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Anglican e-Life | 5 August 2026

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Dear Friends,

Last Friday night, over 150 people gathered at Christ’s College to celebrate 170 years since the approval on 31 July 1856, by Queen Victoria, via a legal means called “Letters Patent”, for the then town of Christchurch to become the city of Christchurch, simultaneous with Bishop Harper being appointed the first Bishop of the See of Christchurch (aka the Diocese of Christchurch). Aspects of the history of Christchurch, the Diocese and the ministry of Bishop Harper were spoken to by Dame Anna Crighton, Bishop David Coles and Professor Geoffrey Rice. Recalling the travels of Bishop Harper, including falls from his horse, river crossings and accommodation sometimes in basic cottages reminded me what an easy life I have when visiting parishes. The Reverend Canon Cameron Pickering, Christ’s College, Chaplain, working with the Christchurch City Sisters committee, organised a superb evening – thank you, Cameron and team!

After inclement weather on Friday evening, and prior to the stormy weather through this week, it was a joy to travel on a perfect, windless, blue-sky day to St. Mary’s Church, Rotherham (Amuri Cooperating Parish) on Sunday. The congregation there is thriving, and it was good to see a new ramp and deck for the church hall almost completed.

The previous weekend an important Pastoral Care training day was held on Saturday 25 July 2026 at St. Timothy’s, Burnside-Harewood, led by Richard Black and arranged by the Reverend Joe Keighley, Vicar of Burnside-Harewood. This was attended by 66 highly engaged people, from 18 different parishes, spread from North Canterbury to South Canterbury. Some feedback from participants on the day has been: greater confidence in supporting people, clarity around healthy boundaries and “staying in my lane”, practical listening and questioning skills, increased confidence in knowing when to refer someone to a specialist. Overall the day was encouraging because participants left feeling equipped to care of others in our ministry units more wisely, safely and confidently.

Thank you for praying for the next meeting of General Synod – Te Hīnota Whānui (GSTHW) for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is in Tonga from Saturday 15 August to Thursday 20 August, and for a prior meeting of Pakeha representatives of the seven New Zealand dioceses in Auckland on Friday 14 August. Our representatives are Bishop Peter, Clergy: Toby Behan, Kofe Havea, Ben Truman; Lay: Jo Bean, Toupili Pamatangi , Jack Hollis, Vivienne Jackson. Rachelle Mathews, our Diocesan Manager will also be there, joining other diocesan managers as they assist the General Secretary of our church, the Reverend Michael Hughes in the running of the Synod. Papers for GSTHW are available online.

Your prayers are also coveted for our annual Synod which will be held Thursday evening 3 September to late Saturday afternoon 5 September 2026. On Thursday 3 September, at 7pm, we begin Synod with our Synod Eucharist in the Transitional Cathedral. Dean Ben Truman will be our preacher. All are welcome to this service, whether members of Synod or not. Our Synod business sessions take place through the Friday and Saturday at St. Christopher’s, Avonhead. Papers to date for the Synod are publicly available at our Diocesan website.

This coming Sunday, 9 August 2026 is Ordinary 19 and the Gospel is Matthew 14:22-33. Matthew has ‘form’ when it comes to stories involving the combination of Jesus, water, storm, disciples and faith. Here, uniquely, Matthew reports to us that in one such storm, Peter attempted to walk on water, with predictable results. The lesson Jesus wanted him (and us) to learn is about faith. Peter was doing fine (29) and then not (30). What changed? A reasonable, and popular suggestion is that he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the strong wind. His response to Jesus had been to have faith, his response to the wind was to be afraid (30). When we are afraid of something, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 29 July 2026

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Dear Friends,

It was wonderful on Sunday morning to confirm Eddie Cook at St. Paul’s, West Melton, and then at St. Columba’s, Hornby, to present a Certificate of Appreciation to Gina Bolton for her extraordinary service in the Parish of Hornby, Templeton and West Melton for over 50 years.

The day before Sunday, Gareth Bezett, Director of Theology House, and I were at El Rancho, Waikanae to share in a special educational weekend in the life of our church. Through last year and this year, students taking courses towards Takiwai (Diploma of Christian studies, accredited through St. John’s College, Auckland) have been meeting for weekend teaching sessions as well as online sessions on week-day nights. Usually, these weekends are held in five different centres, including Te Waipounamu, Ferry Road, here in Christchurch. This past weekend was a gathering of all students from across North and South Islands. Gareth and I are keen to see students from the Diocese of Christchurch join the Takiwai programme in 2027. This diploma course can be completed through two years of part-time studies.

Also on Saturday, many readers of e-Life will have seen the announcement of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch that they are close to achieving the funding needed to begin work on their new Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Barbadoes Street, Christchurch. In this announcement the design of their new cathedral was revealed. I wish Bishop Michael Gielen and the Catholic Diocese well as they work on securing the funds they need ($8m) in order to begin work and a further $8m to complete the work. Let’s pray for success for them even as we pray for success for our Cathedral Project.

