Wellington Elects New Assistant Bishop
Join Bishop Justin in welcoming Rev Anashuya Fletcher as the newly elected Assistant Bishop of Wellington.
“I am thrilled to welcome Rev Ana Fletcher to this role.”
“Ana is gifted in ministry and is well placed to meet the challenges facing the church,” said Bishop Justin.
“I’ve always admired her commitment to the task Jesus has for His church. To be his hands and feet and witness to His work of reconciliation. Ana’s faith and love for Jesus is clear in the way she lives. She has put everything on the line to follow the call of God,” he said.
Ana describes how grateful she is for the manner of the appointment process.
“I have a deep sense of gratitude for the past few months of discernment and the sense of God's grace through it all. I am grateful for the boldness of those who encouraged me to consider nomination, the wisdom of those who spoke into my discernment, the prayerfulness and collegiality between the candidates, and the prayerful and generous spirit in which our Diocesan whānau has undertaken this sacred task.
“I have confidence that I am being called into this role because we have worked hard to discern this call together as the Body of Christ. I am humbled by this episcopal call on my life and that of my whānau. I do not enter into this lightly, and consider it such a privilege to be called, alongside Bishop Justin, to help lead God's church in its mission and ministry at this time,” she says.
The Assistant Bishop position will support Bishop Justin in leading the Diocese of Wellington in its vision of being a transformative movement of local faith communities.
Ana, who moved from Sri Lanka to New Zealand with her family at the age of one, is married to Rev Paul Fletcher and has served alongside him as Co-Priest in Charge of St Peter’s, Gonville in the Parish of Whanganui.
They have two children, Ishmael (8) and Eilidh (4).
In 2025, Ana and Paul will relocate to live in Wellington.
Ana has been a lawyer, former Intercultural Communities Enabler for NZCMS (still holding a similar role for our Diocese) and the co-founder and current Executive Assistant for Common Good Coffee. She also contributes to leadership roles within Urban Vision, an apostolic movement of missional communities throughout the North Island.
On 17 February 2024, Ana was appointed by Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, the Most Reverend Don Tamihere. This followed an Electoral College Synod held on the 10th of February and ratification from the House of Bishops and General Synod Te Hīnota Whānui.
An installation date will follow. Let’s continue to pray for Ana, Paul, Ishmael, Eilidh as they prepare for this new season.
