Richard James Waugh (born 1957) is an ordained minister, historian and writer, aviation chaplain and organiser of historical events. As a historian, he has authored or co-authored many books and articles on New Zealand aviation, church history, motoring, social history, and theology subjects.
Now based in Christchurch, he is a commentator and writer on New Zealand aviation history (in particular, airline development from the 1930s to the 1970s), New Zealand ecumenism and church history, Wesleyan theology, Methodist history, and classic Jaguar Cars.
Life and career
Early life
Waugh was born in Christchurch, New Zealand to Brian Kynaston Waugh (1922–1984) and Jean Mary Lowe (1927–2009). His father Brian had served with the No. 75 Squadron RNZAF. His childhood years were in Hokitika and Queenstown while his young adult years were in Gisborne and Nelson.
Education
Waugh's tertiary education was at Trinity/St Johns Theological College (LTh, STh), Massey University (BA), University of Auckland (MBA), and Asbury Theological Seminary (D.Min). His doctoral work was with regard to the essential DNA of the Wesleyan theological worldview.
Ministry
Waugh was ordained in the Methodist Church of New Zealand in 1985 and served churches in the Manawatu, West Auckland and East Auckland. He joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand in 2000 and served as National Superintendent of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand (2002–2020). In 2000 he was founding minister of East City Wesleyan Church, a new multi-cultural church plant in East Auckland, which he continued to pastor until retirement in 2022. In 2012, he was appointed the founding President of the South Pacific Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. In the same year, he was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Asbury Theological Seminary.
During these years he was well known in ecumenical leadership. He was chair of the National Church Leaders Aotearoa New Zealand Meeting (2012–2021), chair of the Auckland Church Leaders Meeting (2009–2019), inaugural chair of the Auckland Prayer Breakfast (2016–2019) and with long-standing involvement in the New Zealand Christian Network and in World Methodism. He served as a member of the World Methodist Council, South Pacific Secretary of World Methodist Evangelism (2014–2022), and President of the World Methodist Historical Society (2016–current). In these ecumenical capacities, he was involved in many civic services and local and national government liaison work. He was elected National Superintendent Emeritus at the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Aotearoa New Zealand national conference in 2020.
Public service
Aviation
Since 1998, Waugh has served as Honorary Chaplain for the Honourable Company of Air Pilots (NZ Region), formerly the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, officiating at services and organising many aviation historical events. From 1994 to 2011, he led a project to commemorate the nine airliner accidents in New Zealand from the 1930s to the 1960s in which 73 people lost their lives and worked with others to ensure permanent memorials for each accident.
Some of these include: Kawatiri Air Accident Memorial Bay of Plenty Airways Accident Memorial Kaimai Memorial – New Zealand National Airways Corporation Flight 441
From early 2016, he was the initiator and spokesperson for the Erebus National Memorial which was subsequently endorsed as a major Government project. In June 2023 he was elected President of the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand.
Community
Over the years Waugh has had a wide range of voluntary community leadership roles including: Chair of the Henderson 150th Anniversary celebrations in 1993–1994 Trustee of the Corban Winery Estate (Waitakere City Council) in 1993–1996 Trustee of the Howick 150th Anniversary celebrations in 1996–1997 Elected member and deputy chair of the Pakuranga Community Board 1998–2004 Chair of the Howick 175th Anniversary celebrations 2021–2023
From 2016 to 2023, he was the founding chair of the Auckland Brit & Euro Classic Car Show Committee, helping organise one of New Zealand's largest classic car shows.