More thanksgiving for Chappo
From Dave McDonald in Canberra –
“At 9.15 this evening Chappo departed to be with his Lord and Saviour. This was the occasion he’d been looking forward to since he was a teenager. This was the hope that Chappo had shared with all who’d listen. Chappo loved explaining to people that Jesus had given his life to pay for their sins and offer forgiveness. He’d share how God had raised Jesus from the dead, and how he was now the Lord of this universe. He’d passionately plead with people to consider how they’d been treating God, to turn and seek forgiveness, and to hand over control of their lives to Jesus.”
– A heartfelt gospel-centred thanksgiving from Dave McDonald at Macarisms.
Other tributes:
• Gordon Cheng (with links).
• Evangelist John Chapman is home at last – Eternity Newspaper.
• David Ould.
• In memory of John Chapman – St Helen’s, London (with a link to audio).
Are you ready for the New Creation?
The Australian Church Record has tonight republished a wonderful article by John Chapman, who died this evening in Sydney.
“We should contemplate the New Creation where we will be ‘Like Jesus’. What a joy that will be. I will be perfectly in God’s image. That’s a thing to be longed for. ‘The glory which will be revealed’ will so dwarf our life here that it will take on the significance of our first day at kindergarten.”
– Read it all at the Church Record website. (Also at The Briefing.) Photo: Matthias Media.
With thanks for John Chapman 1930–2012
Beloved Australian evangelist John Chapman has fallen asleep in Christ at the age of 82.
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them!” – Revelation 14:13.
Russell Powell writes at SydneyAnglicans.net –
Sydney’s leading evangelist for more than 50 years, John Chapman, has passed away in hospital at the age of 82.
‘Chappo’, as he was affectionately known, was converted in his teens and became involved in the Anglican Youth Department and later the Department of Evangelism, where he was director for more than 25 years.
His wide preaching, teaching and writing ministry saw him speaking to groups throughout the Sydney diocese, in Australia and overseas, particularly in England where he was a regular visitor.
In later years he passed on his wisdom on evangelism and preaching to generations of ministry trainees and colleges students. He was also prominent in evangelism in universities, particularly during the 1970’s and 80’s.
His books “A Fresh Start”, “Know and Tell the Gospel” sold in the tens of thousands and helped many Sydney Anglicans with personal evangelism and sharing the gospel.
Mr Chapman never married but was at home in many churches across the diocese. The single quarters at Moore Theological College was named “John Chapman House” in his honour.
Although he had been ill for some time, Chappo received a stream of visitors from around the world during his retirement in Sydney’s south.
In recent weeks, one of his last duties was a project close to his heart, the newly created John Chapman Foundation, established in October to raise money to recruit and train evangelists.
He was admitted to St George Hospital in late October and had been on the critical list for a week.
On Friday 16th November, several close friends visited to read the bible, pray and say their last farewells to a man who was one of the most loved preachers in the Sydney Diocese in second half of the 20th century.
He finally succumbed to multiple organ failure on Friday night.
Archbishop Peter Jensen immediately paid tribute to his longtime friend and colleague.
“Chappo represented the very essence of what our diocese has always stood for and continues to stand for. A strong affirmation of the authority of the Bible, the importance of preaching and an approach to evangelism which made it central while at the same time respecting the intelligence and integrity of the listeners. He was a man of faith like Joshua of old, and he lived out his faith with clear godliness of life”, Dr Jensen said.
“Like many others, Christine and I feel the loss acutely. When I visited him on his last day, he reminded me once more that he prayed for us daily. His support for me personally for over 40 years has been an incalculable blessing.” he said.
Photo from an interview recorded just a few months ago by AFES.
Other tributes will be posted on our home page.
Update: Thanksgiving service details.
Confusion or clarity in South Carolina?
From a ‘pastoral letter’ to South Carolina from TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori:
“Katharine, a servant of Christ, to the saints in South Carolina.
May the grace, mercy, and peace of Christ Jesus our Savior be with you all. …
As the confusion increases, I would like to clarify a number of issues which I understand are being discussed…”
A S Haley, The Anglican Curmudgeon, offers some commentary on the Presiding Bishop’s letter:
“mimicking the style of one of St. Paul’s epistles… This is boilerplate for 815… The mantra about dioceses needing the ‘consent’ of General Convention to disaffiliate is based on no language in the Church’s Constitution or Canons whatsoever.”
And in his own ‘Message to the the People of South Carolina‘, Bishop Mark Lawrence writes:
“As I have stated at various deanery and parish forums in the diocese this present crisis was brought about through the convergence of three dimensions of our diocesan life and the national church’s leadership—theology, morality and polity. All three have undergone and continue to undergo revision within The Episcopal Church (TEC). This Diocese of South Carolina for well over a quarter of a century has steadfastly resisted these revisions as it has sought to remain faithful to the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them.
…you need to know that the national leadership of TEC is taking steps to undermine this diocese. What we are faced with is an intentional effort by the ill-advised TEC organization to assume our identity, one that we have had since 1785. …
My reason in mentioning this last point, just days before our Convention, is to protect our parishioners and parishes from deception and confusion.”
ACL President encourages members to pray for the Archbishop of Canterbury
Statement from ACL President Gav Poole:
The ACL congratulates Bishop Justin Welby on his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury designate.
This is an honoured office which played a key role in the protestant reformation.
Bishop Welby has his work cut out for him. The credibility of the Archbishop’s office has been eroded in recent times due to a failure to properly deal with the liberal revisionist agenda which has beset the Anglican Communion in the West. He serves a communion which is in serious impairment.
