Equality not the issue says Archbishop
Archbishop Peter Jensen on former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s change of mind on ‘same-sex marriage’ –
“Equality is not the issue. The consummation of a marriage by a man and a woman is unique and cannot be replicated. The precious differences between men and women, likewise cannot be replicated in any other bond.”
Full story:
Archbishop Peter Jensen has publicly disagreed with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has done a turnaround and now says he supports same sex marriage.
Dr Jensen says Mr Rudd’s comments “do not grapple sufficiently with the question of what marriage is and what it is for”. Read more
Michael Jensen to leave Moore for St. Mark’s Darling Point
“Moore College lecturer Michael Jensen has accepted an offer to become the next Rector of St Mark’s Anglican Church, Darling Point. Michael currently lectures in Doctrine and Church History. The Jensens will be at Moore until Michael takes up the new position at the beginning of October.” (Read it all from Moore Theological College.)
And Mark Thompson, the new Principal of Moore College, adds,
“Michael has made an excellent contribution to Moore College during his time on the faculty. While we will be sad to lose his day-to-day presence among us, it is exciting that he is taking up a leadership position in a parish church, the very thing we are preparing so many of our students to do.
We will pray that Michael’s time at Darling Point will be one in which many men and women come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and, together with those already part of the congregations there, grow in their knowledge, love and service of God.”
Related: St. Mark’s Darling Point.
Moore College Open Week: May 27–31
“Moore College Open Events provide people with an opportunity to find out more about studying at Moore. During Open Week anyone who is interested are welcome to come along and check out the College, be involved in classes, and get a firsthand experience of Moore’s high quality theological training, plus have all their questions answered by faculty and students. You also get a lunch on us!”
– Read all about it at the College website.
A Call to Prayer for the Election of a New Archbishop of Sydney
The next Archbishop of Sydney will be elected at the special session of Sydney Synod beginning Monday 5th August.
This election is of strategic importance for the work of the gospel in Sydney and the most important thing we can do is pray.
Members of the Anglican Church League invite you to join us during June at these venues to pray together for this election Synod and that the Lord Jesus will be glorified.
These open meetings are for prayer, and not for the promotion of particular candidates (“The ACL confirms its longstanding practice of not promoting a preferred candidate for the Archbishop’s election.”).
All Synod members and all church members are warmly invited and encouraged to come. We do hope you can pray with us!
Two websites for the Archbishop’s election
Websites have been established commending two nominees for the office of Archbishop of Sydney. These are intended for Synod members who may not know the nominees personally.
There’s one from supporters of Glenn Davies, the Bishop of North Sydney (glenndavies.info), and another from supporters of Rick Smith, the Senior Minister of Naremburn Cammeray Anglican Church (whyrick.info).
Please continue to pray for our two brothers (and any others) who have been nominated, and for all involved. Pray that the Lord Jesus will be honoured and glorified, and that believers will be edified.
Details of the coming ACL-organised prayer meetings across the diocese may be seen here.
See also – The ACL commits to Prayer for the election of the next Archbishop of Sydney.
Church Record editorial May 2013
“The Ordinal in our Prayer Book provides the job description. It is time to read it again. There is nothing the Archbishop will be required to do that he is not already doing as a gospel minister. …”
– The editorial in the latest Australian Church Record, “Preparing for an Election without mystery”, touches on the coming Archbishop’s election Synod.
On the elimination of the suffering
“Why is it, as soon as we see someone suffering, that we so quickly think of eliminating the sufferer?
Is it that we think that their suffering is so bad that they would be better off dead than to continue as they are?
Or is it that we are fearful that their suffering would only increase if they were to continue to live in a society which is unwilling to change so that their needs will be met? Or are we concerned that we would suffer because of them?…”
– Dr Megan Best asks some challenging questions in this article at SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo: Matthias Media.)
Latest Church Record (May 2013) online
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record is out – and includes discussion of the coming Archbishop’s Election Synod. From the ACR website.
Opposing Euthanasia
“Euthanasia is being pushed again in NSW. There’s a lot more that could be said, but here’s what I’m sending to my local MPs…”
–Sandy Grant writes at The Briefing.
This is after news that the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 2013 may be introduced into the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament as a private members bill tomorrow – Thursday, 2 May 2013 – by the NSW Greens MLC, Cate Faehrmann.
(Image: Feggy Art on Flickr.)
Bronwyn Chin memorial service
AFES has posted online video of the Memorial Service for Bronwyn Chin, who went to be with the Lord on Easter Sunday.
“May God use the testimony of her life to spur you on to live for Jesus as the pulsating centre of your life into eternity.” – at the AFES website.