Seeger: The Seeker?
“Like most young people, I spent my teenage and young adult days restlessly tasting the different music that popular culture was serving me. By my mid-teens I was sick of the mindless lyrics of 1950s rock ‘n’ roll. I explored the jazz scene, even hearing the great Satchmo at the old Stadium at Rushcutters Bay. I found the classics and pounded my poor families’ ears with the constant re-playing of Ravel’s Bolero – as if it was not sufficiently repetitive itself!
And then I discovered folk music; a place where the lyrics of protest and morality could find voice. It was not just the polished commercial performers like Peter, Paul and Mary (whom I also saw at the Stadium) but behind them the deeper thinking of Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger.”
– Phillip Jensen, Dean of Sydney, writes his weekly column for the Cathedral congregation.
Teen charged over assault of Anglican minister
“Police from North Shore Local Area Command have charged a teenager after an assault that left an Anglican Minister with a suspected broken jaw.…”
– Media release from NSW Police. (Photo: Canon Rick Smith who was injured.)
Praying for ‘Jesus Brings’
This weekend, Anglican churches across Sydney and the Illawarra will be uniting in prayer to the Lord of the Harvest as we commit into his hands the “Jesus Brings” mission.
Archbishop Glenn Davies has recorded a brief message of encouragement to be shown this Sunday.
100 Beaches Challenge
Here’s something different from The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid…
“In February 2014, David Mansfield, of Anglican Aid, and a team of young and old surfers will surf the 100 beaches of the Sydney Diocese in 10 days.
Our aim is to raise 1 million dollars to help break the waves of poverty that engulf communities in our own city and throughout the world.
Please join us at any beach on the hour to pray for God’s work throughout the world. Follow it up with a swim or surf. Come to one of our evening meetings near the beaches where we have visited throughout the day.”
There is urgency about the gospel
“There is urgency about the gospel and it must be proclaimed in word and deed, in season and out of season and it is the same gospel, whether in strife torn nations such as South Sudan or in the affluent but morally disorientated nations of the developed world.
We cannot therefore allow our time and energy to be sapped by debating that which God has already clearly revealed in the Scriptures…”
– Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya and Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, has released a pastoral letter to members of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
Youthworks 2014 vision
Anglican Youthworks CEO Zac Veron asks for your prayers for Youthworks and has released this video update.
England’s College of Bishops respond to The Pilling Report
“The College of Bishops met on 27th January, 2014 to begin a process of reflection on the issues raised by the Pilling Report…
We are united in welcoming and affirming the presence and ministry within the Church of gay and lesbian people, both lay and ordained. We are united in acknowledging the need for the Church to repent for the homophobic attitudes it has sometimes failed to rebuke and affirming the need to stand firmly against homophobia wherever and whenever it is to be found. …”
And from Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes –
“This re-states an important recommendation of the Pilling Report. Its major weakness is that “affirming the ministry of gay people” is not explained or qualified. It suggests that the church does not distinguish between welcoming someone’s presence within the church, endorsement of their lifestyle, an assumption of Christian fellowship, and affirming their ministry. “
The Pilling Report can be found here (PDF).
Amazing Grace’s lasting impact — the John Newton story
Marylynn Rouse from The John Newton Project was interviewed about the impact of the hymn “Amazing Grace”. Along the way, she spoke about the background to the hymn, and about John Newton’s conversion.
Most encouraging – see it on Vimeo.
Abp Akinola turns 70, prays for his abductors
“The retired Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Peter Akinola, has called on members of a criminal gang that attacked him recently to turn a new leaf. He appealed to the criminals to register with his foundation to learn skills that they could use for legal businesses.
Mr. Akinola was robbed of his vehicle and briefly kidnapped on Christmas Eve of 2013…”
– Story from The Premium Times, Nigeria.
Latimer Fellowship website updated
The Latimer Fellowship of New Zealand have updated their website.
Australia Day Honours 2014
In the 2014 Australia Day Honours List, Deaconess Margaret Rodgers has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Margaret has served in a number of important positions in Sydney Diocese and also in the General Synod Office. Most notably, she was Principal of Deaconess House 1975-85, CEO of the Anglican Media Council 1994-2003 and the Archbishop of Sydney’s Media Officer 2004-2007.
The award is for “significant service to the Anglican Church of Australia through governance and representational roles, and to ecumenical affairs”.
Others to receive Australia Day honours include:
Dr Timothy Hawkes (Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM) – Headmaster of The Kings School, “for service to education, and to professional organisations” (pictured),
Mr Peter Achterstraat (AM), member of Warrawee Anglican Church, “For significant service to public administration through financial management and governance roles, and to the community” and Mr Allan Ezzy (AM), member of St. John’s Parramatta, for “significant service to local government in New South Wales, and to the community through law enforcement, church and service organisations”.
Our congratulations and best wishes go to all. SydneyAnglicans.net has more.
(Photos: Mary Andrews College and Ramon Williams, respectively.)
‘Work of ARCIC irrelevant to most Christians, says Lord Carey’
“Catholics and Anglicans involved in formal ecumenical dialogue might as well be ‘talking on the moon’ because no one is listening to them, a former Anglican leader has said.
Lord Carey of Clifton said the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) was ‘irrelevant’ to most Christians…”
– from The Catholic Herald (UK).
Condolences on the death of Archbishop Johnson of West Africa
Archbishop Dr Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop of Kenya and Chairman of GAFCON has released this statement after the unexpected death of the Primate of West Africa, Archbishop Dr Solomon Tilewa Johnson. Read more
Prosperity Gospel
The latest 9Marks Journal is on the topic of the Prosperity Gospel. Editor Jonathan Leeman writes:
“Here’s a prediction: as Western culture increasingly turns against Christianity, the prosperity gospel will keep growing, at least for a time. …
This trade is hot! God wants to provide you with gabled double-front doors, leather interiors, satisfying sex, and an all-around better you. It’s like a wedding between a Wall Street shark and a self-help guru, all decked out in the paraphernalia of a Christian bookstore.”
– Download the latest issue here.
An Extraordinary Life
“Friends of our ministry in East Timor will be saddened to learn of the sudden death of Pastor Manuel Rodriquez. He was in many ways an ‘ordinary’ pastor but God used him in extraordinary ways. He never wrote a book or appeared on a platform as a speaker at a conference but God used him to spread the glory of His name in East Timor. This man is a tremendous example to us of someone who was determined to see the Kingdom of God grow in East Timor.”
– Australian Presbyterian World Mission gives thanks for this man of Christ in Timor Leste.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…