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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am delighted to be able to announce the appointment of Archdeacon Ross Falconer as Dean of the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary. Archdeacon Ross will serve in this role until the end of this year.

Ross was ordained priest for the Diocese of Wellington but has served the majority of his ordained ministry in parishes in the Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki. He has been vicar of Opunake, Katikati, Stratford and Hillcrest. He has also served for an extended period as a Chaplain in the Defence forces rising to the position of Principal RNZAF Chaplain.  He has been stationed in New Zealand and has also been deployed in East Timor.

Ross is a very experienced pastor with a track record of leading strong parish communities. He has a particular passion for encouraging families and ministry with children. He will bring strong and clear leadership and his sense of joy and hope in the Gospel is infectious. He brings a positive approach, clear strategic thinking and is solutions focussed. Ross is a man who believes having fun is at the heart of faith.

I am grateful that one of our Church’s most senior priests has agreed to lead the ministry at St Mary’s while we continue our search for a permanent appointment to the role of Dean.

I have been working intentionally over the past six months with possible candidates for the permanent position of Dean and we will move in the next few weeks to advertise the position nationally and internationally.

In the mean-time the Cathedral community is in experienced and happy hands.

Yours in Christ

++Philip Richardson

Bishop

Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki

Archbishop and Primate

Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.