Media in this e-Life) in order to find citations for each individual’s award.
Last night we had a wonderful induction service for the Reverend Dr Joshua Taylor as he became the Vicar of Avonhead. Please pray for Joshua and Jo and their family as they settle into their new life in Avonhead. As a new era begins for Avonhead, I thank the Reverend Dr John Fox for his work as Interim Priest in Charge of Avonhead and the Reverend Les Memory for his work as Assistant Priest through the past year. John Fox reverts to being Assistant Priest for Avonhead (0.5 FTE) and continues as Senior Ecumenical Chaplain at the University of Canterbury (0.5 FTE).
This Friday night, 23 January, at 7pm in St. Barnabas, Fendalton, I will induct the Reverend Dr Andrew Butcher as Vicar of Fendalton and commission the Reverend Kay Webster as Senior Associate Priest for the Parish of Fendalton. All are welcome to this service and clergy who robe should vest in alb and red stole. Kay Webster comes to our Diocese from the Diocese of Wellington: welcome Kay!
This Sunday afternoon, 26 January, at 4pm in St. John’s Church, Barrhill, the Archdeaconry of Mid Canterbury meets for worship. Archdeacon Indrea Alexander will be our preacher and I will be presiding at the eucharist. All are welcome – from within and without the Mid Canterbury area.
Today is the final day for Nathan Muirhead in his work as our Diocesan Safeguarding officer. Nathan shortly takes up a full-time teaching role at Paparoa Street School here in Christchurch. Thank you, Nathan, for your outstanding work in this role. We are moving ahead on a new appointment for a successor to Nathan.
The Reverend Jim and Sandra Robb have recently shared news of their son Timothy Robb‘s death, on 7 January 2026. Timothy has been the Vicar of St. Mary’s Church in Eaton Socon in Cambridgeshire, England. Please pray for Jim and Sandra and the whole Robb family as they grieve, and for Timothy’s widow, Julie and their daughter Sarah as they prepare for his funeral.
Mrs Wyn Ehau has died. She is lying through this week at Te Pa Mihinare o Te Waipounamu, Ferry Roard, Christchurch, with visitors to Te Pa Mihinare welcome. Wyn’s funeral will be in the Aranui Wainoni Community Centre, 31 Hampshire Street, Christchurch at 1pm, this Friday 23 January. Wyn has been a longstanding and much-loved member of the congregation at Te Pa Mihinare. Together with her late husband George they founded Wai-Ora Trust and Wai-Ora Enterprise, a faith-based community organisation dedicated to the restoration of people and the environment.
Our Synod in September last year concluded with one lay membership on Standing Committee vacant. Recently the lay members of Standing Committee have filled that vacancy by electing Ross Jones (Hornby, Templeton and West Melton). Congratulations, Ross!
I am very pleased to announce that the Reverend Bosco Peters will be a Clerical Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, filling a vacancy created when the Reverend Mark Chamberlain retired as a clerical canon at the end of 2024. Bosco will be installed as canon at Evensong, 5pm Sunday, 1 February 2026 in the Transitional Cathedral.
During that same service we will be commissioning Archdeacon Nick Mountfort as Archdeacon for Ministry. In this role Nick will be undertaking work associated with the role of “ministry educator” for our Diocese, including leadership of Post Ordination Training, collaborating with me in our Diocesan Discernment process, representing the Diocese at various national church meetings concerning ministry formation and theological training, and facilitating such training and education as we need for lay and ordained ministers in our Diocese. For the time-being Nick will also continue as Archdeacon for Selwyn-Tawera.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent is imminent: Wednesday, 18 February 2025. I commend ministry units organising ecumenical services for Ash Wednesday and look forward to joining in our annual Roman Catholic – Anglican cathedrals’ ecumenical service (details next week). I also commend Bible study groups for Lent and recommend for study the next instalment of Theology House’s Lenten study series, In the Spirit of Lent. The edition for Year A (2025-2026) again includes art by the Reverend Sarah West and text by Gareth Bezett, Director of Theology House. Orders can be made at Theology House and books will be posted to you as soon as possible. Orders made before this week are being fulfilled this week. Copies are $9 each.
