NEWS
News from our member churches and the wider ecumenical movement, with our monthly roundup and a library of stories from ecumenical bodies around the world.
General Synod puts the ocean first
Meeting in Nukuʻalofa in August, General Synod Te Hīnota Whānui unanimously passed a motion on ocean wellbeing, placing the health of the ocean at the top of the church’s care for creation.
General Synod meets in Tonga for the first time
Opening the 67th General Synod Te Hīnota Whānui, the first to be held in the Kingdom of Tonga, Archbishops Don Tamihere, Justin Duckworth and Sione Ulu’ilakepa gave a joint charge on the theme “One Mission, One Ocean, One Vaka”.
A taste of unity at the Anglican Consultative Council
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Bible Month in the Diocese of Polynesia
The Diocese of Polynesia kept its annual Bible Month in July under the theme “Anchoring Our Vaka on the Word”, inviting families to pray and study the Scriptures together each day.
The first Māori Dean of Waiapu
The Venerable Ruihana Paenga, Archdeacon for Leadership in Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, has been appointed Dean of Waiapu, the first Māori dean of the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Napier.
Bishop Susan Wallace ordained for Te Waipounamu
Bishop Susan Hinemoa Wallace was ordained and installed as Bishop of Te Hui Amorangi ki te Waipounamu, the Māori Anglican church in the South Island, at the Transitional Cathedral in Christchurch on 6 June, with more than 500 people present.
Young Anglicans at the Asian Ecumenical Youth Assembly
Six young adults from all three tikanga of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia joined about 200 young Christians at the Christian Conference of Asia’s Asian Ecumenical Youth Assembly in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 17 to 21 April, sharing in Bible study, worship and seminars on the pressures facing their generation.
Anglicans pray with the National Dialogue in the Week of Prayer
Anglicans in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia joined other churches for the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, kept here between Ascension and Pentecost, from 17 to 24 May.
Sails of Hope sets out from Fiji
The Soko ni Nuinui (Sails of Hope) programme set out from Pacific Harbour in Fiji during Eastertide aboard the traditional voyaging canoe Uto Ni Yalo, aiming to train more than 1,400 people over 50 days at eight centres around Fiji before Pentecost.
Let love lead: the archbishops’ Easter message
In their joint Easter message for 2026, Archbishops Don Tamihere, Sione Ulu’ilakepa and Justin Duckworth reflected on Jesus’ command to love one another as he has loved us.
Our archbishops at Canterbury
The three Primates of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Archbishops Don Tamihere, Sione Ulu’ilakepa and Justin Duckworth, took part in the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury Cathedral on the Feast of the Annunciation.
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book, with two voices from Aotearoa
Dancing to the Heartbeat of God, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book for 2026, gathers personal stories on discipleship and unity from 26 Anglican writers around the Communion, and is designed for personal reflection or small groups.
A church in Whāngārā, scanned in 3D
Pātoromu Church in Whāngārā, dedicated to St Bartholomew, is the first church to be scanned in 3D by He Taonga Tuku Iho, the Anglican histories project.