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The Anglican Church has appointed Rev Harvey Smith, 76, as interim priest-in-charge of all its churches from Wellsford to the Brynderwyns, and from Whakapirau to Mangawhai Heads.
The area includes around a dozen churches, across three church mission districts. Rev Smith will take services in churches in each district every Sunday, plus take care of around a dozen church cemeteries.
But Rev Smith, who has emerged from semi-retirement to take up the role, remains undaunted by the heavy workload
“I have a busy few months ahead, but I also really enjoy it. I’m a parish priest to my bones. That’s what I am,” he says.
“It’s what I used to do when I was much younger. My first parish was a rural one. I had seven churches on a Sunday, and I scuttled around them like a bee in a lily pond.”
Rev Smith adds he will have plenty of support from local lay leadership and the assistance of a Methodist ministerand a Baptist pastor to help with services.
Rev Smith replaces Rev Wayne Thornton, who has been called to a parish in Manurewa.
He expects to remain as priest-in-charge until the end of January, by which time it’s expected the church will appoint one or more replacement priests for the three mission districts.
Rev Smith moved to the vicarage in Mangawhai to take up his new role. Prior to taking up the position, he assisted churches in Glen Innes and Ellerslie on a part-time basis.
Rev Smith is married to Christine, a former manager of alumni relations at Auckland University and Australian National University.
