Sheltering families in north Lebanon

Posted on October 21, 2024 
Filed under Sydney Diocese, World news

From Anglican Aid (Sydney):

“Over the last month, many families from the conflict zone in south Lebanon have moved north, seeking safety. Believing that the Christians there would help them, some have sought help from Anglican Aid’s long-term partner, Good Shepherd School. In response, the school is now sheltering some of these displaced families.

Directors of Good Shepherd School, Reem and Emil Bourizk, have also taken some families into their home alongside their own children.

They told us yesterday that bombardments in their area early this week have brought the conflict very close to home. …”

– Read more, watch their video, pray, and support Good Shepherd School if you are able.

John Newton to William Wilberforce, 15th November 1786

Posted on October 21, 2024 
Filed under Australia, Good News, History

At St. Thomas’ North Sydney yesterday, King Charles and Queen Camilla signed the The First Fleet Bible and the Book of Common Prayer which were carried here by the Rev. Richard Johnson, the first Chaplain to the Colony. Those books are tangible reminders of the commitment of Johnson and those who sent him to bring Good News to these distant shores.

Not long before the Fleet sailed, John Newton wrote to his friend William Wilberforce of their hopes in sending a Chaplain –

“Who can tell what important consequences may depend upon Mr Johnson’s going to New Hollands! It may seem but a small event at present. So a foundation stone, when laid, is small compared with the building to be erected upon it; but it is the beginning and the earnest of the whole.

This small beginning, may be like the dawn, which advances to a bright day, and lead on to the happy time, when many nations, which now sit in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death, shall rejoice in the light of the Sun of Righteousness.” [Referring to Isaiah 9:2 and Malachi 4:2.]

– From a letter from John Newton to William Wilberforce, 15 November 1786.

(With thanks to Marylynn Rouse – who has more here – at The John Newton Project.)

Video screenshot with thanks to St. Thomas’ North Sydney.

Guess who’s coming to church

Posted on October 20, 2024 
Filed under People, Sydney Diocese

“The congregation of St Thomas’ North Sydney was told only the day before that they would have the King and Queen as special guests for the Sunday morning family service.

Strict security had to be in place for the opening official engagement of King Charles’ first visit to Australia as King.

‘We really hope and pray that he recovers well and what he hears in the service will be of great encouragement and meaning to him,’ said the rector, the Rev Micky Mantle, as he prepared for the service. …”

– Russell Powell has the story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

You can read the text of Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s sermon here. (PDF file.)

Video of the full service can be seen here (link to the arrival of the King and Queen).

Cannon Phil Ashey elected Bishop of Diocese of Western Anglicans

Posted on October 20, 2024 
Filed under People

“On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the Synod of the Diocese of Western Anglicans elected the Rev. Canon Phil Ashey to be the next bishop of the diocese.

Canon Phil Ashey is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Anglican Council (AAC). Phil grew up in a Christian family and gave his life to Christ in 1968. A graduate of Stanford and Loyola Law School, he served as a Deputy DA in Orange County California. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1988 and spent twenty years leading Episcopal and Anglican congregations of all sizes in California, Virginia, and Pittsburgh—thirteen as a Rector and Church planter, and seven as a Senior Associate. Phil’s focus and passion is to develop biblically-faithful leaders at all levels of the Church—both here in North America and across the Anglican Communion. …”

– News from The American Anglican Council.

The Greatest event in Human History — Dave Jensen on John 19:16-30

Posted on October 20, 2024 
Filed under Good News

Dave Jensen spoke at the lunch hour service at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London on Tuesday (15th October 2024).

“Dave discusses the greatest event in human history and how it impacts each one of us.”

His topic: ‘It is Finished’ – and John 19:16-30.

An excellent message to share with your friends.

– Watch or listen.

Weddings and Marriage

Posted on October 20, 2024 
Filed under New Zealand, Resources

“I am currently part of a diocesan committee looking into the issues of marriage, divorce and remarriage. …

Flowing out of these meetings, I have been struck by something.

In some ways it’s a relatively minor point, but I wonder if it reveals more than we realise. What dawned on me was the great disparity nowadays between how we prepare for a wedding, and how we prepare for marriage. …”

– Jay Behan, Bishop of the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa NZ, writes in his current e-mail newsletter.

