Anglican Life - Anglican Diocese of Christchurch, New Zealand

Our Bishop

Our Vision

Our Story

Bishop of Christchurch Anglican Diocese, The Rt Rev’d Dr Peter Carrell, BSc (Hons), BD, PhD.

Our Bishop writes…

Dear Friends, On one of the Springboks’ tours of New Zealand, a former Springbok sent a telegram…

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.

News and Announcements

All News and Announcements

Latest AnglicanLife Magazine with VIP Tamariki is out

Read more: Latest AnglicanLife Magazine with VIP Tamariki is out
The Anglican Diocese does not control a property empire

Read more: The Anglican Diocese does not control a property empire
Primatial Announcement: Bishop-elect Announced for Te Hui Amorangi ki Te

Read more: Primatial Announcement: Bishop-elect Announced for Te Hui Amorangi ki Te
Christ Church Cathedral lit to honour NZ servicemen and women

Read more: Christ Church Cathedral lit to honour NZ servicemen and women

Anglican e-Life

All Anglican e-Life Publications

Anglican e-Life | 2 September 2026

Read more: Anglican e-Life | 2 September 2026
Dear Friends,

On one of the Springboks’ tours of New Zealand, a former Springbok sent a telegram which just said, “Scrum, scrum, scrum.” That message still motivates the Springboks today as the All Blacks continue their greatest rivalry tour in South Africa. I see that the free-to-air replay this Sunday is at 11.30am rather than 11am, which means attendance at our morning services should be unaffected by the prospect of viewing this important match!

We could turn that message in the last day or so before our Synod to “Pray, pray, pray“.

Please pray for our Synod Eucharist tomorrow night, 7pm in the Transitional Cathedral – praying for those contributing in leadership to our worship and for Dean Ben Truman, our preacher.

Then, pray for our Synod business sessions which take place through Friday and Saturday at St. Christopher’s Church, Avonhead. Papers to date for the Synod are publicly available at: https://www.anglicanlife.org.nz/christchurch-diocesan-synod/.

Finally, please pray for the good health of our Synod members and staff facilitating the Synod: there is a lot of flu around at the moment and we wish our Synod to be as well attended as possible by our lay and clerical members.

Congratulations to the Parish of Lincoln for excellent celebrations through the past weekend for the 150th anniversary of St. Stephen’s Church, Lincoln. It was a delight at the celebration service on Sunday morning to baptise Carter Roma and Zac Button, and to confirm Tracey Kennedy, Felicity Kennedy, Jasmina Inch, Yvonne Hardwick and Ciara Dickson.

The Reverend William (Bill) Gaudin died at the weekend. His funeral is tomorrow at 1pm, at St. Christopher’s Church, Avonhead. Bill served in the Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin dioceses. In our diocese, Bill served in the parishes of Spreydon-Hoon Hay (1967-68), Bishopdale-Harewood (1968-72), Oxford-Cust (1972-74), and Geraldine (1986-95). Please pray for Ferrabee, his wife and their family as they prepare for the service tomorrow. Clergy are invited to robe if they wish for the service, white stoles.

Many readers will have seen video footage of the terrifying floods which swept down from the China/Tibet/Nepal border into Nepal, with large losses of life, many missing persons and destruction of villages. It is possible to financially assist in response to this disaster via our Anglican Missions Board with details at https://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/news/worldwide/nepal_appeal_am.

A reminder that Ravenscar House, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, which has a superb collection of NZ art and other artistic treasures is free to visit this Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September – see https://www.ravenscarhouse.com/.

Also, this weekend, See-am Thompson, Senior Organ Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford is giving an organ concert in the Transitional Cathedral at 2pm, Sunday, 6 September 2026. All welcome, entry via koha. See-am is a former Cathedral Chorister.

All are invited to the annual Michaelmas service at 7pm Tuesday 29 September 2026 at St. Michael and All Angels, Oxford Terrace, Christchurch. In 2026 we are celebrating on this occasion 175 years since the establishment of the Parish of St. Michael and All Angels. Our guest preach is Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon. Refreshments in the parish hall follow after the service.