The next meeting of General Synod – Te Hinota Whanui (GSTHW) for the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is in Tonga from Saturday 15 August to Thursday 20 August, with a prior meeting of Pakeha representatives of the seven New Zealand dioceses in Auckland on Friday 14 August. Our representatives are Bishop Peter, Clergy: Toby Behan, Kofe Havea, Ben Truman; Lay: Jo Bean, Toupili Pamatangi, Jack Hollis, Vivienne Jackson. Rachelle Mathews, our Diocesan Manager will also be there, joining other diocesan managers as they assist the General Secretary of our Church, the Reverend Michael Hughes in the running of the Synod.

Papers for GSTHW are available online. One of the major “questions of the day” to be discussed concerns the “equity” in how educational funds for theological education and ministry training in our church (distributed each year by the St. John’s College Trust Board). In preparation for this important discussion, about 40 people met at Te Waipounamu, Ferry Road, Christchurch last Friday, including six from our Diocese – some of our GSTHW representatives and two of our educators. This conversation will lead to change in the distribution of funds, and I look forward to GSTHW’s discussion in Tonga, keen to discern where the final determination of change may land.

Thank you to all who joined in Evensong at the Transitional Cathedral on Sunday evening which included the Installation of Alan Robb as a new Lay Canon of the Cathedral.

This morning in The Press there is a lovely article on the oldest primary school in Christchurch, which happens to be St. Michael’s Church School, one of our six Anglican schools in our Diocese.

After some months of difficulty with the previous lift in the Anglican Centre, Tuam Street, Christchurch, I am delighted to announce that we have a brand new lift in the building which is working reliably and is a much simpler lift to operate. This is a good time to remind readers that Theology House and its library are open, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, on the first floor of the Anglican Centre.

The next month and a bit are synodically busy. Following GSTHW in a few weeks, our annual Synod will be held Thursday evening 3 September to late Saturday afternoon 5 September 2026. On Thursday evening, at 7pm, we begin Synod with our Synod Eucharist in the Transitional Cathedral. Dean Ben Truman will be our preacher. All are welcome to this service, whether members of Synod or not. Our Synod business sessions take place through the Friday and Saturday at St. Christopher’s, Avonhead. Please pray for your clergy and lay synod representatives, along with Anglican Centre staff as we prepare for the Synod. Papers to date for the Synod are publicly available at our Diocesan website.

This coming Sunday, 2 August 2026 is Ordinary 18 and the Gospel is Matthew 14:13-21. Compassion features in two ways in this story. Seeing a great crowd, Jesus “had compassion for them and cured their sick” (14). Then the disciples, lacking compassion, wanted the crowd sent away to fend for themselves as the evening came (15). By contrast, Jesus refuted their proposal, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat” (16). To whom do we need to show compassion this week?

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 22 July 2026

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Dear Friends,

It was a privilege to participate in three memorable events this past weekend.

The Abbey, a gathering of youth ministry leaders from across Tikanga Pakeha, took place at Living Springs from Friday to Sunday. Among the lead speakers were Matt and Zara Maslin (Bryndwr). The musical lead in our worship came from a musical team mostly drawn from local parishes and co-ordinated by Paul Hegglun (Diocesan Under 40s ministry). About 140 people gathered for this weekend from the seven dioceses of Tikanga Pakeha. Please read an excellent report on the conference published on Taonga. Thank you for praying for this conference.

On Sunday morning (a session at The Abbey), Sunday evening at the Transitional Cathedral and Monday morning at All Souls Church, Merivale, many were able to hear Palestinian Christian theologians, Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Youssef Khoury speak with theological insight and reflection on the situation Palestinians experience in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank – with reference to both the experience of violence and suffering in recent times and the longer term experience of dispossession and severe constraints on usual freedoms for human beings through many decades since 1948. I took many notes but the most striking thing I heard was how the overall approach of the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians is to de-humanise Palestinians, to treat fellow human beings as less than human. De-humanisation is inconsistent not only with Christian belief but also with Jewish belief: our common ground in Genesis 1 is that every person has been created in the image of God. A specifically Christian challenge in this situation is highlighted by something we may miss in the story of Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4). When Jesus announced that Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 61 was fulfilled that day, the congregation applauded him. When he went on to recall the healing of Naaman the Syrian and thus to proclaim that the kingdom of God was ethnically inclusive rather than exclusive, the congregation tried to kill Jesus. What is happening in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank today is incompatible with the reign of the God of Jesus Christ on earth.

Early Sunday afternoon we were able to share in lunch at the Hororata Community Hall as part of 150th anniversary celebrations of the First Church of Hororata (i.e. the wooden church on the opposite side of Hororata Road from St. John’s stone church). It was an excellent lunch which topped off a lot of hard work by local organisers for this important occasion. The First Church, incidentally, began its life as a church across the road from where it is now located. In order to make room for the then new stone church (built in 1910), it was moved from that site but only made it late on a Saturday to the middle of the road. The next morning a service was held in the church before it was further rolled off the road to its present location.

