Peter Lindsay Hayward disappeared under a sea of hands and emerged not long after as one of the most influential religious leaders in Australia.The Reverend Canon became the Bishop of Wollongong last night at a consecration ceremony at Sydney's St Andrew's Cathedral.Hundreds of church leaders and the faithful turned out to see the father of three inherit one of the country's biggest Anglican flocks, stretching from southern Sydney to Ulladulla and inland to Campbelltown.Last night's ceremony culminated in a symbolic "laying on of hands", where about 20 Australian bishops put their palms over the kneeling bishop-elect in a symbolic show of fellowship. Bishop Hayward, who has just turned 50, represents a younger chapter for leadership of the church in the region.He has signalled an energetic and entrepreneurial approach to encouraging churches to reach out to their communities.Yesterday he told the Mercury he had been buoyed by growing attendance among the region's Anglican youth groups. "Primary school and teenage kids are the most rapidly growing segment of our church life in the Illawarra," he said.The one-time Shoalhaven City Council engineer, who lived in the region for 20 years from the age of nine, has also indicated a keen interest in politics and says he will weigh in on popular debate."I would expect that I would speak when appropriate on different matters." Bishop Hayward was sent to Glenmore Park in Sydney and Spokane in the United States to found churches during the 1990s. He later built on an existing eight churches near his Beverly Hills, Sydney, parish from 2001.He recently moved to Figtree with his wife Julie and said he was looking forward to getting to know his "wonderful" new home."Outside of heaven, it's not a bad place to be," he said. Outgoing bishop Alan Stewart is heading up a Sydney Diocese church expansion program.