As we head to the General Election on Saturday, 7 November, for which enrolment closes finally on Sunday 25 October, Common Grace Aotearoa is mobilising churches for election enrolment. Their recommendation, which I support is that our churches hold an “Enrolment Sunday” in the second half of September to inform their church members of the enrolment deadline. What this could involve for a local church is:
- Play a 3-minute video as a notice during a service about why and how to enrol, tailor-made for a church audience. This video features Archbishop Justin Duckworth, Catholic Archbishop Paul Martin, and others.
- Provide enrolment forms and laptops so people can update their details after the service.
The best timing for Enrolment Sundays is 13, 20 or 27 September, so they fall before 4th October, after which people who enrol or change their details must cast a special vote. If need be, churches can still hold Enrolment Sundays on 4, 11 or 18 October. The deadline for enrolment / changing details is 25 October. For further details, and access to the video, please email Kate Day.

This coming Sunday, 6 September 2026 is Ordinary 23 (or may be celebrated as the new Feast of Creation, per a note in e-Life). The Gospel is Matthew 18:15-20. This passage teaches about the gathering together of followers of Jesus, that is, about the church as an organised body of believers in Jesus. It deals with how we might deal with conflict among us, the importance of the decisions we make, and the encouragement we have that Jesus is always with us, “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them”.

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 26 August 2026

Read more: Anglican e-Life | 26 August 2026
Dear Friends,

Last week, General Synod/Te Hīnota Whānui (GSTHW) met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. We were warmly welcomed and enjoyed amazing hospitality offered by local parishes as we were fed each day and beautifully entertained each evening through youth and children sharing their expertise in Tongan dancing. We shared in prayers and daily eucharists and the whole Synod was conducted in a beautiful spirit. Important discussions (“Talanoa”) were held on matters of both global and local importance, in particular, concerning funding equity in our church across our Three Tikanga, climate change, climate resilience and response to pollution in our South Pacific Ocean. Our overall theme was One Mission, One Vaka, One Ocean. I encourage reading online articles about the synod on Anglican Taonga, to get a sense of the full flow of business at our meeting.

I am grateful for the participation of our Christchurch Diocesan team in this synod: Dean Ben Truman, the Reverend Toby Behan, the Reverend Kofe Havea, Toupili Pamalangi, Jack Hollis, Vivienne Jackson, and Jo Bean. Rachelle Mathews, our Diocesan Manager, was kept busy with minute taking. We are all grateful for your prayers for the synod.

In respect of decisions made which have direct effect on our ministry and mission in our ministry units, I want to share the following with you, acknowledging that the fuller version of these matters will be obtainable re the details when canonical changes are updated on the General Synod website.

Title D: In the past few years concerns have emerged that the changes we made to Title D (our canon on ministry standards) in the light of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care have had the unexpected consequence that complaints have been made against licensed ministers and office-holders of our church for doing their job as ministers and office-holders, rather than for misconduct. In Tonga, we approved changes to Title D which give more discretion to the Registrars employed by the Ministry Standards Commission to triage complaints. This provision means that a complaint which is assessed as a pastoral matter rather than a misconduct matter will be referred to the local bishop. There is also now a limitation period for certain complaints: they must be made within twelve months of the alleged event where the event does not involve misconduct (for which there remains no limitation period for a complaint to be brought forward).

Funding distribution from the St John’s College Trust Board (SJCTB): this Board distributes circa $20-21m for educational funding across our church each year, including some $5-6m for the costs of education for students residential at St John’s College, Meadowbank, Auckland. The Diocese of Christchurch currently receives c. $500k from this annual distribution. SJCTB distributes these funds according to advice from Te Kotahitanga, a standing commission of the General Synod. This body has been composed of three persons from each Tikanga plus a chair until the beginning of last week when GSTHW agreed to a change to the way that body is appointed.

The background to this change has been an emerging conversation in the past 18 months or so, which itself has built on previous conversations to change the way funding is determined which have gotten nowhere. In this most recent conversation, involving SJCTB, Te Kotahitanga and General Synod Standing Committee, a proposal has been that one way to address inequity of funds available to each Tikanga is to give Tikanga Māori tino rangatiratanga over the SJCTB distribution. By “inequity of funds available to each Tikanga” is meant that there is significant disparity in the assets (property, trust funds), and income (offertories, investment returns) available to each Tikanga. While a change to funding advice for the SJCTB annual distribution will not significantly change the overall equity across the Three Tikanga, the SJCTB funds are the most significant part of our church’s assets which can be varied in how we distribute them.

