Christchurch Cathedral Announcement

As announced yesterday at our cathedral and conveyed to the diocese a few moments ago in a letter from Bishop Victoria:

"On Sunday 6 October I was  delighted to announce the appointment of the new Dean of ChristChurch Cathedral and also the appointment of an Associate Dean.  Both announcements were met with joy and thanksgiving by the Cathedral communities.

The new Dean is the Rev Lynda Patterson,  the acting dean of our Cathedral for the past 20 months since Peter Beck left the active ministry to enter local politics.  I cannot thank Lynda enough for her ministry and sacrificial service over this time at the Cathedral which as you know has been the focus of many emotional battles and debates.  She has held the Cathedral community together and also handled no small amount of international media interest about both the Cathedral in the Square and the new Transitional Cathedral. 

The Associate Dean is the Ven Nick Mountfort the vicar  of St John’s Highfield, Timaru and Archdeacon of South Canterbury. Nick is presently a member of the Standing Committee and has been involved with both Anglican Care South Canterbury and the Anglican Care Trust Board including some time as Chairman. 

Lynda will commence her new appointment on 1 November and Nick’s appointment begins on 15 February.  Both Lynda and Nick were elected at our September Synod to membership of General Synod.

The Transitional Cathedral continues to attract many visitors and on the 6 October when I was with the Cathedral community for all 3 services I was struck by the number of people who were visiting from elsewhere in New Zealand and overseas.  This is the beginning of a return to how things were prior to the need to walk away from the Cathedral in the Square."

This will be my last post for a week in which I plan to have several days of fasting from the internet.
After tonight (Monday, NZ time) I may not post any comments until Saturday (NZ time).