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Denise Ferguson

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Denise Ferguson
Assistant bishop, Anglican Diocese of Adelaide
ChurchAnglican Church of Australia
DioceseAdelaide
Installed21 July 2019[1]
Orders
Ordination1988 (as lay reader)
1999 (as deacon)[1]
Consecration21 July 2019[1]
by Geoffrey Smith
Personal details
NationalityNew Zealand
DenominationAnglican
SpouseMark[2]
ChildrenDaughter[2]
Alma materOtago University[3]

Denise Ferguson is a New Zealand bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia. She served as an assistant bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide from July 2019, to July 2024 and is the first woman to be appointed bishop in the Province of South Australia.[1][4]

Ferguson was born in New Zealand, and prior to entering ministry served as a staffer to the New Zealand Defence Force.[2] She commenced training for ministry at the age of 39,[2] and began her ministry career in the Anglican Diocese of Wellington, where she was ordained as a lay reader in 1988 and as a deacon in 1999.[1] Ferguson served as vicar of St Matthew's Palmerston North and then as Archdeacon of Manawatu.[3] She later served as the Bishop's Chaplain for Ministry Discernment in the Diocese of Wellington, and her final position prior to relocating to Australia, Ferguson was the Canon Registrar for the Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki.

In 2014 Ferguson moved to Australia, where she worked in the Diocese of Brisbane as Rector of the Parish of East Redland as well as Archdeacon of Moreton.[2]

Ferguson was consecrated as an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Adelaide on 21 July 2019. Her responsibilities involve parish visiting and liturgical roles, as well as oversight of three areas of ministry across South Australia: multicultural diversity in ministry, healthcare chaplaincies – covering both hospital and social service based care contexts – and ministry formation.[3]

Ferguson is married to Martin, an army officer who put his career on hold to support her ministry training. She also has a daughter and is a grandmother.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Denise Ferguson". Anglican Diocese of Adelaide. Anglican Diocese of Adelaide. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Baker, Rebecca (20 July 2019). "The Reverend making SA history today: Denise Ferguson appointed as Assistant Bishop in Adelaide". Sunday Mail (SA). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Clarke-Morris, Julieanne (9 August 2019). "Adelaide ordains NZ woman bishop". anglicantaonga: Telling the stories of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, NZ and Polynesia. Anglican Taonga Online. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  4. ^ Officer, Media (29 July 2024). "Farewell and thanks to Bishop Denise". Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2024.