Sunday, May 12, 2013

Leading from the frontline

From New Zealand-

When Philip Richardson was named archbishop- elect in March, the piles of cards, letters and emails was "just extraordinary". On one day there was a card from Stratford and one from the United States.

The letter writer from Stratford said, "you don't know who I am but I just think this is great". Katharine Jefferts Schori, the head of the Episcopal, or Anglican, church in America also wrote in support. She is the presiding bishop or primate and the pair were once in a Bible study group together.

Archbishop Philip, 55, grins at the memory during an interview with the Taranaki Daily News.

"I thought it was lovely to open those two cards, one after the other, and have them associated with what's happened."

Coming back on the plane recently, three people stopped to shake his hand. He knew only one of them. "There seems to be a little bit of Naki pride going around, which is lovely really."

Locals have had 14 years to get used to their own bishop. Richardson was installed in July 1999 - before that Taranaki was presided over by the Bishop of Waikato.

More here-

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/features/8660962/Leading-from-the-frontline

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