Greetings all,
Today we have shared the statement from our Archbishops which is a public response to the release of the final report of the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care in State and Faith-based institutions. I encourage you to read the statement carefully and understand that it is our public statement as a whole church. Please treat the public statement with care, understanding that we are not always aware of those for whom abuse is part of their lived experience. Archbishop Philip and Hera Clark will be speaking in the media on behalf of the church. The Bishops and the Church together as a whole will be carefully working through the recommendations of the report. In Waiapu I have been working with survivors of abuse over many years to respond to their experiences and work together on suitable forms of redress. I will continue to respond to survivors in the coming years.
This link provides access to an interview from Radio New Zealand this morning with Archbishop Emeritus Philip Richardson. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018948301/anglican-church-responds-with-apology-to-abuse-in-care-report.
Recently at our Ministry Conference held in Taupō we shared the further work that has been done on our strategic vision for the Diocese. This work began in June last year with the first gathering and consultation on our life as a whole Diocese including parishes, social services, schools, chaplaincies and our various boards. Over the past year our Standing Committee has been briefed on the work of the Strategic Working Group and have approved the development of the vision at each stage. The Ministry Conference offered the chance to bring a wider group in to see the development to date. The working group will continue to make progress on this vision and plan when we meet again in a fortnight.
Last week I had the privilege of being able to attend a course on governance led by the Institute of Directors, the Company Directors’ course. Over five and a half days a group of 25 attendees met in Auckland for around 10 hours a day to work through a variety of topics on the themes of roles and responsibilities of those who are trustees, governors or directors on various organisations. The group was a cross section of business, local and central government, NGOs and charities. It was an invigorating week which has helped me to refine and extend my governance experience. I’m grateful for the support of the Waiapu Bishopric Endowment Trust to make it possible for me to attend the course.
This week I have been meeting with all Stipended Clergy to debrief our time together with others at the Ministry Conference and to discuss the movement ahead of us as a Diocese as we see the strategic vision develop into plans and action. The leadership group to help implement that work is something I am focusing on at the moment and will develop further once I have met with the strategy working group in a fortnight. I will be looking for gathering the right mix of people, lay and ordained, with skills and experience to help implement the vision, and create the space for it to be our reality for Waiapu, over the coming 1-3 years.
Next week I’ll be away in Melbourne attending ATLAS, the Anglican Thought Leadership Around Science conference along with several Bishops from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. In 2022 at the Lambeth Conference several key topics were discussed, one of which was about the intersection or dialogue between science and theology. The Anglican Science Commission was launched at Lambeth 2022 and the initial project for the commission has been to gather scientists and bishops together for dialogue at three meetings around the Anglican Communion. The work is being funded communion wide which has allowed for greater access to the dialogue meetings. The University of Auckland through the work of Dr Jacquie Bay and her team have been key to the organising of these conferences and have been working closely with science and theology academics in England as part of developing the programme for these events. Two conferences have been held so far, in Jamaica and Kenya. You can read about the first ATLAS conference held in Kenya last year here. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/18-august/news/world/anglican-communion-commission-aims-to-help-churches-think-theologically-about-science
On Sunday 11 August it will be a day full of baptisms and confirmations for me at All Saints’ Taradale in the morning and Woodford House in the evening. It is a special joy to see people of all ages develop their discipleship walk and to come seeking baptism, confirmation and reaffirmation of faith. These are all powerful moments in a person’s life where we celebrate formation of faith and discipleship in our Anglican communities – celebrating our understanding of scripture, our application of heart and mind in reason, and the beautiful traditions through which we experience the sacraments. If you would like a visit from me to your parish please contact Sandra Gifkins who will be able to help making those arrangements. (Sandra Gifkins sandra.gifkins@waiapu.com)
Have a blessed week ahead.
Nga mihi,
+Andrew
Comments