70 years young Kia ora koutou, this past weekend I spent time in Mt Maunganui joining the celebrations at St Peters-by-the-sea as they acknowledged 70 years of that church. It was good to reconnect with past Vicars of that parish, Rev’ds Marie Gilpin and Geoff Crawshaw, who were among those who shared memories of their time in the parish. The liturgy focused on the celebration of the life of the church and our calling as disciples to continue to be bearers of Faith Giving Lif

The time for hopeful, prayerful waiting So when they had come together, they asked [Jesus], “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watchin

On 1 May 2026 the Venerable Christopher Tweddell commenced as Archdeacon for Tauranga Cities and Coast as well as co-Ministry Educator alongside The Venerable Dr Deborah Broome at the Diocese of Waiapu. Christopher says he has been fortunate to journey alongside people from all walks of life—from the local communities he has served in Taranaki, Waikato, Auckland, and Central Otago to the diverse settings of Hong Kong and Wales. His path began simply as a youth worker in Taura

Penny Hales, Safeguarding & Risk Manager has scheduled a safeguarding training session at Holy Trinity, Tauranga on 6 June starting at 9am. Please complete the registration form and email to penny.hales@waiapu.com.

Kia ora koutou, Recent Parish Visits Over the past two weekends I’ve enjoyed spending time with two parishes in Hawke’s Bay - the congregation at Tikokino Church, and the Parish of Taradale. The community at Tikokino meets monthly on the last Sunday of the month and invites ministers from the various denominations that have been part of the history of the church to lead the service. I know a few people who live in the community and it has been my pleasure to support them on

The ongoing presence of God [Jesus said] “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I

Join us for the day! Thursday 25 June, Tauranga Moana We invite you to join us in Tauranga Moana for the day on Thursday 25 June, to mark the Bicentenary Commemorations for Henry Williams (Karuwhā) arrival here. In collaboration with NZCMS, The Elms and Holy Trinity Tauranga, we have an incredible lineup of events and speakers planned for the day including morning karakia, kai, and whanaungataunga at Otamataha Pā, a lecture by Dr. Sam. Carpenter at The Elms, and a timely symp

On October 8th 2016 Bishop Andrew opened the Spirituality Centre at the Cathedral with this blessing and prayer: “Today I am delighted to bless the Spirituality Centre that has been established here at the Cathedral. In doing so we are acknowledging the presence and ministry of the Religious Orders* amongst us and offered through this unique and committed partnership here in Waiapu Cathedral. Loving God, we ask you to bless this Cathedral Spirituality Centre, that it migh

St Peter's is celebrating 70 years at Mount Maunganui on 10 May at 9.30am. All are welcome to attend.

I am the Way [Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. Ho

Kia ora koutou, I hope all is well with you wherever you are in Waiapu or beyond. Wild storms The last two weeks or so have seen more storms hit the motu and we have felt the impact of that across Waiapu with Cyclone Vaianu. I’m very appreciative of the responsiveness in each parish across the Diocese to carefully consider withholding in-person services on Easter 2. The decisions that were made were local and in careful consideration of the well-being of our parish communi

Abundant life, shaped by the Shepherd [Jesus said] “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. The

Known in the breaking of the bread Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whos

Many of our parishes across the Diocese of Waiapu have made the decision to not hold services tomorrow morning, Sunday 12 April, due to the forecast timing and severity of Cyclone Vaianu. These decisions have been made at a local level by each parish and supported by Bishop Andrew Hedge. The Cathedral will be closed, however the Cathedral clergy will be hosting an online service of worship via ZOOM which is open for anyone to join. We welcome you to share in this service of p

From Bishop Andrew Hedge This weekend Cyclone Vaianu is forecast to cover much of the North Island, bringing gale‑force winds across the Diocese of Waiapu. Please prepare first for your own safety. Follow reliable weather forecasts such as MetService and MetService on YouTube . Be ready to self‑evacuate if necessary, with the basics and a grab bag. Stay alert to advice from your local Civil Defence group. Keep tuned to Radio New Zealand for any state of emergency declarati

What happens when love leads us ? Around 2,000 years ago there was a teacher who told his disciples that he had a new commandment for them. “You should love one another”, he said, “in the same way as I have loved you.” Most of us would welcome that idea. It evokes a sense that we could be fair, and just, and kind to each other and even have compassion for one another. It sounds good. But if we know the story, then we know that what this teacher had in mind was far more than j

Happy Easter everyone. This year I had the pleasure of journeying through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday with the Parish of Havelock North, and then at our Cathedral for the Easter Vigil and Easter morning. As I reflect on these photos from the Easter Vigil at the Cathedral, I’m reminded how the light of that night continues to guide us into the season we now inhabit. Easter is not a single day but a fifty‑day journey in which the Church lingers with the mystery and joy o

2026 Chrism Mass Sermon – Luke 4.16–21 The Rt Rev’d Andrew Hedge, Bishop of Waiapu We gather today at one of the richest, and most demanding, moments in the life of the Church. The Chrism Mass always draws us close to the heart of our vocation, and this year it does so in a context that many of us feel deeply in our bones. We are in the midst of Holy Week and the threshold of the Triduum. The pace of ministry has not been light. The years behind us have not been easy. Many of

The day that changes everything Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the

E te whanau a te Karaiti o Waiapu, Greetings and peace to you all as we enter Holy Week. I am pleased to announce two new appointments, effective 1 May 2026. These roles are part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening communal life, deepening discipleship, and fostering greater connection across Waiapu. The Rev’d Christopher Tweddell will serve as Ministry Educator and Archdeacon located in the Bay of Plenty. The Rev’d Dr Deborah Broome will serve as Ministry Educator a