Te Pīhopatanga o Te Waipounamu
Te Pīhopatanga o Te Waipounamu is an episcopal polity or diocese of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Literally, the diocese is the Anglican bishopric of the South Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand; also known as the synod.
Te Pīhopatanga encompasses the South Island in its entirety and also Stewart Island / Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. Its headquarters are based at premises at 290 Ferry Road, Christchurch. According to the 2001 census there were approximately 15,000 Māori Anglicans within this area.
Te Waipounamu is one of five pīhopatanga, or episcopal units, that comprise Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, the Māori Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Ministry
There are seven Ministry units in Te Waiponamu:- Archdeaconry of Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka: Picton and Nelson
- Archdeaconry of Whakatu: Blenheim
- Archdeaconry of Motueka: Motueka
- Archdeaconry of Te Tai Poutini: Takaka and Hokitika
- Archdeaconry of Otautahi
- Archdeaconry of Otepoti: Dunedin
- Archdeaconry of Murihiku: Mataura and Invercargill
Structure
Te Pīhopatanga is governed by the Hui Amorangi, a representative synod that meets annually. The executive committee meets four times a year, as well as the meeting of the Hui Amorangi Trust Board.Te Pīhopatanga comes under the episcopal leadership of Te Pīhopa o ''Te Waipounamu''.
Bishop
The first Pīhopa o ''Te Waipounamu was John Gray, who was consecrated bishop in 1996 and died in November 2015.Richard Wallace was nominated at the Electoral College of 23–25 September 2016 to be the second Pīhopa o Te Waipounamu''. He was duly consecrated on 21 January 2017 and installed that month. Wallace died on 6 January 2024, and his successor is expected to be elected in early to mid 2026.