This Sunday at 5pm all are welcome to Evensong at the Transitional Cathedral during which Alan Robb will be installed as a new Lay Canon of the Cathedral. I will be the preacher.

Let’s keep praying for peace and justice in our world, and especially in the Middle East where we see conflicts failing to cease, and in the case of action on the Red Sea this week, broaden to the peril of the wider world. An important observation made by our visiting theologians (as mentioned above) is that justice is the cost of peace. While a ceasefire which lasts would be wonderful, a ceasefire is not a just peace. Let’s pray for both an immediate ceasefire and a lasting, just peace.

This coming Sunday, 26 July 2026 is Ordinary 17 and the Gospel is Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52. “The kingdom of heaven is like…”. Through a series of parables (or, a stricter definition, “similitudes” because the kingdom of heaven is illustrated by a series of “similar” things), Jesus teaches about the kingdom of heaven. What do we find helpful in this teaching? What moves us by this teaching? How might we experience life in God’s kingdom as “treasure” (v. 52) so that we are enriched by this way of life?

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 15 July 2026

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Dear Friends,

It has been lovely over the past few days to learn of ways in which churches in our Diocese have creatively and thoughtfully celebrated Matariki. Attending a secular celebration of Matariki on Saturday, I noticed and have reflected on an emerging tendency as we embrace Matariki to write into the concept of Matariki what we wish, including investing in these stars certain powers to influence the course of the year ahead. As Christians, let’s always proclaim that it is the Creator who made the stars who rules the universe and not the stars themselves.

On a cold, wet winter’s night last Wednesday it was wonderful to share with parishioners of Temuka-Te Ngawai and visitors in the Induction of the Reverend Sue Paton as the new Vicar of the Parish of Temuka-Te Ngawai. Please pray for Sue and Josh, her husband as they settle into life and ministry in this parish.

Remaining in South Canterbury: I am very pleased to announce that the Reverend Brett Roberts, Vicar of Balclutha, will be the next Vicar of St Mary’s, Timaru, beginning on Sunday, 4 October. Please pray for Brett and Ella, and their children as they prepare to move to this new appointment.

I am also very pleased to report that the Reverend Tim Handley, our Missioner Priest in the Parish of Westland, has been re-appointed to this post for a further three years. Please pray for Tim and Kathryn as they continue their missional and ministry leadership in this large parish which runs from just south of Kumara to Jacksons Bay.

The Abbey begins at Living Springs, this Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. Please pray for safe travelling for those attending, for speakers and workshop leaders, and for the music ministry team, and that all participants will be spiritually blessed through this gathering.

A final notice about the Christchurch part in an NZ speaking tour for widely-respected Palestinian Christian Theologians Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Yousef Khoury in July. All are welcome to the following public events: Christchurch Transitional Cathedral-7pm, Sun 19 July; Oxford Terrace Baptist Church-7pm, Mon 20 July. During the weekend 17-19 July, Yousef will preach at St Aidan’s, Bryndwr’s 10am Sunday service, and Lamma will be speaking at The Abbey, at Living Springs.

An important pastoral care course, previously advertised in e-Life takes place on Saturday 25 July. This Pastoral Care course takes place 9.30am to 4pm, Saturday 25 July 2026 at St Timothy’s, Burnside. The course is suitable for pastoral carers, ministers, chaplains, youth workers, small group leaders, community ministries, and anyone wanting to extend skills in this area. Registrations close this Monday, 20 July. Places are still available. Further details can be found in this e-Life at Pastoral Care 101: Pastoral Conversations.

The Reverend Canon Bosco Peters has published an updated, 2026 version of his latest liturgical work, Book of Prayers in Common Today. This publication provides collects for Sundays and other important days which are common to (at least) Anglican and Catholic worship traditions. It is available for access and/or downloading on his website.

Last Thursday evening it was good to take part in Leave No Voice Uncounted, a workshop run by Common Grace Aotearoa Co-Director Kate Day. An important “work on” from this event is this: we can all gently and quietly encourage people we know—family members, friends, fellow parishioners—to make sure they are enrolled to vote in this year’s election. Recently, rules about enrolment were changed by our government, so that enrolment on election day itself is no longer possible. Enrolments must take place before the election voting period begins, that is, by midnight Sunday 25 October 2026.

Some links to reading relevant to recent or continuing matters of our day:

On the recent Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Belfast.

On AI, an “Anglican” view is offered here.

This coming Sunday, 19 July 2026 is Ordinary 16 and the Gospel is Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. What is the kingdom in view here? A strong clue seems to be in verse 38, ‘the field is the world’. Jesus has the whole world in view here and the spread of the kingdom of heaven through it. More than church congregational life is being considered in this parable. Life in the world, lived under the rule of God involves the children of the kingdom and the children of the evil one mixing together societally. The parable and its interpretation is a specific command for the kingdom children to refrain from attempting to carry out God’s judgment. What are children of the kingdom to do? The application of the passage is, in the end, plain for us: remain faithful to our calling as children of the kingdom, bearing grain (i.e. living fruitful lives for God), avoid becoming “weeds”, refrain from playing the role of God as judge, and patiently endure the presence of evil people in the world.

