devonportflagstaff.co.nz
May 22, 2026
Peninsula Capital buys another property... p2
‘Tagbuster’ Willy farewelled... p26
Interview: A widow’s bittersweet task... p22-23
Under-fire Holy Trinity vicar on seven weeks’ leave Embattled Holy Trinity Vicar Chris Murphy has taken “restorative leave” from the church for around seven weeks. Murphy announced the leave at the end of a sermon on 10 May. Derek Tovey, a “guest preacher”, will “assist in running the services for the next month and a bit,” Holy Trinity’s newsletter
said last Friday. Sources have described Murphy’s leave as “a break, sabbatical”, attributed to recent Flagstaff coverage of the schism in the church. Dozens of parishioners have left the church over the past two years, many disappointed at Murphy’s conservative
interpretation of the Bible in regard to the LGBTQ community and his attitude to women’s roles in the church. The Flagstaff contacted the Auckland Diocese and the Holy Trinity vestry for comment. The vestry did not want to comment and Bishop Ross Bay is on sabbatical leave until the end of June.
Not the full squid?
Wiggles of the deep... The “Fore Amigos” (from left, Maree Harvey, Michelle James, Nicky Proffit and Leigh Jewell) were defending champions at the Takapuna Grammar School PTA Golf Day last week. More photos, pages 8-9.