Ngā tukanga a Te Rūnanga Tohu o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu
Ngā tukanga a Te Rūnanga Tohu o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu
Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa, The Most Reverend Dr Don Tamihere, has formally given notice of a vacancy for the role of Te Pīhopa o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu. As a result, Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu now enters an electoral process to discern and elect their new Pīhopa.
Here you will find resources including timelines, articles explaining the process, and the official notice of vacancy from te Pīhopa o Aotearoa.
Following a period of lament and thanksgiving for the life and ministry of the late Bishop Richard Wallace who passed away in January 2024, an electoral process begins.
The Electoral College will be held in the South Island on 17 and 18 April 2026.
The Electoral College process will be overseen by Archbishop Don, with support from an Arrangements Committee, in accordance with a process unanimously approved by Te Rūnanganui o Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa at its December 2025 meeting.
Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu is the episcopal heart of Māori Christian mission and ministry across the South Island, the Chatham Islands, and Rakiura, Stewart Island. It was established in 1992 following the adoption of Te Pouhere, the revised constitution, and as a constituent body of Te Rūnanganui o Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa. The Office of Pīhopa o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu, however, was not created until 1996.
Further information and resources about the process, including how candidates may be nominated for consideration by the Electoral College, will be made available over the next four months.
Electoral Process Timeline at a Glance
Read Relevant Articles
Leadership
How a Bishop will be Chosen: Inside the Sacred Electoral Process
16 January 2026
The election of a Pīhopa is no mere formality; it is a sacred act of discernment, a communal search for God’s will.
Leadership
Official Notice of Vacancy for Bishop of Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu
16 January 2026
Tioro! Tioro! Ka tīorooro ki te rangi e tū nei, ka tīorooro ki te whenua e hora nei, ka tīorooro ki ngā taringa o te katoa.
Leadership
Bishop Richard Wallace, a servant of, for and by Te Waipounamu
15 January 2026
Bishop Richard Wallace at his ordination held at Ōnuku Marae in 2016 Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu is in the process of electing a Bishop to fill the role left by the sudden passing of the Right...
Ngā tukanga a Te Rūnanga Tohu o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu
The Calling of a Pīhopa
The calling of a pīhopa is a response to the voice of te Atua, recognised and affirmed by the Hāhi. It is a call to serve through oversight, teaching, pastoral care, and faithful leadership in the way of the Rongopai. This calling builds on their earlier journey in baptism and ordained ministry as a deacon and priest and deepens their lifelong commitment to serve te Atua and the people.
The Order and the Office
Te Pouhere (the Constitution) describes two related but different things: the Order of Pīhopa and the Office of Pīhopa. The Order is the lifelong identity and spiritual authority given through ordination. The Office is the specific leadership role to care for a hui amorangi or other episcopal area. The Order is permanent; the Office is held for a time and carries responsibility for governance, pastoral care, and mission.
The Order of Pīhopa
The Order of Pīhopa is one of the three orders of ordained ministry through which the Hāhi continues in the apostolic faith: rīkona (deacon), pirihi (presbyter or priest), and pīhopa (bishop). A pīhopa enters this order through prayer and the laying on of hands by other pīhopa, receiving authority to serve the whole Church, not just one hui amorangi. When a pīhopa retires or steps down, they remain part of the Order.
The Office of Pīhopa
The Office of Pīhopa is a specific commission to lead and oversee a hui amorangi. It involves caring for doctrine, worship, discipline, and ministry; preaching and teaching the Rongopai; and presiding at Te Hākari Tapu, confirmations, and ordinations. The pīhopa also leads in synods and councils to strengthen unity and the oranga ake of the Church. When a pīhopa retires, moves, or resigns, they leave that office but remain within the Order of Pīhopa.
A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa sets out both the spiritual character and practical responsibilities of the episcopate:
Bishops are sent to lead by their example
in the total ministry and mission of the Church.
They are to be Christ’s shepherds
in seeking out and caring for those in need.
They are to heal and reconcile,
uphold justice and strive for peace.
Bishops are to exercise godly leadership
in that part of the Church committed to their care,
and to maintain wise discipline within its fellowship.
The Church looks to them to promote peace and unity
among all God’s people,
and to encourage their obedience to God’s word.
They are to keep the Church true to its faith,
as found in Scripture and the Creeds,
to teach this faith and proclaim it.
Bishops are to ensure that an episcopal ministry is maintained.
They are to ordain, send forth and care for the Church’s pastors,
and to preside over its worshipping life.9