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 8 July 2026

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Dear Friends,

As we approach our Matariki holiday this Friday, we give thanks to God for ordering the heavens and the earth, including seasons on earth, and recall that God is sovereign over the course of history and of our lives within the unfolding story of humanity (Job 9:9; 38:1; Amos 5:8). May we all “seek the Lord and live” at this time (Amos 5:6).

This week’s news is most locally dominated by the terrible flooding taking place as I write in the Kaikōura and neighbouring districts. Please pray for those whose homes and livelihoods have been devastated by the flooding and for emergency responders and local authorities as they assist people and places in distress.

All are welcome this evening, Wednesday 8 July 2026, at 6pm to the induction of the Reverend Sue Paton as the new Vicar of the Parish of Temuka-Te Ngawai. This service takes place in St Alban’s church, 20 Harris Street, Pleasant Point, South Canterbury. Clergy robe with alb and red stole.

It has been a privilege during the past week to be on Chatham Island and to participate in worship at St Augustine’s church, Te One. A very big thank you to the congregation there for warm and generous hospitality.

The Reverend Ann Lloyd has died and her funeral service is at 1pm this Saturday, 11 July 2026 at St Bartholomew’s church, 23 Cass Street, Kaiapoi. Ann was deaconed and priested in 1999, serving first in the Parish of Tinwald, and then since 2009 in the Parish of Kaiapoi. We thank God for her faithful ministry and pray with her family as they prepare for her funeral on Saturday.

Thank you for praying for preparations for The Abbey, at Living Springs, Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. Please continue to pray for our Diocesan staff, Paul Hegglun, Azaria Brooker and the Reverend Sammy Mould as they contribute local leadership to this important event for youth and young adult leaders in our church in these islands.

An updated reminder of Christchurch details for a NZ speaking tour for widely-respected Palestinian Christian Theologians Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Yousef Khoury in July. All are welcome to the following public events: Christ Church Transitional Cathedral—7pm, Sun 19 July; Oxford Terrace Baptist Church—7pm, Mon 20 July. During the weekend 17-19 July, Yousef will preach at St Aidan’s, Bryndwr’s 10am Sunday service, and Lamma will be speaking at The Abbey, at Living Springs.

On Sunday 19 July 2026, the Parish of Hororata celebrates its 150th anniversary with a service at 10.30am in the little wooden church. Following the service the cemetery gate will be open for a walk around the historic cemetery. The lunch begins at 1pm in the community hall. There will be a speaker about historic Hororata, photos, displays kapa haka and a celebratory meal for a koha. (As this is a catered lunch, please Rsvp via email.)

To assist all NZ voters in understanding the importance of making their voice as well as their vote count, a Christian social action organization, Common Grace, has arranged the following event in the Transitional Cathedral, Christchurch, tomorrow evening, 7pm to 9 pm, Thursday 9 July, to which I encourage readers of e-Life to participate in: Leave No Voice Uncounted: Common Grace’s invitation to churches for the 2026 general election. This event is for church leaders, home group/youth group leaders, and other people keen to respond to this challenge. Over dessert and hot drinks, come and hear from Common Grace Aotearoa Co-Director Kate Day about how we are organising to enrol people to vote and to remind them to follow through and vote this election, and how you and your faith community could be involved. We won’t be told which parties or candidates to vote for. Rather, together, we can help ensure that thousands of voices that might otherwise get shut out of our democracy, get heard this election.

This coming Sunday, 12 July 2026 is Ordinary 15 and the Gospel is Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (The Parable of the Sower and its Interpretation) but I would like to draw attention to the Epistle, Romans 8:1-11 which reminds us that the power of God working within us, the Holy Spirit, is the power of the one and same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. May we have confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit to likewise transform us.

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 1 July 2026

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Dear Friends,

It’s that time of year again: not only are frosts on the ground and snow is on the mountains, but the Christchurch City Council’s KidsFest is also happening, 4-19 July 2026, with many activities taking place (details from CCC website). All are welcome at the Transitional Cathedral’s annual KidsFest service at 10am this Sunday 5 July. Also at the Transitional Cathedral this week is a recital by Schola Cantorum from Aquinas College, Perth, at 1pm on Thursday 9 July.

Theology House is advertising its next courses. In the mix are the English Reformation, Jesus, John and the Trinity, Revelation and Mission, Exodus and Salvation, Christians in Science. Check out the link for specific details including how to register.

It was a privilege on Sunday morning to confirm Daniel, Robert and Hayley at St Christopher’s, Avonhead, and on Sunday afternoon to share with Archdeacon Katrina Hill in leading the induction service for the Reverend Simon Green, at St. Mark’s Church, Opawa, as he became the Vicar of the Parish of Opawa-St Martins.

