Ordination

Transitional Deacon Ordination

2 pm, Saturday 23rd November
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul

Service Information

  • 1:45pm - All clergy and processing wardens (you don’t need to bring your ‘wands’) are to be robed and congregating in the ambulatory for procession no later than this time. The processional order is below. Note that if you are supporting an ordinand, you are walking in with them at the invitation of the kai karanga when the service begins.

    2pm - The ordination service begins.

    Refreshments will be service after the service.

  • Clergy and Wardens will be seated in the Chancel. Archdeacons will be in the two back rows of the choir stalls.

    If anyone would like seating for those with disabilities or for wheelchair spaces to be reserved, please email the Cathedral on admin@wellingtoncathedral.org.nz so sufficient seating can be arranged.

  • Please see the attached map with parking options close to the Cathedral. If you would like to request a disability or elderly car park near the Cathedral entrance, or if your parish is bringing buses, please email the Cathedral on admin@wellingtoncathedral.org.nz or ring the Cathedral staff on 04 472 0286. For both space and environmental reasons we encourage you to carpool or use public transport.

  • A reminder that all active clergy who hold a Covenant are expected to attend in support of their fellow clergy. All PTO, PTM and retired clergy are welcome to attend.

    Please wear an alb and red stole.

    You are only required to robe and process for the ordination part of the service. Robing areas are as follows:

    • Diocesan and visiting Clergy, and Wardens (if robing) – robe in the Byan Davis Room

    • Lay Canons: robes are in top Vestry by High Altar, Molesworth Street side.

    • Archdeacons, Clerical Canons and Bishops - robe in the Dean's Vestry.

    • Ordinands – Lady Chapel

    Processional Order

    1. Choir

    2. O+O

    3. Verger

    4. Lay Ministers & Visiting Clergy

    5. Cathedral Clergy

    6. Cathedral Canons

    7. Warden

    8. Archdeacons

    9. The Dean and Bishop’s Chaplain

    10. The Bishops

  • This service is going to be large! For this reason during the ordination itself we are limiting the number of clergy who come forward to lay hands on candidates.

    Of course you are very welcome to remain in your places and extend your hands, and form a human chain too.

Celebrate the ordinations of Cassandra Samuel, Emma Mead, Andy Newport, Danyon Chong, Dara Choo, Helen Topham and Andrew Lim.

Featured
Danyon Morton-Chong
Danyon Morton-Chong

Danyon Morton-Chong is part of Renew Communities. He is coming to the end of his time leading Blueprint Church and is, alongside his wife Holly, moving to Tītahi Bay to co-lead the planting of a worshipping community.

Andy Newport
Andy Newport

Andy is a leader at Lyall Bay Community Church where he has been serving for 8 years. He is husband to Cindy and Dad to Audrey (7).

Cassandra Mesa
Cassandra Mesa

Cassandra Mesa worships at All Saints Hataitai with her son Jaden. She works for MBIE as a Cyber Security Advisor and is passionate about building and fostering inclusive, intercultural and multicultral communities.

Emma Mead
Emma Mead

Emma is from the Parish of Epiphany in Masterton and is married to Jonas and has a 10-year-old daughter, Lilith. Emma has a passion for intergenerational and school gate ministry.

Dara Choo
Dara Choo

Dara is married to John and serves and worships at St Luke's Wadestown. They have four adult children, Matthias, Nathanael, Ian and Joan.

Helen Topham
Helen Topham

Helen is from the Parish of Silverstream and is married with two adult children. She is a chaplain at Rimutaka and Arohata prisons, previously having ministered in aged-care and community settings. 

Andrew Lim
Andrew Lim

Andrew first came to Aotearoa as an International Student 30 years ago. His wife, Lilian and daughter, Monica live now in the Hutt. Andrew is a Chaplain at Victoria university of Wellington and attends the Anglican Chinese Mission. 

Vocational Deacon Ordination

2 pm, Saturday 23rd November
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul

Featured
Li Lian Lim
Li Lian Lim

Li Lian is married to Andrew and their daughter is in university.  She came to Wellington for university from Singapore. She has been involved in student ministry, high-school teaching and the Anglican Chinese Mission.


Celebrate the ordination of Li Lian Lim

Ordination to Priesthood

Featured
Rev. Victoria Sibley-Bentley
Rev. Victoria Sibley-Bentley

Victoria is from the parish of All Saints, Palmerston North where she is involved mainly with the 5pm congregation. She is a chaplain at Massey University, Manawatu campus and is married to Ashton. 

Rev. Hamish Dobbie
Rev. Hamish Dobbie

Hamish (Ngāti Ruanui, Te Ātiawa) has whakapapa to Taranaki, but grew up in central Wellington. He has spent the last two years doing his curacy in the community of St David’s in Naenae.

Rev. Rebecca Packer
Rev. Rebecca Packer

Rebecca lives in Wellington and works at the Sisters of Compassion. She is married to Matt and they worship and serve together at St Michael‘s in Kelburn.

Rev. Matthew Packer
Rev. Matthew Packer

Matthew lives in Wellington and works at the Waitangi Tribunal Unit. He and his wife Rebecca serve in the parish of Kelburn and worship at St Michael’s.

Rev. Joanna Harrington
Rev. Joanna Harrington

Joanna (Ngāti Paoa) lives in Shannon where she is a leader in the Venerable Bede Church and an Urban Vision team. She is married to Leigh and they have four children - two who are grown up. She works with others to grow food on their faith-based eco-farm, teaches singing and Te Reo Māori at Shannon Primary School, and helps out with the kids’ club.

Rev. Wendy Smyth
Rev. Wendy Smyth

Wendy is the Chaplain of St Matthew’s Collegiate School in Masterton, a Religious Education teacher, a mother of four grown women, and a Granny to 11 grandchildren.

Rev. Maria Kirkland
Rev. Maria Kirkland

Maria was born and bred in the Hutt Valley and while the rest of Wellington might mock it, she thinks it’s a pretty great place. She has been based in Taitā for the last seven years where she lives in an intentional community and serves as Co-Missioner at St Matt's Taitā.

Rev. Miriam Freeman-Plume
Rev. Miriam Freeman-Plume

Mim is from the parish of Pauatahanui near Porirua where she has served as deacon assistant since November 2023. She is married to Matt, and they have two kids, Josh (almost 14) and Tovi, (almost 10). Mim heads up Pauatahanui's children's and young people's ministry leadership team, with particular responsibility for kids in Years 1-6.

Rev. Michelle Tofts
Rev. Michelle Tofts

Michelle is a teacher at Nga Tawa School and alongside her husband, Adrian, forms the chaplaincy team there. Michelle is also a part of the team in the Parish of Rangitikei.

Meet the Ordinands

  • 10 am Saturday 9th of November
    St Stephen's Marton

  • 2 pm Saturday 9 November Venerable Beade Shannon

  • 5 pm Sunday 10 November
    All Saints, Palmerston North

  • 6:30 pm Wednesday 13 November,
    St Mark's Carterton

  • 2 pm Saturday 16 November
    St David's Naenae

  • 2 pm Saturday 16 November
    St David's Naenae

  • 10 am Sunday 17 November
    St Andrew's Plimmerton

  • 1.30 pm Sunday 17 November
    St Michael's Kelburn