Update from Bishop Andrew

Greetings all,

This week has been a slow one for me as I’ve been unwell with a cold that has laid me low for most of the week since Saturday evening. Sometimes these things come along and really knock the stuffing out of you, and this week has been one of those ones for me. If we learned anything from COVID it was that it really is ok to take a break to rest and recover properly and that is preferable to sharing bugs around! As a result there are a few meetings and events from this week that we will be rescheduling for the future as I catch up on things. 

Standing Committee – Risk Management

On Friday and Saturday last week our Standing Committee met with the Shared Services Senior Leadership Team for a significant and productive time of reflection, discussion, and discernment around the Diocese of Waiapu’s approach to Risk Management. Over the course of two days, we worked carefully through both current and emerging areas of risk within the framework of Standing Committee’s responsibilities within Waiapu. Our time together was facilitated by Joanne Walford Teaukura, our Quality and Risk Advisor in the Shared Services Team. Joanne, with her many years of experience in this area, offered skilled facilitation which enabled a very focused and constructive engagement even for those members with little experience in the area of Risk Management. The focus of our work together, seeking to ensure that our systems, processes, and governance reflect both diligence and faithful stewardship, yielded some very constructive conversations. As a result, Joanne will be taking our collaborative work and developing a comprehensive and thoughtfully constructed risk register for Standing Committee. This will serve as an important guiding document as we continue to strengthen our governance and accountability across the Diocese. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all who participated for their wisdom, openness, and commitment to the work.

Postponement of the Collation of the Venerable Deborah Broome.

Sadly, due to my illness and not being able to be present for public services on Sunday, we had to postpose the service of Collation of the Venerable Dr Deborah Broome. A new date for the service will be communicated once arrangements have been confirmed. 

Pakeha Bishops and Spouses on retreat

This weekend the Pakeha Bishops and Spouses will gather in Cambridge for a retreat together. This is something which we have done together a few times following our time together at the Lambeth Conference in 2022. It’s a good way for us to build on the relationships we share together and have some time with one another focused on retreat, rather than other business. Raewyn and I are looking forward to joining with the others for this time. 

Te Puke celebrates 125 years

I’m also looking forward to spending time with the Parish of Te Puke on Sunday as we celebrate the 125^th anniversary of the parish. It’s been very encouraging to see how ministry continues to flourish in this parish, as well as preparing to celebrate looking back over 125 years of Anglican ministry in this area. I am particularly looking forward to connecting my own whakapapa to that of this parish by remembering my Great Aunt, Kath Wyllie, who served as Parish Organist for 27 years from the late 1940’s to the early 1970’s. The layering of our many histories in any one parish create a fine mat of interwoven stories and people who have all taken a part in the mission life of our Church. On any given day we can celebrate and give thanks for all those who have gone before us and continue to pray for the commitment and fortitude to continue to do our part in mission and ministry today. 

I do hope that this finds you all well, or at least able to cope with the onslaught of seasonal illnesses out there at the moment. Remember to take care of yourself and your loved ones.

God bless,

+Andrew