Greetings one and all in this second week of Advent. I trust that your journey through this season is helping you to prepare heart and mind to hear once again the joyous news of the announcement of the birth of Jesus, proclaimed in Bethlehem and echoing throughout all time.
The Strategy Working Group
On Friday last week, following our attendance at the conference in Melbourne earlier in the week, the SWG met with our consultant Robyn McCutcheon, to debrief our learnings from the conference and plan ahead for the coming year. This was a very productive meeting flowing on from the work which the group did together off the back of the conference. In this work we have developed a plan for the implementation of the first steps of the vision and strategy over the first quarter of 2025. We will share this with Standing Committee this week and then begin to implement it in January following the summer break. I look forward to being able to share more about this as we approach each step along the way. This signals a significant shift in our work as a group, having moved through the consultation and development phases to prepare the vision, we now shift gear to implementation and action. As such I have renamed the group to a name that is familiar to us, the Bishop’s Leadership Team. The approach we are taking will see a staged implementation as resources and personnel allow. This is an exciting time and there will be more to share in January. In the meantime I welcome your prayerful support for this work and those engaged in each stage along the way.
Thank you to Robyn McCulloch – consultant extraordinaire
In late 2022 when we embarked on the work of developing the strategy for the Diocese we were blessed to have the support of Robyn McCulloch. Robyn assisted us through the consultation phase which began in June 2023, delayed from February 2023 due to Cyclone Gabrielle, participating and leading many of the parts of the consultation. In the past 18 months or so Robyn has been a mentor, and supporter of our work as we progressed from consultation to articulating the vision and priorities and now to the first steps of implementation. Now that we have reached a new phase with our strategy work, moving from establishing the vision and priorities to the implementation phase, Robyn’s work with us has come to an end. I know that many of you who have engaged with the strategy consultations will have met Robyn, and others of you will have met Robyn through your roles within Anglican Care Waiapu. Robyn has worked as a consultant with ACW and the Diocesan team during the past seven years on a variety of projects and will no doubt continue to support us with work at governance and operational levels. Deeply embedded in the Anglican Parish of Ponsonby in the Diocese of Auckland, Robyn is very much a part of our Anglican family and so understands us, cheers us on, and enjoys working with us, as indeed we enjoy working with Robyn as well. Please join with me in thanking Robyn for her work with us. Robyn you have been a blessing to us all. We will continue to check in with you and share our journey with you.
Final board meetings
This week has seen the final meetings for the year for the Waiapu Board of Diocesan Trustees and also for the Diocesan Standing Committee. On Wednesday evening I gathered the members of WASSTB, WBDT and SC together for a Christmas meal to thank them for their commitment, time and energy that they have given to the Diocese throughout the year. I am very grateful for the dedication that each of our trustees and members bring to their work and ministry in supporting the governance of the Diocese.
ICHC rebranding
I received a letter this week from Interchurch Council for Hospital Chaplaincy (ICHC) explaining that the organisation has rebranded itself as Hospital Chaplaincy Aotearoa or Amokapua Hohipera Aotearoa. The attached letter and announcement helps explain the decision to rebrand and also that the organisation is staying true to its origins as part of the mission of the church. I know many of our parishioners have appreciated the experience of being cared for by a Chaplain during a stay in hospital. This is often a demanding ministry and I know the Chaplains appreciate our prayerful support and encouragement for their ministry in many hospitals across Waiapu.
Next week will be the final eNews for the year as our office will close at midday on Friday 20 December.
Finally from me this week and on a personal note, Raewyn and I will be heading to Wellington tonight for the celebration of a family wedding as our eldest daughter Jessica is married to Alexander Johnson on Saturday. We are thrilled for Jess and Alex and very excited as we prepare to support them for this great celebration. The cars have never been cleaner and there is a growing arrangement of layers of wedding cake appearing in our kitchen!
I wish you all well in this season of Advent – and particularly hope that you’re able to enjoy all the extra special opportunities provided for Advent worship in our parishes.
Nga mihi,
+Andrew
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