Bishop Richard Ellena
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Bishop Richard Ellena was born and grew up in Christchurch. His father, Vic Ellena, was the Bryndwr butcher until he became Head of Music at Burnside High School. Vic was also the organist and choirmaster at St Barnabas’, Fendalton, under Canon Bob Lowe. Those musical genes flow through Richard. He has a degree in music, majoring in composition, is a multi-instrumentalist and has played in orchestras, bands and brass bands, and he has composed for, conducted and sung in choirs. His wife Hilary shares that musical gift. On leaving Burnside High, Richard worked briefly for the Met Service before training as a teacher and studying at the University of Canterbury. |
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| He then taught music in high schools for 10 years – including two at St Bede’s in Christchurch, and eight at Rangiora High – before beginning training for the Anglican ministry at St John’s College in Auckland in 1983. Richard was ordained an Anglican priest in 1985, served his curacy at Highfield-Marchwiel (in Timaru) and was vicar of Kensington- Otipua, in south Timaru, from 1986 to 1991. He had learned Maori at St John’s and, at the invitation of Ngai Tahu, he taught Te Reo at Aoraki Polytech in Timaru. In 1991, Richard was asked by Bishop Derek Eaton to move to the Nelson Diocese to begin ministry at the Church of the Nativity in Blenheim. After 15 years at Nativity, Richard was elected as the tenth bishop of Nelson. Richard and his wife Hilary have two adult children. | ||