Keeping up to date with recent news about our parishes, organisations and the wider church.

Above: General Manager of Anglican Family Care, Lynette Finne, shares a moment at a "thank you" and update event at the AFC Dunedin office, Friday 11 April 2025.

Local & Wider News

Renowned academic dies: Renowned academic and respected church leader Peter Matheson has died (ODT, 16 April 2025). See also notice from Tui Motu.

Otago Peninsula Parish welcomed Joy Cowley and Bishop Kelvin Wright to Broad Bay for a reading of the Easter Story (Palm Sunday) while Dunedin North Parish share photos from the Palm Sunday procession from Selwyn College to All Saints.

Shining solidarity : Toitū Otago Settlers Museum and St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin are illuminated by blue light last night as part of a global Spark the Night campaign to raise awareness of neurodegenerative condition Parkinson’s (ODT, 12 April 2025)

Video News from the Diocese of Auckland - a reflection from Bishop Ross after attending Bishop Anne's ordination.

New Dunedin Bishop Consecrated:

Shafts of sunlight warmed a joyful congregation at St Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday, as about 500 people gathered to witness the consecration and installation of the Rt Rev Dr Anne van Gend as the 11th Anglican bishop of Dunedin (The Star, 3 April 2025)

Without churches, NZ would plunge into poverty and chaos: Juliet Chevalier-Watts explains why an atheist academic changed her mind on churches’ tax free status (ODT, 31 March 2025)

World news

• Global faith leaders condemn latest Gaza attacks—ENS

• NY church engages children with after-school education—ENS

• Bloody Palm Sunday in Ukraine's city of Sumy—Vatican News

National Anglican News at Taonga 

Archbishops denounce Al Ahli attack

The Archbishops of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia have denounced the Israel Defence Forces' missile attacks against the Anglican-run Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, which is a site of refuge, healing and hope supported by this Church.
• Al Jazeera reports from Al Ahli Hospital
• World Health Organisation Video Assessment
• Statement from Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem & ME
• Message from Al Ahli Hospital Director Suhaila Tarazi

Empowering women to lead

Ceridwyn Parr has been at the heart of this Church's work empowering women in ministry for the last six years as Anglican Women's Studies Centre administrator. As she finishes in her role, Ceri talked with Taonga Editor Julanne Clarke-Morris, looking back on some of the highlights of the Centre's work during her time.

Aotearoa & Fiji host Compass Rose

Anglican Communion enthusiasts and financial backers, the Compass Rose Society have made an eye-opening visit to the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia, hosted by Archbishop Don Tamihere and Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa.
• First published with photo & video story on Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa news
• Compass Rose Society celebrates new Indigenous chapters

The Wider Church and World

• Pope puts Sagrada Familia architect on sainthood path

• AB York's Palm Sunday sermon at Trinity Wall St.

• Irish religious orders fail to redress after abuses

• Bishop retires from Indigenous-strong Arctic diocese

• NZ Christians call for visas for Gaza refugees

• Scottish Bishop suspended over bullying claim returns

• Otago correspondent opposes council prayers

• US Govt ends church partnership in refugee care

• 10 million Christians at risk of US deportation

• Dancer-turned-minister brings movement to her flock

• Report details coercive, shaming culture in YWAM

• US churches go to court to protect sanctuary law

• WCC promotes a common date for Easter

• Arctic Anglican Bishop retires from indigenous north

• The surprisingly long history of Christian tattooing

• Militants loot Khartoum Anglican Cathedral, Sudan

• US Episcopalian pilgrims honour Oscar Romero

• Foodbanks serving 500K NZers each month

• UK Anglican Church hosts 'wrestling church'

• Govt slashes public housing support staff

• US Catholics, Evangelicals oppose Trump deportations

• End to Spain's drought puts 11thC church under water

• CofE women campaign against institutionalised sexism

• Destiny Church took 40K Govt Covid funding

• Anglican Communion rep raises Sudan issues at UN

• Churches push Sudan's leaders to make peace

• RC religious sisters attacked in DR Congo

• Parliament 'can't process' 1000s of Treaty Bill submissions

• NZ's gene technology Bill ignores tikanga

• S. African churches urged to break silence on Gaza

• St George's College in Jerusalem needs support

• NZ atheist academic defends church tax exemption

• My joy as a senior convert to Anglicanism