Thank you for praying for preparations for The Abbey, at Living Springs, Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. Please continue to pray for our Diocesan staff, Paul Hegglun, Azaria Brooker and the Reverend Sammy Mould as they contribute local leadership to the event.

A warm invitation is extended to all, to the 150th anniversary service of the little wooden church in Hororata Parish at 10.30am on Sunday 19 July 2026. Following the service the cemetery gate will be open for a walk around the historic cemetery. The lunch begins at 1pm in the community hall. There will be a speaker about historic Hororata, photos, displays kapa haka and a celebratory meal for a Koha. (As this is a catered lunch, please Rsvp via email.)

To assist all NZ voters in understanding the importance of making their voice as well as their vote count, a Christian social action organization, Common Grace, has arranged the following event in Christchurch, to which I encourage readers of e-Life to participate in:

Leave No Voice Uncounted: Common Grace’s invitation to churches for the 2026 general election

When: Thursday 9 July, 7pm – 9pm

Where: Christchurch Transitional Cathedral, 234 Hereford Street, Christchurch

For: Church leaders, home group / youth group leaders, and other people keen to respond to this challenge. Over dessert and hot drinks, come and hear from Common Grace Aotearoa Co-Director Kate Day about how we are organising to enrol people to vote and to remind them to follow through and vote this election, and how you and your faith community could be involved.

We won’t be telling you or your community which parties or candidates to vote for. Rather, together, we can help ensure that thousands of voices that might otherwise get shut out of our democracy, get heard this election.

A reminder of some Christchurch details for a NZ speaking tour for widely-respected Palestinian Christian Theologians Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Yousef Khoury in July! All are welcome to the following public events:

Christchurch Transitional Cathedral—7pm, Sun 19 July

Oxford Terrace Baptist Church—7pm, Mon 20 July

It is likely that one of the theologians will preach at St. Aidan’s, Bryndwr on Sunday morning 19 July, that both will likely speak at The Abbey, and there will be an opportunity for ministry leaders to meet with them over morning tea on Monday 20 July 2026 (invitations will be issued soon).

This coming Sunday, 5 July 2026 is Ordinary 14 and the Gospel is Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30. A common thread to these two parts of the chapter is wisdom. On the question of whether John or Jesus as the Son of Man have come from God, one being noted for asceticism, the other for participation in dinners and feasts, Jesus declares that “God’s wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results” (v. 19, GNB). Both John and Jesus produced fruit/results for their respective ministries. On the question of understanding who Jesus truly is, the Son in intimate relationship with the Father, Jesus thanks his Father because “you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned” (v. 25, GNB). Here human wisdom – our intelligence, our knowledge, our power to cleverly argue against what we do not want to accept – is opposite to God’s wisdom which is revealed through Jesus to the world. Part of that revelation concerns the grace of God in Jesus Christ, who wishes to share the burdens of our lives rather than add to them (vv. 28-29).

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 24 June 2026

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Dear Friends,

The latest e-edition of our Diocesan magazine, AnglicanLife, is available online and the PDF version for printing from our website with the theme of ‘Rooted in Christ’.

The Reverend Simon Green‘s Induction Service when he will become the next Vicar of the Parish of Opawa-St. Martins is at 3pm this Sunday 28 June 2026 in St. Mark’s Church, 101 Opawa Road, Christchurch. All are welcome to this service. Clergy robing, red stoles please.

Please pray for preparations for The Abbey, a national Anglican hui for people involved in youth work and young adult ministries, which this year is being held at Living Springs, Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. In particular pray for our Diocesan staff, Paul Hegglun, Azaria Brooker and the Reverend Sammy Mould as they contribute local leadership to the event.

Last Friday the Cathedral Reinstatement Project was privileged to receive a gift of $250,000 from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (LDS). This is the second gift to the Project from inter-faith partners, the first being from NZ Buddhists. We are grateful for all support this Project receives, acknowledging that the Diocese of Christchurch cannot fund the ReOpening of the cathedral from its own resources. LDS leaders from Australia and New Zealand gathered with us last Friday, marking the fact that this gift comes from the whole of the South Pacific region of this church.

The Reverend Les Memory will be Interim Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Addington from early August 2026.

The Venerable Ruihana Paenga, currently Archdeacon of Leadership for Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa and Archdeacon of Te Tairāwhiti, will be the next Dean of St. John’s Cathedral, Napier, in the Diocese of Waiapu. This cathedral hosts the cathedrae of both Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa and the Bishop of Waiapu, and the announcement of this appointment has been made jointly by Archbishop Don Tamihere and Bishop Andrew Hedge. Ruihana presided at the eucharist when Bishop Susan Wallace was ordained earlier this month in the Transitional Cathedral. Ruihana will be installed on 1 August 2026.