The specific change made at GSTHW 2026 is that for the next two years, the membership of Te Kotahitanga will be appointed by Tikanga Māori. Assuming that through the next two years we establish via this new pathway a workable route towards better equity, and take time to review various aspects of the work of Te Kotahitanga, then I imagine we will make this change permanent in 2028 with a completely revised canon for Te Kotahitanga. The effects of this change on the annual distribution to the Diocese of Christchurch are unknown. We are assured that our grant for 2027 will be the same as our grant for 2026, beyond that we are uncertain as to the level of funding for 2028 and beyond.

Finally, from GSTHW 2026: on the last full day together in Tonga, Friday 21 August, when we had a day of opportunity to take part in different tours, a group of GSTHW members took part in a whale watch tour, spread across two boats. Teresa and I were the only members of our Diocesan team on that trip. Unfortunately, on the return from the whale watch area, one of the two boats sunk. All on board were rescued and all involved made it safely back to Nuku’alofa harbour. This RNZ report is reasonably accurate. The most important news is that all on the tour made it safely to land. Thanks be to God.

Please keep praying “synodically” because 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 on our Diocesan website.

The Parish of Lincoln is well organised for celebrating the 150th anniversary of St Stephen’s Church, Lincoln this weekend with various events including a celebration service on Sunday morning at 10am, during which there will be baptisms and confirmations.

I have enjoyed two visits to Ravenscar House, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, which has a superb collection of NZ art and other artistic treasures. I also appreciate its connection to the Diocese as a gift to the city from Jim and Susan Wakefield—Jim’s son Steve Wakefield is a good friend, deputy chair of CPT and fellow director with me on the CCRL Board. On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, Ravenscar House is free to visit.

A new feast day on the Christian calendar is being promoted this year, The 2026 ‘Feast of Creation’ aka the ‘Feast of Creation in Christ’ or ‘Creation Sunday’ which is recommended to be celebrated on 1 September or the following Sunday (also opening the extended Season of Creation). The new Feast of Creation in Christ celebrates the mystery of God creating and sustaining the universe through Jesus Christ. By contrast, Christ the King Sunday (22 November 2026) celebrates the ultimate fulfilment, judgment, and restoration of that same created order under Christ’s eternal sovereignty at the end of time. Further details online.

As we head to the General Election on Saturday 7 November, for which enrolment closes finally on Sunday 25 October, Common Grace Aotearoa is mobilising churches for election enrolment. Their recommendation, which I support is that our churches hold an “Enrolment Sunday” in the second half of September to inform their church members of the enrolment deadline. What this could involve for a local church is:
- Play a 3-minute video as a notice during a service about why and how to enrol, tailor-made for a church audience. This video features Archbishop Justin Duckworth, Catholic Archbishop Paul Martin, and others.
- Provide enrolment forms and laptops so people can update their details after the service.
The best timing for Enrolment Sundays is 13, 20 or 27 September 2026, so they fall before Sunday 4 October, after which people who enrol or change their details must cast a special vote. If need be, churches can still hold Enrolment Sundays on 4, 11 or 18 October. The deadline for enrolment / changing details is 25 October. For further details, and access to the video, please email Kate Day.

This coming Sunday, 30 August 2026 is Ordinary 22 and the Gospel is Matthew 16:21-28. There are three parts to this passage. (1) verses 21-23: Jesus predicts his suffering, death and resurrection; Peter rebukes him and Jesus calls Peter ‘Satan’; (2) verses 24-26: a saying to followers about denying self and taking up the cross; (3) verses 27-28: a statement about the coming judgment of the Son of Man. The whole passage represents ‘tough talk’ by Jesus. No disciple reading this passage could be in any doubt that being a disciple means ‘total commitment’!

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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Anglican e-Life | 19 August 2026

Read more: Anglican e-Life | 19 August 2026
From Vicar General, Mark Barlow:

E te whānau o te Atua, tēnei te mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, God’s ears are open to their cry.” (Psalm 34:15)

In the last 35 years of ordained ministry, there have been numerous times when people have come to see me wanting to retire from their ministries due to advancing age. Without exception, they have given years of faithful service to their ministry units as Wardens, vestry members, lectors, intercessors or Sunday School teachers and a host of other callings. My response has always been the same. Firstly, to thank them for their years of service, then to pray with them and finally, to give them the good news that they are about to begin the most important ministry of their lives! I refer, of course to that of ‘Prayer Warrior!’ Every initiative, every activity, every event, every service that a community of faith undertakes needs to be grounded and bathed in prayer and there is none better to engage in this calling than spiritual veterans.

