Being Anglican
Ko hei mihinare
Drawn from the Ancient Latin title Ecclesia Anglicana which means the Church of the English, the Anglican Community has grown into a diverse and beautiful family of dioceses and churches across the globe united by our shared faith and history.
The Anglican Communion
As a diocese we are part of the Anglican Church of the province of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia and we are a part of the global Anglican Communion. This communion comprises some 70 million faithful Christians across nearly every nation of the world.
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The Anglican Communion is bound by both its shared faith, expressed in the historic creeds and in scripture, and also by a shared history and connection with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of England.
To learn more, please see below. Otherwise please follow these links to the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, and the Anglican Communion.
What does it mean to be Anglican?
We Are Universal
Anglicans are Christians.
We are members of the universal church, valuing what is distinctive about the worldwide Anglican Communion while also embracing other expressions and denominations as brothers and sisters in our walk of faith.
With the aid of the Holy Spirit we seek to overcome divisions between churches and Christians so that we all may be one, both visibly and spiritually.
We Embrace Diversity
Today, Anglicans embrace a variety of languages and cultures from many different parts of the world, giving distinctive features to our worship, church life and theology.
The Church in Aotearoa New Zealand, known as the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, tries to reflect the diversity of our country through its three strands, or ‘Tikanga’, giving each culture freedom to express their faith in ways relevant to them. Regardless of your background, you're welcome too.
We Bind Past and Present
As Anglicans we bring together traditions from centuries of Christianity. From the ritual of medieval catholicism and the contemplation of ancient Celtic Christianity to the informality and experience of contemporary services our worship covers the full spectrum of Christian Expression
The name ‘Anglican’ indicates our roots in the Church of England and, prior to the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church. This link is still an important part of what it is to be Anglican but in each diocese and province the local has and continues to inform who are. For us, that is the relationship between Pakeha and Maori set out in Te Tiriti O Waitangi and the whakapapa of our churches and faith.
We Believe In a Diversity of Gifts
We are an episcopal church that holds to the ancient ministries of Deacon, Priest and Bishop. But this does not mean these are the only way to serve. These offices represent the idea that we are all called in unique ways to serve the church and the world. For some, that is an ordained ministry. For others, lay ministry. For some it is within the church. For others it is in the world. Regardless of your calling, prayer, conversation and experience play a key role in discernment. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are called to a ministry. This discernment begins locally, but as a diocese we also offer discernment at a wider level, especially for roles of leadership within the church.