This year we can scarcely escape news that it is election year. There seems to be a new poll every week! To assist all citizens in understanding the importance of all voters making their voice as well as their vote count, a Christian social action organization, Common Grace, has arranged the following event in Christchurch, to which I encourage readers of e-Life to participate in:

Leave No Voice Uncounted: Common Grace’s invitation to churches for the 2026 general election

When: Thursday 9 July, 7pm – 9pm

Where: Christchurch Transitional Cathedral, 234 Hereford Street, Christchurch

For: Church leaders, home group / youth group leaders, and other people keen to respond to this challenge. Over dessert and hot drinks, come and hear from Common Grace Aotearoa Co-Director Kate Day about how we are organising to enrol people to vote and to remind them to follow through and vote this election, and how you and your faith community could be involved.

We won’t be telling you or your community which parties or candidates to vote for. Rather, together, we can help ensure that thousands of voices that might otherwise get shut out of our democracy, get heard this election.

I am pleased to announce some Christchurch details of an NZ speaking tour for widely-respected Palestinian Christian Theologians Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Yousef Khoury in July! All are welcome to the following public events:

Christchurch Transitional Cathedral – 7pm, Sun 19 July

Oxford Terrace Baptist Church – 7pm, Mon 20 July

It is likely that one of the theologians will preach at St. Aidan’s, Bryndwr on Sunday morning 19 July, that both will likely speak at The Abbey, and there will be an opportunity for ministry leaders to meet with them over morning tea on Monday 20 July 2026 (invitations will be issued soon).

Later this week the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meets in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Among its agenda items is discussion of the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals which set out a possible new way forward for the organisation and leadership of the Anglican Communion. Rather than give you links to what these proposals are about and how they are being viewed in the run up to the meeting, I invite you to Google “Nairobi-Cairo Proposals.” You will not be short of articles to read!

This coming Sunday, 28 June 2026 is Ordinary 13 and the Gospel is Matthew 10:40-42. There is something profound in this short reading. Where we go as Christians has impact. We might be shunned and rejected. We might be accepted and welcomed. When people respond to us, they are responding (whether they understand or not) to Jesus within us and to the God who has sent Jesus into the world. That is a lot to ponder as we make our way through our daily lives as disciples of Jesus and encounter many people along the way.

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 17 June 2026

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Dear Friends,

It has been a privilege in the past week to be able to meet with our students at St John’s College, share in an excellent dinner celebrating 150 years of a church being on the St Barnabas, Fendalton site (the parish being formally established in 1883), worship on Sunday morning at St Bartholomew’s, Kaiapoi, and share in the commissioning of the Reverend Dr Joshua Taylor to be Archdeacon of Selwyn-Tawera in the 5pm Evensong at the Transitional Cathedral. Each such occasion in our wider church and within our Diocese involves hard work on the part of many people and I am thankful to God for the faithful ministry of so many people in our church.

Congratulations to Peter Dawe, a long-serving Cathedral Volunteer, who received a Volunteer Recognition Award from Volunteering Canterbury this week. I am conscious that Peter is one among many Anglicans serving in diverse volunteer service across our Diocesan region—thank you Peter, and many others for all you do to enhance life in our communities.

I remind readers that the Reverend Simon Green will be the next Vicar of the Parish of Opawa-St Martins with his induction service at 3pm Sunday 28 June 2026 in St Mark’s Church, 101 Opawa Road, Christchurch. All are welcome to this service. Clergy robing, red stoles please.

Catch Network is offering 2026’s Little Revolutions conference in Christchurch, Friday 26 to Saturday 27 June, at Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, Christchurch. Details are on their website, including the programme. Invited speakers include Archbishop Justin Duckworth.

Please pray for preparations for The Abbey, a national Anglican hui for people involved in youth work and young adults ministries, which this year is being held at Living Springs, Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. In particular pray for our Diocesan staff, Paul Hegglun, Azaria Brooker and the Reverend Sammy Mould as they contribute local leadership to the event.

Since commenting last week on the situation in the Middle East, there now seems to be a more definitive, more mutually assured commitment to peace between the USA and Iran than has previously been the case. Thank you for praying for peace. Let’s keep praying because the peace needs to hold and the peace needs to extend to the territories encompassed by Gaza, West Bank, Israel and southern Lebanon. Please pray for a just peace and not merely a cessation of hostilities.

I am pleased to announce some Christchurch details of an NZ speaking tour for widely respected Palestinian Christian Theologians Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Yousef Khoury in July. All are welcome to the following public events:

Christchurch Transitional Cathedral-7pm, Sun 19 July

Oxford Terrace Baptist Church-7pm, Mon 20 July

It is likely that one of the theologians will preach at St Aidan’s, Bryndwr on Sunday morning 19 July, that both will likely speak at The Abbey, and there will be an opportunity for ministry leaders to meet with them over morning tea on Monday 20 July 2026 (invitations will be issued soon).