The good news is that such a ministry is habit-forming and can lead to fruitful and concerted prayer for not just the Church, but the community, the nation and the world. This is a privileged part of our calling, not just for those spiritual veterans, but for all of us. I want to encourage all of us to be faithful and regular in such prayer.

As always, there are a number of matters in need of our prayerful attention just now, including:
- General Synod meeting in Tonga until Friday, 21 August
- our Diocesan Synod, due to be in session from Thursday to Saturday, 3 to 5 September
- our nation, as the pre-election rhetoric ramps up
- the nations of Colombia, Venezuela, Indonesia and Japan, dealing with the aftermath of earthquakes
- the apparently intractable situation in and on the Strait of Hormuz; and
- a host of others
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 on our Diocesan website.

Kevin O’Brien, the husband of the Reverend Felicity O’Brien (Vicar of Oxford-Cust), died on Saturday following a period of illness. Kevin’s funeral will be at St. Andrew’s Church, Oxford, at 2pm on Saturday 22 August 2026. All welcome. Please pray for Felicity and their family as they prepare for this service and mourn the loss of Kevin. Kevin was a man of deep faith in Christ, a strong intercessor and a wonderful support to Felicity in her ordained ministry. He will be much missed.

This coming Sunday, 24 August 2026 is Ordinary 21 and we continue our journey through Matthew’s gospel, reaching Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:13-20. This is a turning point in the disciple’s journey, and in that of Jesus himself as he moves immediately to begin to prepare the 12 for his impending death. Our own confession that Jesus is the Christ is a great turning point in our lives and prepares us for an impending death, that of our old lives as we become new creations in Christ!

With love,

Ven. Mark Barlow

Vicar-General.

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Anglican e-Life | 12 August 2026

Read more: Anglican e-Life | 12 August 2026
Dear Friends,

I am delighted to announce that Mrs Rosalind Black has been appointed to be the Bishop’s Executive Assistant, beginning Thursday, 10 September 2026. Rosalind will bring very strong experience in executive assistance and other administration roles through work here in Christchurch, Invercargill and more recently back in Christchurch where she has been working for the Waimakariri District Council. Rosalind will take over from Ms Sarah Dunning, our Interim Bishop’s EA, and Sarah will continue her work with as the Theology House Librarian.

Kevin O’Brien, the husband of the Reverend Felicity O’Brien (Vicar of Oxford-Cust), died on Saturday following a period of illness. Kevin’s funeral will be at St. Andrew’s Church, Oxford, at 2pm on Saturday 22 August 2026. All welcome. Please pray for Felicity and their family as they prepare for this service and mourn the loss of Kevin. Kevin was a man of deep faith in Christ, a strong intercessor and a wonderful support to Felicity in her ordained ministry. He will be much missed.

Last Friday morning, it was good to be with Mother Alena, Sister Keleni and Sister Anne of the Community of the Sacred Name, along with their companions and supporters as we celebrated the Holy Name of Jesus feast at St. Peter’s, Upper Riccarton-Yaldhurst, with the Reverend Dr Geoff Haworth, Warden of the Community presiding at our Eucharist.

On 31 August 1926, St. Mark’s Church, Marshland was opened by Bishop Campbell West-Watson – a new concrete church to replace the previous wooden church on Prestons Road, which had burnt down in 1925. On Sunday morning it was a privilege to join with other visitors and regular worshippers to celebrate the centenary of the present building.

Thank you for praying for 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, 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, sharing in the administration of the synod. Papers for GSTHW 2026 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 on our Diocesan website.

This coming Sunday, 16 August 2026 is Ordinary 20 and the Gospel is Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28. If both parts of the passage are read, then it is a passage of two distinct halves. The first making the point that God is concerned about what actually defiles us. In the context of a religious culture which attended to great details about foods which defiled and foods that didn’t defile, Jesus dismisses the thought that any food defiles and attends to the bad words which come out of our mouths and the bad actions that flow out of evil in our hearts: such things are what actually defile us. In verses 21-28, Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman, effectively a “defiled” person from the perspective of the religious, cultural context of Jesus’ Israel. Her plea for help, even if only “crumbs under the table”, persuades Jesus that she has faith. Centuries later that phrase remains in the liturgical life of our church in the Prayer of Humble Access (e.g. NZPB, p. 425-26).

Arohanui,

+Peter.

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