Photo: Jay speaking at the ACL Synod Dinner in 2019.

Presiding Bishop’s statement on the accession of AMC to ANiE

Posted on October 19, 2024 
Filed under ANiE

Bishop Andy Lines writes:

“I rejoice at what Gafcon is doing through the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE). Following careful and due process, we have worked to provide an ecclesial home within Global Anglicanism for all seeking godly oversight. This includes, most recently, the inauguration of the Anglican Missionary Congregations Europe (AMC) as our third diocese. We are grateful for the close involvement, blessing and authorisation of the Gafcon Primates.

The partnership of faithful Global Anglicans is a beautiful and precious thing anticipating that great day when people from every tribe, language, people and nation will gather around the throne to praise our Lord for his grace and mercy. ANiE embraces such cultural diversity that glorifies Jesus and welcomes the vibrant experience of church planting and bi-vocational ministry that AMC brings to the Network.

I recognise that some take a more institutional view of Anglican unity, and also that others are pursuing different strategies to contend for the authority of scripture. Whilst we may differ about some views and approaches, our underlining unity continues to be in the truth of the gospel, summarised in the Jerusalem Declaration 2008. 

Gafcon has repeatedly offered its support and prayers, and stated its determination to stand with all who are ‘contending for the faith once delivered to the saints’; not least through the Network and our ongoing relationships with those who are part of Canterbury-aligned structures. This is crucial at a time when, sadly, some who are called and consecrated to uphold truth and banish error have departed from scripture. We will always rejoice whenever, and wherever, the Lord Jesus Christ and his word are honoured and upheld.”

This statement is in response to certain questions and erroneous statements circulating online.

– Source:  The Anglican Network in Europe.

Church Society podcast: Interview with Bishop Rob Munro

Posted on October 19, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars, People

From Church Society:

“Ros Clarke chats to the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, Rob Munro, about what his role requires and some of the challenges he has been facing. In an increasingly politicised church he speaks of how he tries to follow theological principles, and calls us to pray for revival.”

– Listen here.

Church Revitalisation

Posted on October 18, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Opinion

“The Presbyterian Church in Australia has a new minister – yours truly!  I have signed the formula and have officially become the minister of Scots Kirk in Hamilton, Newcastle. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and wrote a letter reflecting on the journey that has taken us to this place – Letter from Australia 122 – A Return to my Radical Roots.

Some people felt that the basic principles for church revitalisation I listed in that letter might be worth sharing in a wider context so I have added to them a little and hope that they will indeed prove helpful.

I have no great plans. I have dreams and visions – for without that I would perish. But I also have this certainty  that God’s word will not return to him empty and will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. I do have some basic principles/aims/ideas which are as follows …”

– At AP, David Robertson – not Minister at Scots Kirk, Newcastle – shares his thoughts on church revitalisation. Doubtless, many Anglican churches would benefit from at least some of his suggestions.

Court finds Christian man guilty of ‘disapproval of abortion’ for praying silently

Posted on October 17, 2024 
Filed under Culture wars

“A British army veteran who served in Afghanistan was found guilty today of praying silently near an abortion clinic in England.

Adam Smith-Connor breached a Public Spaces Protection Order by this action, according to the ruling at Poole Magistrates Court in the town of Poole near Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The court gave Smith-Connor a conditional discharge, meaning he will be sentenced only if convicted of future offenses within the next two years.

‘Today, the court has decided that certain thoughts — silent thoughts — can be illegal in the United Kingdom,’ Smith-Connor said after the court ruling. …”

– Story from The Christian Post.

Update: Here’s a video of Adam Smith-Connor responding to the verdict:

A Cloud of Witnesses: Australian Anglicans in Tanzania – Rev Dr Colin Reed

Posted on October 17, 2024 
Filed under Africa, History, People, Sydney Diocese

“The Letter to the Hebrews encourages us with the account of the great cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament – people who lived by faith looking forward to Jesus. The Moore College Archives encourage us with some of the witness of people of more modern times who have stepped out in faith looking to Jesus as they went to serve God in Tanzania. How do they encourage and challenge us today? What shaped their faith? What shaped their passions? What were their aims in mission? How do they ‘strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees’?”

