headshot of Reverend Simon Martin, bishop's chaplain in the Nelson Anglican Diocese

Simon Martin

Bishop's Chaplain

As the Bishop’s Chaplain, Simon has a variety of clergy-focussed responsibilities, like pre & post ordination training.

Your census has meaning

Simon Martin

Bishop's Chaplain

As the Bishop’s Chaplain, Simon has a variety of clergy-focussed responsibilities, like pre & post ordination training.

Your census has meaning

person filling out a form

There has been some confusion in answering the census section on religion.

Question 16 asks, "What is your religion?"

Census guidance says "Give as much detail as you need to name your religion, e.g. Presbyterian, Ratana, Sunni, Sikhism." Can I encourage those of you who identify as part of the Anglican Communion to answer "Anglican" or "Christian: Anglican" to this question.

Identifying as Anglican adds your voice to the numbers and is useful when the state is considering the role of the church in society. There is also significant value within the Anglican church to map and monitor our community of Anglicans across the country during these times of significant change.

Data from this question is also used by the Church for example, to provide welfare services and plan for new churches and religious schools.

So be encouraged to add Anglican to your answer if you identify as belonging to an Anglican church.

Check out other articles in the

series below.

More articles in the

series are to come.

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We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.

Your census has meaning

Simon Martin

Bishop's Chaplain

As the Bishop’s Chaplain, Simon has a variety of clergy-focussed responsibilities, like pre & post ordination training.

Your census has meaning

Simon Martin

Bishop's Chaplain

As the Bishop’s Chaplain, Simon has a variety of clergy-focussed responsibilities, like pre & post ordination training.

Your census has meaning

person filling out a form

There has been some confusion in answering the census section on religion.

Question 16 asks, "What is your religion?"

Census guidance says "Give as much detail as you need to name your religion, e.g. Presbyterian, Ratana, Sunni, Sikhism." Can I encourage those of you who identify as part of the Anglican Communion to answer "Anglican" or "Christian: Anglican" to this question.

Identifying as Anglican adds your voice to the numbers and is useful when the state is considering the role of the church in society. There is also significant value within the Anglican church to map and monitor our community of Anglicans across the country during these times of significant change.

Data from this question is also used by the Church for example, to provide welfare services and plan for new churches and religious schools.

So be encouraged to add Anglican to your answer if you identify as belonging to an Anglican church.

Check out other articles in the

series below.

More articles in the

series are to come.