This coming Sunday, 21 June 2026 is Ordinary 12 and the Gospel is Matthew 10:24-39. There is no getting around the overall impact of this passage: to follow Jesus is likely to be a costly business in human terms. From an eternal perspective, only losing our lives for Jesus’ sake will gain eternal life. From a God-perspective, every step of the way, whatever that way may be as disciples, God loves us, cares for us and has our ultimate interests at heart.

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 10 June 2026

Read more: Anglican e-Life | 10 June 2026
Dear Friends,

Thank you for praying for Bishop Susan Wallace, prior to her ordination as bishop and installation as Te Pihopa o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu on Saturday in the Transitional Cathedral. The service was a joyful and memorable occasion with a very full congregation. See further reporting in this e-Life and on Anglican Taonga. It was wonderful that The Press on Monday morning gave its report of the service front page treatment. On Sunday morning it was good to be present at Te Hepara Pai, at Te Pa o Te Waipounamu, for Bishop Susan’s first service as a bishop.

On Sunday it was announced that the Reverend Simon Green will be the next Vicar of the Parish of Opawa-St. Martins. His induction service will be at 3pm Sunday 28 June 2026 in St. Mark’s Church, 101 Opawa Road, Christchurch. All are welcome to this service.

Yesterday, Archdeacon Indrea Alexander and I led the deconsecration service for St. Andrew’s, Tinwald in the Parish of Ashburton. It was moving to have memories shared from within the gathered congregation, including reminders of the era when this church was full each Sunday. Active church attendance patterns have changed in the past 60 or so years so that the buildings that serve us across the Diocese are changing. There will be more church sales in the years ahead as we consolidate congregational life on fewer sites.

The commissioning of the Reverend Dr Joshua Taylor as the new Archdeacon of Selwyn-Tawera will take place during Evensong, 5pm, this Sunday 14 June 2026 in the Transitional Cathedral. Clergy are invited to robe, with Green the colour for stoles. All are welcome from all Archdeaconries to this service.

I am pleased to share that a new lift will be installed at the Anglican Centre at Cardale House between approximately Monday, 22 June and Friday, 10 July. This important accessibility upgrade will help ensure our diocesan offices remain welcoming and accessible to all. There may be some disruption associated with the installation works, although access to the building will remain open. Thank you for your patience and understanding as this work is completed.

Catch Network is offering 2026’s Little Revolutions conference in Christchurch, Friday 26 to Saturday 27 June, at Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, Christchurch. Details are available, with the programme on their website. Invited speakers include Archbishop Justin Duckworth.

I am very pleased to promote our next Diocesan Youth Group Games Night for Years 7 to 13. This will take place, 7pm – 9pm on Friday, 3 July at the Bishopdale Recreation Centre, 13A Bishopdale Court, Bishopdale. There will be prizes for the Best Dressed, Best Team Chant, and more 😊. Please register your Youth Group today: youth@anglicanlife.org.nz. This will be a wonderful way to end this term!

Many years ago, when I was a Nelson Diocesan member of the General Synod/Te Hīnota Whānui, I was always impressed by the contributions of Professor Whatarangi Winiata. He was a visionary thinker, keen to advance the neglected interests and concerns of Tikanga Māori, and a master of synod process in his astute moving of motions and amendments. His influence within Te Ao Māori extended well beyond Te Hāhi Mihinare. Last week Professor Winiata died and his contribution to life in NZ and in the Anglican Church is measured by two articles, on RNZ and on Anglican Taonga. In the latter article, Professor Winiata’s significant contribution to the development of our church as a Three Tikanga church is noted in this way:

“At the 1984 General Synod, Winiata successfully proposed the establishment of a Bicultural Commission to study the Treaty of Waitangi and consider how the Church might engage in bicultural development, while also advising on how the principles of the Treaty could be embodied across church life. By 1990, this work led to proposals to revise the Church’s constitution and structure. This process resulted in Te Pouhere, the 1992 constitutional reform under which the Church continues to be governed.”

Yesterday, while in Ashburton, I learned through a friend that the Reverend Paul Bathurst, formerly a clergyman of this Diocese, died about a month ago, having been a resident in Whangarei for some years.

For those who may be interested, I have published some thoughts on the Pope’s recently published encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which is largely but not exclusively interested in the impact of AI on our humanity. Within that blogpost is a link to a recent podcast I took part in, facilitated by a Canterbury-based Catholic priest, Fr John O’Connor. Also noted there, and perhaps of particular interest to those seeking some deep theological appreciation and critique of the encyclical is a link to an article by Ilia Delio, “Teilhard de Chardin points to what Pope Leo missed in ‘Magnifica Humanitas’”.

I haven’t made comment for some weeks on the situation in the Middle East. In many ways that is because, tragically, there is nothing new to say: there should be peace and there is not. Nevertheless, we could and should continue to pray, with hope in Christ, that the way to peace and the way to justice are found, for there is no peace without justice and there is no justice when war continues.

