CHRIS GARDNER
The Anglican bishop of Waiapu, the Rt Rev John Bluck, has kept out of consultation which could result in him overseeing the diocese alone.
The diocese, which covers the East Coast from Southern Hawke's Bay to Tauranga, has run with two bishops for the past 16 years - one based
in Napier and the other in Tauranga.
When the Rt Rev George Connor, who was based in Tauranga, accepted an invitation to move to Dunedin, earlier in the year, he prompted a diocese-wide consultation which asked all 40 parishes whether the diocese should replace Bishop Connor.
Noel Hendery, regional ministry convenor, said the clear preference was for only one bishop.
"This preferred change in leadership reflected major changes in the diocese over recent years. Communications are better, travel is easier, and bishops no longer spend much of their time travelling from parish to parish for confirmation services."
In the past two years the diocese has established a network of regional ministry conveners who are available to provide some of the support that previously would have been expected of a bishop.
Any final decision will be made by the Synod, the governing body of the diocese, later in the month.
* Mr Hendery has been appointed to represent the pakeha strand of New Zealand's Anglican church at the World Council of Churches' general assembly in Brazil in February. The council will see 3000 people from the world's major churches get together for nine days.