I am planning a series of Quiet Days in four parts of the Diocese in March 2026. Each Quiet Day will consist of Bible study and prayer and take place on a Saturday, 9am to 3pm. I will then preach and preside in a local church the next day. The weekends are, 7-8 March, at All Saints, Hokitika, Westland; 14-15 March at the Church of the Epiphany, Hanmer Springs; 21-22 March here in Christchurch (venues to be confirmed), and 28-29 March at St. Alban’s, Pleasant Point. It would be a great encouragement to the Parishes of Westland, Hanmer Springs and Temuka-Te Ngawai if some members of the Diocese outside those localities planned to participate in one of those three weekends. More details in the next few weeks.
Archbishop Don Tamihere has announced that the Electoral Synod for next Bishop of Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu will be on 17 and 18 April 2026. Please pray for Archbishop Don and the committee planning for this important hui, and pray that God will call candidates to be presented for consideration by the synod members.
This coming Sunday, 26 January 2026 is Epiphany 3 and the Gospel reading is Matthew 4:12-23. The mission of Jesus is (a) for the whole world, for all peoples, irrespective of nationality or tribe; (b) centred on a simple message, paraphrasing, turn away from wrongdoing, live under the rule of God; (c) always personal because the mission involves calling individuals to follow Jesus.
Arohanui,
+Peter.
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Read more: Anglican e-Life | 17 December 2025
Anglican e-Life | 17 December 2025
Dear Friends,
The act of terrorism in Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, intentionally shooting to kill Jews and not Gentiles, has shocked Australians, Kiwis and the rest of the world. We should reflect on how we might support efforts to find a just peace in the Middle East without rhetoric which fuels anti-semitism. It is anti-semitism when we blame Jews living locally for Israel’s actions far away. We should ask why Russia’s aggression against Ukraine does not engender anti-Russian killings away from Ukrainian battlefields, but Israel’s aggression in Gaza and the West Bank engenders murderous hatred of Jews outside of Palestinian-Israeli battlefields. It has been astutely observed that anti-semitism was significant in Western culture until the Second World War, then more or less absent as news of the Holocaust sunk into our consciences. But now anti-semitism is back with a vengeance, supported by an ironic mix of left and right wing politicians, influencers and podcasters.
On Monday I wrote to a local synagogue leader, Yosay B to express our Diocese’s support for Christchurch’s Jewish community at this time. Part of her response is worth sharing with you:
“The tragic news of the horrific Bondi Beach attack reached our Christchurch community shortly after our special gathering to mark the first day of Hanukkah. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the innocent people who died, were injured or forced to witness what our society abhors. Even though this was an attack that specifically targeted Jews, we know this affects all members of our society. It is reassuring to see how people gather in times of tragedy and stand up for what is right.”
Over the weekend we were privileged to be part of two lovely church services. On Friday evening in the Church of the Epiphany, Jollies Pass Road, Hanmer Springs, the Reverend Hilary Willett was inducted as Vicar of Hanmer Springs. Welcome Hilary and Kit to the Diocese of Christchurch!
Then at 5pm on Sunday 14 December, we were at a special Evensong in the Transitional Cathedral to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the First Four Ships on 16 December 1850. I thank Dean Ben Truman and Dr John Linker, Director of Music, for the wonderful service they arranged, and for the choir, readers and intercessors who led us. The text of my sermon is available here.
Earlier that Sunday it was a special joy to share in the final lunch of this year’s Sony Weekend. This weekend annually offers fifteen young people with special needs a weekend away from home, with lots of activities, fun and friendship. The Sony Weekend is jointly run by staff and students of Christ’s College and St. Margaret’s College, supported by the Sony Corporation and Ovation, a catering company.
This year’s Primatial Christmas Message – a message from our Archbishops – can be read on our Diocesan website.
Congratulations to Kathryn, daughter of Sarah Dunnings (our Theology House Librarian) and Shane Hollis, who won three gold medals in equestrian events at the recent Special Olympics held here in Christchurch.
A few days ago, the Reverend Michelle Cockell, a former Vicar of Temuka and Te Ngawai parishes, wrote to me from Canada to let me and the Diocese know that her husband, Gord Cockell, died recently.
Important services are coming up this weekend and in January, to which all are welcome:
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7pm, Sunday 21 December 2025, Nine Lessons and Carols at the Transitional Cathedral. This will be an extraordinary musical feast.
