The great doors of Holy Trinity Cathedral swung open in celebration after the Rt Rev Ross Bay knocked three times to be installed as the 11th Bishop of Auckland on Saturday. It was a day of joy and celebration with a full cathedral of approximately 1200 people who greeted Bishop Bay with long applause after he was vested and given the symbols of episcopal ministry.

The pastoral staff used by the new bishop had been presented to Bishop William Cowie in 1890 by the clergy of Auckland to mark his 21st year as Bishop of Auckland. The same staff was laid down on the altar by the previous Bishop of Auckland, the Rt Rev John Paterson, when he retired in March this year.

In the sermon on Saturday, the Rev Canon Jim White suggested there needed to be another symbol among those presented to the new bishop. That suggestion was a basin and towel.

Canon White said that while it may be awkward, there was the risk of the gowns and the rings of episcopal office obscuring the Gospel.

“What thinking about including footwashing brings home is how deeply transgressive and how ludicrous and how loving Christian leadership really is meant to be. So, a basin and towel would be good.”

Bishop Bay was then presented with a basin and towel by the preacher to applause from the congregation.

At the start of the installation, the Bishop processed into the cathedral to the singing of Charles Hubert Parry’s anthem with the first line, “I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord.”

For the new Bishop, aged 45, the cathedral is a building of great familiarity. He has been Dean for the past two and half years and previously served as a priest there. But this day marked a pinnacle in his ministry and a new chapter in leadership in the diocese.

Ross Bay has served nearly all his ordained ministry in Auckland and was told in the sermon that he was chosen and called. Despite the many demands and challenges of episcopacy, Canon White said, the new Bishop did not have to be Superman.

“Just you will do. These people of God have called you to be bishop for them. Trust God in that... We do.”

Bishop Bay has written to the diocese on his calling, quoting from St Augustine of Hippo.

“I am a bishop for you and a Christian with you,” he writes. “I will endeavour to live this out through my episcopate in this diocese.

"I came to faith through the ministry of one of our parishes and I have been nurtured through the ministry of many others...

"I love this diocese and care deeply about it and about its clergy and people. I am a Christian with you. I now accept this call to be bishop for you. I assume the responsibilities of bishop at what I consider to be a time of exciting opportunity for the Christian church.”

The service marked the diversity of Auckland, including its large geographical nature, and the new bishop is keen to get to know both the people and the places better so that he can understand ministry needs.

Symbols of ministry were presented to Bishop Bay by representatives of the northern, central, and southern regions of the diocese.

Colleagues of the new Bishop came from across the city, including volunteer members of the Auckland Fire Police of which Ross is a member.

As Bishop Bay left the cathedral he was greeted by a haka from students from King's College on the cathedral forecourt.

Footnote: On her Monday morning "Nine to Noon" show, Radio New Zealand's Kathryn Ryan did a 30 minute interview with the new bishop.

If you go to: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20100419, and scroll down to the fourth item on the menu, you'll find an archived copy of that broadcast.