Fresh songs for churches

September’s edition of Southern Cross highlights the importance of hymns and contemporary music and worship songs in church. With that in mind, it’s well worth checking out ‘At Your Feet’, songs written by Matt Mulready.

Described as Fresh songs that teach and respond to the saving work of Jesus, ‘At your Feet’ has five tracks, each of which are ideal for congregational singing. Three are new songs, and two are hymns with new tunes (make sure you hear ‘There is a Green Hill’).

Matt explains why he writes in this short video.

Hear and buy the album from simplysing.com.au. (Includes sheet music, lyrics and slides. The CD is $9.95, download version $7.95 – and Christmas isn’t far away.)

The Church and the Diocese — video

Here is the third of a short series of videos from the ACL aimed at helping understand how local churches relate to the Diocese and the Synod of the Diocese as they serve and worship the Lord Jesus.

Mark Earngey chats with Rick Smith, the Rector of Naremburn Cammeray Anglican Church.

Earlier videos:
Karin Sowada – How to prepare for Synod
Phil Colgan – What is the Standing Committee?

Thanks and prayer requests from North West Australia

In the latest issue of Northwest Network, Bishop David Mulready begins to say farewell to the diocese where he and Maureen have served for the last eight years –

“This is in some sense a ‘farewell letter’. As Maureen and I prepare to leave the Diocese next month and move to Gerringong, near Wollongong, I write to thank you all for your encouragement and support over nearly eight years.

We regard our time here as a huge privilege, working with a terrific team of Ministry couples and some very fine Church members in this extraordinary patch of Australia.

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of many of you who have prayed, given and come as partners in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people who live in our region and others who holiday here, often for months at a time.

The challenges facing the Anglican Church in the North West are immense. To mention a few:   Read more

Are Sydney Anglicans actually Anglicans?

Last week Michael Jensen wrote for the ABC’s Religion and Ethics, responding to suggestions that Sydney Anglicans are something other than ‘Anglican’.

Read it here.

Canberra-Goulburn agrees to structural partnership with Bathurst and Riverina

From the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn:

“The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn has agreed to be part of a structural “partnership” with three Anglican Dioceses – covering the ACT and most of NSW – in response to a plea for financial assistance from the Diocese of Bathurst.

The agreement will be between the Dioceses of Canberra-Goulburn, Bathurst and Riverina. It covers Anglicare, Diocesan schools, administration and finances but it stops short of a full merger. Parishes from Broken Hill to Bourke to Bega will be covered by the arrangement.  Read more

‘Christianity Explored’ resources

For the last week or so, at The Good Book Blog, they ’ve been posting a range of information to encourage use of the Christianity Explored course.

Worth checking out. (In Australia, the course is available here.)

‘The PC brigade kills off Jesus Christ’

“A Decision to use politically correct terms – which do not mention Jesus Christ – for dates BC and AD in the new national history curriculum was an act of Christian cleansing, church leaders said yesterday. …

Removing BC and AD from the curriculum was an “intellectually absurd attempt to write Christ out of human history”, Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen said yesterday…”

– story from The Daily Telegraph.

9Marks eJournal Sept–Oct 2011

Phillip Jensen, Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney, is one of the contributors to the latest 9Marks eJournal, now available from 9Marks.

This issue is part 2 of The Pastor and his Staff.

In the running to support Moore College

Michael Jensen is raising money for Moore College by running the Sydney Marathon (42 km) on 18 September.

Learn more (and make a donation!) here.

Why aren’t we growing?

Over at The Briefing’s new online home, Tony Payne has a story which will be of interest to all Sydney Anglicans who want to better connect with their communities for the sake of the gospel –

“Tim Sims is a successful businessman and corporate strategist. … Over the past two years or so, he has been turning his analytical skills to a different sort of ‘business’ — the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. Tim has been driving a research project seeking to understand the current state of Anglican churches in Sydney…”

– This research raises some crucial questions for our churches. Read it all here.

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