Colin Reed spoke at a Moore College Library Lecture earlier this month. His fascinating lecture will be of great interest to anyone wanting to know more of the history of CMS in East Africa, and many people he mentions will likely be familiar to our readers.

Rev Dr Colin Reed grew up in Africa and (along with his wife Wendy) served with CMS as a missionary in Tanzania, on staff of the NSW & ACT Branch, and as Principal of St Andrew’s Hall.

Over many years, Colin has studied and written on the history of the Church in East Africa.

Watch here.

And on YouTube, there are timestamped links to topics mentioned in the lecture.

Bishop of Bathurst’s newsletter — Synod 2024

Posted on October 16, 2024 
Filed under Australian dioceses

The Bishop of Bathurst, Mark Calder, has released his latest newsletter.

Food for your prayers and a great way to catch up with what is happening across the diocese.

Rejoicing at what Gafcon is doing in Europe

Posted on October 16, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, GAFCON

From The Anglican Network in Europe:

“On 15th October 2024 Gafcon inaugurated a third diocese for the Anglican Network in Europe [ANiE]. The Anglican Missionary Congregations (Europe) [AMC] has grown from a single Nigerian diaspora congregation in Manchester to 39 congregations all over the UK and in some parts of Europe, served by 54 mainly self-supporting clergy.

Joining in partnership for mission to Europe is a beautiful expression of the Lord gathering people from every tribe, language, people and nation to proclaim Christ faithfully to a needy continent. AMC will bring their significant energy and experience of church planting to ANiE.

Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, Chair of the Gafcon Primates’ Council, inaugurated the diocese and then consecrated Dr Gideon Illechukwu before Presiding Bishop Andy Lines installed him as their first bishop. In a service with a vibrant Nigerian flavour, people from all over the Network celebrated their unity in the global Anglican family of Gafcon for gospel mission under the clear authority of scripture.

The Archbishop said, ‘This is what Gafcon has done and will continue to do; not only contending for the gospel but providing an ecclesial home for those determined to proclaim God’s unchanging truth in a changing world.’

Newly consecrated Bishop Gideon Illeechukwu said, ‘Praise God for a day like this, that we are joining the Anglican Network in Europe as their third diocese. I am grateful to the Lord for calling me to serve as the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Missionary Congregations (Europe) and pray that together we shall expand the kingdom of God in Europe and beyond through Gafcon.’ ”

– via e-mail.

Earlier:

Background – ANiE.

Meanwhile, back in the Church of England –

Martyn Snow, lead bishop for the ‘Living and Love and Faith’ process, presents an 8 minute video where he outlines what happens next with the LLF steamroller, arguing that the Church of England was born in disagreement, and hoping that people won’t leave.

Lausanne – with Mark Thompson and Chris Edwards

Posted on October 16, 2024 
Filed under Evangelism, Opinion, Theology

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“5,000 believers gathered from more than 200 nations last month in South Korea.

It is 50 years since Billy Graham and John Stott first launched the Lausanne movement in Switzerland.

Anglican Bishop of North Sydney Chris Edwards has described the congress as like an all you can eat buffet – ‘where some parts tasted amazing / fantastic and I kept wanting more and yet other parts even a mouthful made me feel nauseous’.

Principal of Sydney’s Moore Theological College Mark Thompson says there were some great highlights including a presentation by Vaughan Roberts on sexuality but also areas of concern.”

– Watch or listen here.

Related:

The photo of Billy Graham and Jack Dain mentioned in the conversation can be seen here on the Lausanne website.

Read the original Lausanne Covenant here.

Update:

The challenges of mid-life – a spiritual buffet for a 50-year-old – Bishop Chris Edwards at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Ridley’s Principal to deliver farewell lecture

Posted on October 15, 2024 
Filed under Australian dioceses, People

“The Reverend Brian Rosner will deliver a public farewell lecture at Ridley College on Wednesday, 16 October, marking the conclusion of his more than 12 years as principal.

The lecture, titled Strengthened by the Gospel: The Purpose of Romans and the Future of Ridley College, will focus on the enduring role of the gospel in Christian life and ministry. …”

– Report and photo from The Melbourne Anglican.

And a good reminder to also pray for the College and for Rhys Bezzant as he takes up the reins in January.

Next Page →