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7pm, Tuesday 20 January 2026, at St. Christopher’s, Avonhead, when the Reverend Joshua Taylor will be inducted as Vicar of Avonhead.
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7pm, Friday 23 January 2026, at St. Barnabas Church, Fendalton, when the Reverend Dr Andrew Butcher will be inducted as Vicar of Fendalton and the Reverend Kay Webster will be welcomed and commissioned as Senior Associate Priest for the Parish of Fendalton.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent is not far away as we plan for 2026. It is on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. I commend ministry units organising Bible study groups for Lent and recommend for study the next instalment of Theology House’s Lenten study series, In the Spirit of Lent. The edition for Year A (2025-2026) again includes art by the Reverend Sarah West and text by Gareth Bezett, Theology House director. Orders can be made at Theology House and books will ship from mid-January 2026 in plenty of time for Lent. Copies are $9 each.
I am working on a series of Quiet Days in four parts of the Diocese in March 2026. Each Quiet Day will consist of Bible study and prayer and take place on a Saturday, with me preaching in the local church the following day. More details in January 2026, but I am pleased to announce that one of the weekends, 7-8 March, will be at All Saints, Hokitika, Westland. It would be a great encouragement to the Parish of Westland if some members of the Diocese living on the other side of the Alps planned to travel over to Hokitika for that weekend. Other weekends will be in South Canterbury, North Canterbury, and the outskirts of Christchurch.
This coming Sunday, 21 December 2025 is Advent 4. The epistle reading is Romans 1:1-7. There is a lot to unpack from this passage, but the central point is that the Good News is all about Jesus, God’s Son, David’s descendant. The Christian message is not a set of philosophies or policies. It is a human being, Jesus Christ, who not only announces the “gospel of God” (Romans 1:1), but who also is the Good News himself. Jesus came to give us life, to save us from our wrongdoing, to dwell in us that we might share in the divine life. Christmas is the celebration of the beginning of this human announcement who is himself the message. Hence John the Evangelist’s declaration of the deep truth about Jesus, that he is the Word become flesh (John 1:14).
This is the last e-Life for 2025. Thank you for reading through this year and for your feedback. Thank you for praying for the Regeneration of our Diocese. Thank you for serving God in the life of Christ’s church through 2025.
I wish all readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Arohanui,
+Peter.
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Read more: Anglican e-Life | 3 December 2025
Anglican e-Life | 3 December 2025
Dear Friends,
At the heart of our Diocesan theme of Regeneration is an expectation that God is at work among us. I continue to pray and encourage every member of our Diocese to pray our regeneration prayer:
“Everliving God,
through Your Spirit You constantly renew the whole creation;
bring regeneration to your Diocese of Christchurch,
grant us courage to grow disciples of Jesus,
give us vision to reach young people and their families,
and strengthen us to create vibrant communities of faith.”
When we pray in this way, we are both asking God to continue to work among us and challenging ourselves to be co-workers with God in this task (2 Corinthians 6:1a). In a few weeks we come to the end of 2025, six-tenths of the way through the period 2020-2029. How are we doing? Returning to the Diocese recently, and catching up with our archdeacons, I have been struck afresh by the range of situations our ministry units are experiencing. Some flourish in respect of three critical aspects of our life together as church: people, staffing, funding. Some rejoice in two of these three things and are challenged by a shortfall in the other one. A number are feeling the pinch of inadequate staffing (e.g. with no resident priest available to preside at the eucharist), few active parishioners and funds drying up. As bishop, I rejoice in signs of regeneration but every day I feel the burden of our shortfalls, especially in the supply of clergy. Blessed though we have been in recent years with new clergy who have come into our diocesan family through ordination and appointment of new clergy from outside the Diocese, we remain understaffed across the Diocese.
What are we to do? As Kiwis we value hard work and that makes us susceptible to temptation to work harder to ensure regeneration of our Diocese. I ask us to consider resisting that temptation. Instead, let’s redouble our prayer for regeneration. The church is God’s church and through Christ we have been promised that God will build the church (Matthew 16:18). Let’s continue to pray that God’s will for the church be done.
I am delighted to announce that the Reverend Dr Andrew Butcher, currently Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Fendalton, will become Vicar of Fendalton from Friday, 23 January 2026.
