Tenth anniversary for Father Bob

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 11, 6 August 1985, Page 8

Tenth anniversary for Father Bob

The Reverend R. L. Peck will have served the local Anglican district as vicar for ten years at the end of next month. Father Bob came to the Waimarino at the invitation of Bishop Norman of the / Diocese of Wellington in j 1975, after having served ■ four years asassistanteditor ti and public relations officer r for the New Zealand Public Service Association. Prior to that he had been managing editor of Church & People, the national Anglican newspaper. During his years in Wellington he assisted the vicar of Wadestown as honorary assistant curate of St. Luke's Church. It was in 1964 that the Peck family came to New Zealand from the USA where Father Bob took up I an appointment as vicar of I Manaia. In the United States he had served as rector of

Nativity Episcopal Church, Maysville, Kentucky in the Diocese of Lexington where he was examining chaplain to the Bishop, a member of the Executive Council and Ecclesiastical Court. Since coming to New Zealand he has served on numerous committees and commissions of the Diocese of Wellington, as well as being a member of the standing committee. Over the ten years that he has been vicar of Ruapehu, Father Bob has seen many changes. There have been periods of success and periods of decline. By and large, however, there has been an increase of commitment from those people who are truly determined to see a strong Anglican presence in the district, while those who have been mainly on the fringe of Church life have slipped away. This is a national pattern, however, and is just a statement of the times. Sadly, this has been compounded by Anglicans of strong conviction moving to

other districts as well as deaths of many who have been faithful and good communicants over the years. Currently the Church is conducting a rather low key stewardship programme, which to date is being well supported. There is an active senior youth group, and over the years a very effective programme of education has been conducted. Over a three year period the district was visited by friars of the Society of Saint Francis, and more recently the Church was privileged to have as its guest, the Most Reverend George Ambo, Archbishop of Papua New Guinea. Father Bob believes that the Church should be active in the local community, and therefore devotes a considerable amount of his spare time to various local groups and activities. He has a close association with Ruapehu College and served for a time as liaison committee chairman on the Board of Governors, was a member of Raetihi Borough Council, Deputy Mayor and Mayor of the town and also

acted as the Ohakune/ Raetihi representative on the Wanganui United Council. Trained and educated in the United States, Father Bob has a Bachelor of Arts in history from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; is a Master of Divinity from the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky; has a Certificate of Association in Arts (journalism major) from the University of Cincinnati and a Certificate in Alcoholism Rehabilitation from Yale University School of Alcohol Studies. He was also made a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky in 1 964 as a result of his community service. The Pecks reside in their own home in Raetihi with dog and cat, as all of their children have grown up and are now members of the work force in Wellington. Rachel, the last to leave home, is now employed by the National Library. Mrs Peck (Peggy) is employed at the Waimarino Hospital.