It remains to be seen whether the Archbishop will demonstrate clarity and bravery on many of the issues that have plagued the communion. We will be looking for leadership that is faithful to Jesus and solidly Biblical.
There are many faithful Anglican Bishops, clergy and congregations in North America who have suffered at the hands of the provincial leadership. We pray as the Archbishop must reach out to them and ensure they receive adequate oversight.
The FCA Primates have called for the chairman of the Anglican Primates’ meeting to be elected by the Primates. We pray that the Archbishop will encourage that development.
Rev Gav Poole
President
Wednesday, 14 November 2012.
Trusting God — free kindle version
The Kindle edition of Trusting God by Jerry Bridges is currently available (for an unknown period of time) as a free download from Amazon. h/t Gary Ware.
Diocese of Niagara moves to sell vacated buildings
Anglican Essentials Canada reports that the Diocese of Niagara is moving towards selling property vacated by two Ontario congregations – St Hilda’s Oakville (vacated in May) and Church of the Good Shepherd in St Catharines.
Earlier related posts on this site.
Photo: David Jenkins.
Presiding Bishop backs ecclesiastical coup in South Carolina
“Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has declared the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of South Carolina vacant and has backed a faction within the diocese that is seeking to fill the ‘vacuum’ created by the suspension of Bishop Mark Lawrence.
The loyalist ‘Transitional Committee’ has also declared the South Carolina Standing Committee to be vacant and has formed a ‘steering committee’ to act in its place.
On 11 Nov 2012, the steering committee announced that it had taken charge of the diocese…”
– George Conger at Anglican Ink has the latest.
And from lawyer A S Haley, The Anglican Curmudgeon:
“…the Diocese of South Carolina is organized as a corporation under South Carolina law. That fact guarantees its own independent, legal identity in the State’s courts and before all of its executive and legislative bodies, officers and agencies. For the Bandit Bishop and her minions to try to appropriate that identity for their own nefarious purposes is fully akin to what would be called ‘identity theft’ in any other context.”
(Photo: TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams last week in Auckland. ACNS, via ENS.)
Royal Commission on child abuse
Media release from SydneyAnglicans.net –
A public statement from the Archbishop of Sydney on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a Royal Commission into child abuse and institutional response.
“The Diocese of Sydney expresses its unqualified abhorrence of child abuse, wherever it occurs. While the terms of reference have yet to be decided, we will work and pray for an outcome which will result in a safer society for the most vulnerable.”
Dr Peter Jensen,
Archbishop of Sydney
12/11/2012 AD
American Anglican Council on the Archbishop of Canterbury announcement
Bishop David Anderson of the American Anglican Council writes:
“Archbishop Welby, in his new appointment, will have to work with the more orthodox Global South provinces, especially the GAFCON Primates who represent a huge majority of the churchgoing Anglican world. The new Archbishop will need to find a way to disengage the Anglican Communion Office and the office and work of the Archbishop from the incestuous ties with the American Episcopal Church’s money, influence and power.”
War Histories or History Wars?
From this week’s column by the Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen:
“In this last week we not only have the end of WWI to remember, but also Guy Fawkes’ failed bomb plot and Martin Luther’s courageous act that started the Reformation. The poppies may remind us of Armistice but without the bonfires and fireworks, and without any memorial to Luther – our society celebrated the absurd fun of Halloween instead.
The memory of two great acts that established the nature of our society is being lost to the tawdry commercialisation of superstition. It is why revision lessons are so important for keeping our memory fresh. …”
– Read it here.
New Archbishop of Canterbury announced
Just in:
“Justin Welby appointed 105th Archbishop of Canterbury
The Queen has nominated the Right Reverend Justin Welby, MA, Hon FCT, the Lord Bishop of Durham, for election by the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury in the place of the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Douglas Williams, MA DPhil DD FBA, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan.”
– The official announcement.
Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
In a statement issued after the announcement, the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, said “We welcome the appointment of Bishop Welby to the ministry of Archbishop of Canterbury. It remains an important role though obviously the events of the last decade have diminished its significance in the world-wide Anglican Communion. Bishop Welby has our prayerful support.” Dr Jensen said. “We look forward to him speaking with clarity from the word of God about the gospel and its impact on the issues confronting the Church in England and the West.
Message of welcome to Archbishop of Canterbury Designate
November 9, 2012 – from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala Read more
Some questions for the new Archbishop of Canterbury
Mark Thompson does us a great service by respectfully raising key questions for the next Archbishop of Canterbury –
“There is a great deal that is wonderfully hopeful in this appointment. Bishop Welby self-identifies as an evangelical. He is able to communicate clearly and winsomely. However, as he prepares to take up this challenging role at a very challenging time, one characteristic that has not been attributed to him is ‘courage’. So there are a number of questions which I would like to put — or at least have someone put — respectfully but seriously, to the next Archbishop of Canterbury.”
Full text here – Read more
Fake e-mail sent to South Carolina clergy
“The Diocese of South Carolina reports that an email fraudulently bearing the name and seal of the diocese was sent to its clergy inviting them to attend a clergy conference. … Sources in the diocese also report that members of the clergy are being pressured not to attend the diocese’s 17 November 2012 special convention…” – Report from Anglican Ink.
Read the Diocese of South Carolina’s statement here.
“The sender intentionally impersonated the diocese with an unauthorized use of our Diocesan seal and by stating that the sender was the Diocese of South Carolina…”
Encountering God Together
Dr David Peterson has a new book to which we can look forward…
“In January 2013, IVP UK will publish my new book Encountering God Together. … This paperback was written to help everyone involved in planning and leading church services think more biblically and creatively about this important ministry.” – Details here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…