I thank the Reverend Justine Tremewan who recently concluded her role this year as Missioner priest for the Parish of Linwood-Aranui. My thanks also to the Reverend Ruth Blair for her role as Team Leader for the ministry team in the Parish of Marchwiel, Timaru. After three years in the role, Ruth concludes her appointment at the end of this month. I am very glad that Ruth will continue as part of the ministry team in Marchwiel.
Important services are coming up, to which all are welcome:
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7pm, Friday 12 December 2025 in the Church of the Epiphany, Jollies Pass Road, Hanmer Springs for the induction of the Reverend Hilary Willett as Vicar of Hanmer Springs. Due to the small size of this church, clergy intending to be at the service are asked to RSVP to Veronica Cross, bishopsea@anglicanlife.org.nz, by 5 pm Wednesday, 10 December 2025. Clergy who robe – red stole please.
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5pm Sunday 14 December, Evensong in the Transitional Cathedral will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the First Four Ships on 16 December 1850. I am the preacher.
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7pm, Sunday 21 December 2025, Nine Lessons and Carols at the Transitional Cathedral.
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7pm, Tuesday 20 January 2026, at St. Christopher’s, Avonhead, when the Reverend Joshua Taylor will be inducted as Vicar of Avonhead.
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7pm, Friday 23 January 2026, at St. Barnabas, Fendalton, when the Reverend Dr Andrew Butcher will be inducted as Vicar of Fendalton, and the Reverend Kay Webster will be welcomed and commissioned as Senior Associate Priest for the Parish of Fendalton.
Last week I acknowledged the ordained ministry of the Reverend Philip Robinson 55 years, the Reverend Paul Hammonds 60 years, and the Reverend Jim Riley 65 years. This week I acknowledge the Reverend Geoff Paterson’s 55 years in ordained ministry. Thanks be to God for these 235 years of ministry.
The next instalment of Theology House’s Lenten study series In the Spirit of Lent has arrived from the printers. This edition for Year A (2025- 2026) again includes art by the Reverend Sarah West and text by Gareth Bezett, Theology House director. Orders are open now and books will ship from mid-January 2026 in plenty of time for Lent. Copies are $9 each.
The past week in our diocese has been unusually busy in our Diocese. College House’s 175th anniversary was celebrated with events through Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning, including a book launch for Lifted Up – The Chapel of the Upper Room, a book telling the story of the extraordinary chapel at College House, built in the mid 60s, damaged in the quakes, and recently restored and strengthened. It was a privilege to share in services in the chapel on Friday night and Sunday morning with the Reverend Peg Riley, the Reverend Dr John Fox, and Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon.
On Saturday morning, Wanjiru (Cirũ) Muriuki (for the Parish of Riccarton-Spreydon), André Muller (for the Parishes of East Christchurch, Linwood-Aranui and Avonside), and Bruce White (for the Parish of Burnside-Harewood) were ordained deacons in a beautiful service in the Transitional Cathedral. At the conclusion of the service, we farewelled the Reverend Jenny Wilkens from her role as our Diocesan Director of Ordination – thank you, Jenny for this ministry in the Diocese!
On Sunday evening, the Transitional Cathedral’s Advent Carol Service featured, as always, beautiful sung worship glorifying God and the re-reading of our sacred scriptures as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ into our world.
Late Saturday afternoon, Teresa and I were warmly welcomed to an inaugural event organised by the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox church here in Christchurch, in which several different churches with origins in South India participated, including a Christmas Tree competition and a Christmas Choirs’ competition. This was held at Middleton Grange School. Three of the congregations participating in this event use three of our churches in greater Christchurch for their regular worship services.
This month, Christ Church Cathedral is hosting the 10-metre steel City Mission Christmas Tree along with Pete Majendie‘seight banners in the style of Colin McCahon’s famous paintings featuring words of Scripture as part of a 12 Days of Christmas event which offers bookings for up to 50 visitors at a time on weekdays from Monday, 1 December to Tuesday, 16 December 2025. On Monday night there was a formal opening for this festival of art. The banners are magnificent – thank you Pete! They complement the familiar City Mission Christmas tree superbly.