This coming Sunday, 14 June 2026 is Ordinary 11 and the Gospel is Matthew 9:35-10:8. Obviously this passage is all about mission, about the mission of Jesus and the role of the disciples in that mission and thus our role in the continuing mission of Jesus as we not only read the Gospel but receive it with a view to acting on it (spurred, of course, by the last words of Jesus in this Gospel, the so called Great Commission, 28:16-20. Within what is said here about mission there is a call to prayer (9:38) and a call to “go”, to proclaim the good news in word and through deeds (10:5-8).

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 3 June 2026

Read more: Anglican e-Life | 3 June 2026
Dear Friends,

Please pray for Bishop-elect Susan Wallace, who is now in retreat preparing for her ordination as bishop and installation as Pihopa o Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu at 11am, Saturday 6 June 2026 in the Transitional Cathedral, 234 Hereford Street, Christchurch. The preacher will be Archbishop Marinez Santos Bassotto, the Primate of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil. All are welcome to the Transitional Cathedral on Saturday. Please note that traffic restrictions in streets bordering the Transitional Cathedral, due to the Crusaders game at 4.35pm at Te Kaha, do not begin until 2pm that afternoon.

On Sunday it was announced to acclamation at a combined church service for the Parishes of Methven, Mayfield-Mt Somers and Rakaia, that Standing Committee has approved their merging into one Parish of Mid Canterbury. This is an important development for the coherency of our ministry and mission in this large portion of the Mid Canterbury Archdeaconry. A very big thank you to the Reverend Sage Burke, Archdeacon Indrea Alexander and the wardens and vestries of these three parishes for their work on preparing for this merger.

Last Sunday was the Reverend Dr Hugh Bowron‘s last Sunday in the Parish of Kaiapoi where he has been the Interim Priest-in-Charge. Thank you, Hugh, for your ministry in Kaiapoi.

This Sunday, 7 June, is the Reverend Helen Roud‘s last Sunday as Vicar of the Parish of Addington. Thank you, Helen, for your ministry leadership at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin through the past eight years. Helen’s ministry focus will continue to be on her role in delivering Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in Christchurch.

Having recently commended “Connected to the Vine” prayer workshops on e-Life, I am pleased to report that nine parishes have expressed an interest in this workshop being held in their parish this year. Some have invited ecumenical partners which is encouraging. In good news, there will be more space next year to hold a workshop in other ministry units in the Diocese. The “Connected to the Vine” team consists of Mother Alena CSN, Glenda Prosser, Eddie O’Connor, Jack Hollis, and Archdeacon Nick Mountfort. Different traditions and styles of individual prayer will be offered, and we will practise them together. If your ministry unit would like us to come, then email Nick at education@anglicanlife.org.nz Further details are at “Connected to the Vine” prayer workshops.

I am delighted that a much-needed upgrade to the kitchen at Sister Eveleen Retreat House has been completed and thank SERH Board member Dugald Wilson and his hardworking team for their work on this renovation.

Congratulations to the Reverends Annette and Harvey Eggleston (Ashburton) who celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary today!

Next Tuesday 9 June, at 5.30pm, I will deconsecrate St. Andrew’s Church, Tinwald in the Parish of Ashburton, preparatory to it being listed for sale. All are welcome to this brief service and refreshments following. Note, for those who know our Tinwald properties, that the church hall on the other side of Thomson Street is not being sold.

The commissioning of the Reverend Dr Joshua Taylor as the new Archdeacon of Selwyn-Tawera will take place during Evensong, 5pm, Sunday 14 June 2026 in the Transitional Cathedral. Clergy are invited to robe, with Green the colour for stoles. All are welcome from all Archdeaconries to this service.

This weekend past, Teresa and I were able to travel to Methven, Waimate and Tekapo, meeting with clergy and lay leaders, and participating in services in St. Augustine’s, Waimate on Sunday morning, and in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Tekapo in the late afternoon. It was a joy to be with God’s people in these places and to experience ways in which regeneration is taking place in our churches.

I am very pleased to give an advance notice for our next Diocesan Youth Group Games Night for Years 7-13. This will take place, 7pm – 9pm on Friday, 3 July at the Bishopdale Recreation Centre, 13A Bishopdale Court, Bishopdale. There will be prizes for the Best Dressed, Best Team Chant, and more 😊. Please register your Youth Group today: youth@anglicanlife.org.nz. This will be a wonderful way to end this term!

This coming Sunday, 7 June 2026 is Ordinary 10, or Te Pouhere Sunday, and the Gospel for Ordinary 10 is Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26. In this passage Jesus teaches the importance of mercy (9-13) and the associated stories of healing (18-26) illustrate the point Jesus makes: we bring our troubles in life to God whose character is merciful. If, alternatively, we celebrate the constitution (Te Pouhere) of our church (for which four gospel reading choices are given), then we might reflect on the quality of mercy which runs through our constitution as it sets down in writing how three tikanga (cultural streams) will relate to each other with kindness, respect and fairness.

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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