A former Nelson priest, Julian Dobbs, is one of two new suffragan bishops elected to the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

VirtueOnline reports that the elections, on March 4, capped a week of missional work by the Church of Nigeria's Standing Committee, led by Archbishop Nicholas Okoh.

Julian Dobbs, 42, currently serves as an archdeacon and missioner in the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA). He and his wife Brenda and three children have resided in the U.S. since 2006.

He was ordained in 1991 and went on to plant three congregations in New Zealand. Among his outreach ministries, he hosted a weekly 60min television programme.

From 2004-08, he served as executive director of the Barnabas Fund in New Zealand and in the U.S. This involved work in six continents to minister to persecuted Christians and to bring relief in natural disasters.

As well as assisting CANA's episcopate with pastoral issues and congregational development, Julian Dobbs is one of 12 members of the ACNA's Executive Committee and chairs ACNA's task force on Islam.

The other bishop-elect is the Rev Felix Orji, rector of St Francis on the Hill in El Paso, Texas.

Both are likely to be consecrated later this year in Nigeria. 

Announcing the elections, Archbishop Robert Duncan said: "I am glad to congratulate our good partners in CANA and the Church of Nigeria on their wise selection of new bishops for our common ministry here in the ACNA.

“Godly and faithful leadership is vital to who we are as Anglicans, and I have no doubt that Bishops-elect Julian Dobbs and Felix Orji will be great servant-leaders for the ACNA and the church at large."