This coming Sunday, 7 December 2025 is Advent 2. The epistle reading is Romans 15:4-13. This is a deep passage, bookended by the theme of “hope”, with our hope in God grounded in the coming of Christ into the world as a fulfilment of past hope – that the promises of God to the patriarchs would one day come to be realised. The work of God in Christ is for the world, for you and me, for Jew and Gentile, in other words, for everyone, that all are welcomed into the enduring family of God.
Arohanui,
+Peter.
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Read more: Anglican e-Life | 26 November 2025
Anglican e-Life | 26 November 2025
Dear Friends,
In the cover image are photos from last Sunday’s confirmation service for Graham Watson, Lauren Beckwith, Joanne Verkaaik, and Jayne Fall at St. Barnabas’ Church, Woodend; and photos of a Burnside-Harewood Parish retreat during Labour Weekend.
I have a lot of announcements to make and notices to give this week. Next week I intend to focus on the Regeneration of our Diocese.
Important services are coming up, to which all are welcome:
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At 10.30am, this Saturday 29 November in the Transitional Cathedral, I will ordain to the diaconate: Wanjiru (Cirũ) Muriuki (for the Parish of Riccarton-Spreydon), André Muller (for the Parishes of East Christchurch, Linwood-Aranui and Avonside)and Bruce White (for the Parish of Burnside-Harewood) will be ordained deacons. Clergy should robe with albs and red stoles. The Reverend Jenny Wilkens will be our preacher at her last service as our Diocesan Director of Ordination pending her retirement from her main role as Senior Associate Priest in the Parish of Fendalton in January 2026.
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The Transitional Cathedral Advent Carol Service is at 7pm, this Sunday 30 November.
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The Reverend Hilary Willett’s inductions as Vicar of Hanmer Springs is at 7pm, Friday 12 December in the Church of the Epiphany, Jollies Pass Road, Hanmer Springs. Due to the small size of this church, clergy intending to be at the service are asked to RSVP to Veronica Cross, bishopsea@anglicanlife.org.nz by 5pm Wednesday, 10 December.
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The 175th anniversary of the arrival of the First Four Ships to Lyttelton, and thus the official founding date of the European settlement of Canterbury is 16 December 2025. At 5pm on Sunday 14 December, Evensong in the Transitional Cathedral will celebrate this anniversary. I am the preacher.
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The Transitional Cathedral Carol Service will be at 7pm, Sunday 21 December.
St. John’s College student news: Congratulations to the Reverend Joshua Taylor, who has successfully passed the viva for his Ph. D. thesis, “Speaking of Sin in 21st Century Aotearoa”, and to Luke Watson, one of our students at St. John’s, who achieved the top marks this year in the Diploma of Christian Studies course. Cirũ Muriuki, recently concluding her studies at St John’s, is featured in the following article: The Disruptive Nature of Spiritual Growth with Ciru Muriuki – Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa
Clergy news Early in November, the Reverend Shirley Hawke concluded her ministry as Vicar of the Parish of Temuka – Te Ngawai. Thank you, Shirley, for your leadership, initially as vicar of the two parishes, then as vicar of the amalgamated Parish of Temuka – Te Ngawai. Thank you also for two periods as Acting Archdeacon of South Canterbury. Our best wishes go to you and Gary as you return to Ashburton, and we look forward to continuing to work with you in Mid Canterbury.
Archdeacon Nick Mountfort, currently Archdeacon of Selwyn-Tawera and Vicar of Upper Riccarton-Yaldhurst, with become the fulltime Archdeacon for Ministry for our Diocese from Sunday, 1 February 2026. He will remain Archdeacon for Selwyn-Tawera. In this new role, Nick will also be our Diocesan Director of Ordination (following the Reverend Jenny Wilkens’ retirement from that role at the end of this year).
Recently, at the annual lunch for our retired clergy, widows and widowers, the following years of ordained ministry were acknowledged: the Reverend Philip Robinson 55 years, the Reverend Paul Hammonds 60 years, and the Reverend Jim Riley 65 years.
Now that I am back from study leave, I want to personally acknowledge clergy whose deaths were announced while I was away: the Reverends Eunice Penman, David Hastings and Hugh Paterson. I always loved joy-filled conversations with Eunice when we met in Timaru. David Hastings and I had a few adventures in ministry when we served together in the Diocese of Nelson. Hugh Paterson led the pre-ordination retreat when I and others were ordained priests at the end of 1987. It was a privilege for Teresa and I to meet with him in his home in Sheffield not long ago.
The Reverend Dick Tripp died last week, on Monday night. Last Friday would have been his 93rd birthday. All of Dick’s ordained ministry was within our Diocese. After studies at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, UK, and at College House, here in Christchurch, Dick was ordained a deacon in 1957 and priested in 1959. He served in various roles at Bryndwr, Methven, Hoon Hay, St John’s Latimer Square, North New Brighton, Sydenham-Beckenham (x2), Belfast-Redwood and Governors Bay/Diamond Harbour (Mt Herbert Parish). Dick’s roles included pastoral ministry as an assistant curate or vicar, and evangelism as a licensed evangelist. On his work as an evangelist Bishop David Coles offers this tribute:
“He was skilled at engaging total strangers in close personal discussion about spiritual or pastoral matters, often coming back and leading many people to faith and hope as a result of a door-knock visit.”
In his retirement years, Dick wrote many apologetic pamphlets and books. He was, incidentally, a skilled magician. After many years as an active retired clergyperson, increasing frailty in recent years has meant Dick has not been visibly present among us. He will be remembered at a service at Beckenham Methodist Church, 83 Malcolm Avenue, Beckenham, at 10am on Saturday, 29 November, with a live stream link available on the Lamb and Hayward website. Unfortunately, this service time clashes with the diocesan ordination service that morning at 10.30am in the Transitional Cathedral and a number of us will not be able to be at Dick’s service. I am grateful that the Reverend Canon Brenda Bonnett and Bishop David Coles are able to represent me and the Diocese at his service. Please remember Sally Tripp, Dick’s widow, and their family in your prayers. Any messages to Sally and the family should be sent to David Tripp, their son, at david.tripp@xtra.co.nz.
In the new year there will be a change in the Anglican Centre as Nathan Muirhead, our Diocesan Safeguarding Officer leaves us to take up a full-time teaching position at Paparoa Street School in Papanui. I am very grateful to Nathan for the comprehensive and diligent work he has done on all aspects of safeguarding work for our diocese. Through Nathan we have improved our systems and enhanced our training offering to licensed ministers, lay and ordained. Thank you, Nathan! We will begin advertising soon for a new officer.
Two important publications in our Diocese are now available: The latest print edition of AnglicanLife magazine is being circulated out to ministry units today. Its theme is “Adoration”, and it is full of great reading. Please share copies with neighbours and friends!
The next instalment of Theology House’s Lenten study series, In the Spirit of Lent has arrived from the printers. This edition for Year A (2025- 2026) again includes art by the Reverend Sarah West and text by Gareth Bezett, Theology House director. Orders are open now on their website and books will ship from mid-January 2026 in plenty of time for Lent. Copies are $9 each.
On Sunday we worshipped in the morning at St. Andrew’s Church, Oxford in the Parish of Oxford-Cust, celebrating 160 years of the parish’s life and 60 years for the current church’s existence. Late afternoon we were at St. Barnabas’ Church, Woodend in the Parish of Woodend-Pegasus, where I confirmed Graham Watson, Lauren Beckwith, Joanne Verkaaik, and Jayne Fall. It was wonderful to hear each of their testimonies of what God has been doing in their lives.
I am delighted to share with you that the College House Chapel of the Upper Room has received a National Architecture Award for 2025. The Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA Architecture Award was presented recently in the Heritage category, recognising the significance of this very special building.
Christ Church Cathedral will host the 10-metre steel City Mission Christmas Tree and unveil Pete Majendie’s new artwork during the 12 Days of Christmas event which offers bookings for up to 50 visitors at a time on weekdays from Monday 1 December to Tuesday 16 December 2025.
This coming Sunday, 30 November 2025 is Advent 1 The epistle reading is Romans 13:11-14. In a few verses Paul provokes us to live today in the light of tomorrow, to wake up from sleep, to lay aside works of darkness and put on the armour of light instead, to understand that everyday is a day nearer to the end of all things – the completion of salvation and the presence of God in judgement. What changes to our lives should we make as we begin the season of Advent?
Arohanui,
+Peter.
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Our Purpose
To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
To respond to human need by loving service
To pursue peace and reconciliation
Protect the integrity of creation, sustain and renew the life of the earth