Moore Vice Principal Bill Salier to head Youthworks College
“The Rev Dr Bill Salier has been appointed the new principal of Youthworks College replacing the Rev Andrew Nixon. He will take up his appointment in January 2015.
‘I leave Moore College profoundly grateful to our Lord for its teaching and shaping of me over many years. Now it’s time to look forward, to be used by our Father in a new context, and continue growing the complementary and mutually supportive relationship between Moore and Youthworks.’…”
– the latest from Moore College.
See also:
New Youthworks College Principal Announced.
Salier to head Youthworks College.
GAFCON backs English renewal
“GAFCON understands the challenges that faithful Anglicans face in England, according to the Chairman Eliud Wabukala.
The Archbishop made the comment in a message to the recent RENEW conference, organised by the groups Reform, Church Society, and the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE).
Archbishop Wabukala, who chairs the GAFCON Primates Council, recently issued a pastoral letter in which he said “AMiE is authorised by the GAFCON Primates to work within and, where necessary, outside the structures of the Church of England as a missionary society”.
The conference committed delegates to “work for a nation of healthy, local Anglican churches throughout England.”
In particular, it committed to looking at opportunities for church planting, training and to “to contend together for the faith once delivered to the saints by developing a joint approach to working within our diocese /region given the theological convictions and teaching of the diocesan leadership.”
The conference also approved a doctrinal statement which began “Knowing that unity is a work of the Holy Spirit which can only be established through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, we rejoice in the fellowship of all those who subscribe to the 2008 Jerusalem Declaration.”
The Jerusalem Declaration was agreed to by the first Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in 2008.”
– from GAFCON.
Related:
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter September 2014.
Owen Shelley’s Autobiography and How to Tell Bible Stories
Here’s a note from Shelley and Son…
“Earlier this year Owen got very excited about a new project. He wanted to write a simple guide that would help people involved in Children’s Ministry to tell Bible Stories in a relevant and interesting way. His life’s pursuit had been to present the gospel to children through stories and hence he had very clear and well thought out ideas and strategies of how to present a clear message that would also engage the children. Read more
Around the ACA — 28 September 2014
Here are a few items from around the Anglican Church of Australia –
- A history of the Diocese of Armidale was launched at their Synod last week – On Tablelands, Slopes and Plains “I will Build My Church”.
- Melbourne has hosted a forum on “sustainable living in urban Australia’.
- Newcastle Cathedral today held a Conversation on “conscious urbanism”.
- Sydney purchases land in Leppington for ministry centre. (Image: ACA.)
More:
TEC PB to step down in June 2015
“Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first woman elected to head a national branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, announced Tuesday (Sept. 23) that she will not seek a second nine-year term in office…”
– from The Huff Post.
(Photo: TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori with the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. ACNS, via ENS.)
Muslims need truth and love
“This is no time for circling the wagons and cowering behind them in fear”, writes Mark Durie at the Bible Society’s website.
The Unravelling of the Anglican Communion
“From 2003 to 2013 — it took just ten years for ECUSA and the Anglican Church of Canada to unravel the Anglican Communion…”
– A. S. Haley at The Anglican Curmudgeon, provides a quick overview of the last ten years.
Related: The Anglican Debacle: Roots and Patterns – by Dr Mark Thompson, March 2008.
GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter September 2014
From the September 2014 Pastoral Letter from GAFCON Chairman Archbishop Eliud Wabukala –
“In the twenty first century, it is becoming clear that we must see the once missionary nations of the West as now themselves mission fields. The fact that the United Kingdom came close to breaking up last week is a symptom of the disintegration that follows when a once common Christian faith has been lost and I want to appreciate the work of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) who are sharing with other mission minded Anglicans in England as they meet for the ‘ReNew’ Conference this week.
AMiE is authorised by the GAFCON Primates to work within and, where necessary, outside the structures of the Church of England as a missionary society. In my message of greeting to the conference I said
‘We understand the challenges that faithful Anglicans face in England. At GAFCON 2013 here in Nairobi we recognised that the focus of the struggle for biblical faithfulness has shifted from North America to England. The temptation to dilute the message of Jesus Christ and compromise with the surrounding culture is strong, so it is vital for the gospel in England, and also for the world, that you continue as a beacon to the revealed truth of the Scriptures. The salvation of people from hell is at stake. So nothing could be more important.’…”
– Read it all here. (Photo: Archbishop Wabukala welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury to Nairobi last year.)
Homosexuality as Dividing Line — The Inescapable Issue
“The vote to declare that the New Heart Community Church of La Mirada, California ‘does not presently meet the definition of a cooperating church’ came unanimously as the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention met this week in Nashville. It was a solemn moment and a moment perhaps to be repeated any number of times in coming months and years. Homosexuality was the dividing line…”
– Albert Mohler reflects on the issue which has torn the Anglican Communion, and is now doing the same in his own denomination.
Why I walk with the cross
In Bishop Stuart Robinson’s Canberra & Goulburn synod address (PDF) he speaks about his Bishop’s Walk of the Cross through towns in the diocese –
“While the cross-carrying bit may appear a tad idiosyncratic, nonetheless it opens up opportunities for conversation. When asked why I do this, my consistent reply is twofold.
To begin with, I believe communities need to see their leaders, especially bishops, engaging in public evangelism and giving people the opportunity to turn to Christ. Do you know one fellow, as he came forward to give his life to Christ, said, ‘Bishop, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to do this for 40 years…’
Another reason is this: it provides opportunities – and a model, for any person of faith to share what Jesus has done for them – whether in parks, nursing homes, clubs, classrooms, fire-trucks or fishing wharves – and to gently but confidently, invite a response…”
And there’s a report on the Synod here.
Mike Horton on Moore
It’s easy to take a place like Moore College for granted.
While he was in Sydney for the Annual Lectures, Mike Horton (Westminster Seminary California) spoke about the role of Moore.
Among other things, Mike gives this advice –
“If God is calling you to ministry, start at Moore – don’t end up at some point down the line – Why not get right at it?” Take a few minutes to watch the videos:
1. On the challenges facing the church and why people should study at Moore.
2. On Moore and the need for theological education.
3. Mike is asked about his ministry.
ReNew: united, confessing, missional
“Is the Commitment signed on Tuesday by delegates at the ReNew conference a manifesto for schism? In a word, no. …
The partnership of Church Society with Reform means that there remains a strong commitment to working within the existing structures of the Church of England. There is a real desire to take Archbishop Welby at his word, that as Conservative Evangelicals are considered to be part of authentic Anglicanism and encouraged to “flourish” (according to the July statement on Women Bishops), so churches in this tradition should be encouraged to grow and multiply.…
The controversial part of the commitment is the recognition that there will be times when pioneering new congregations will on occasion mean operating without Diocesan approval, and the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) is the mechanism to enable this.”
– Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes looks at the new vision for growing evangelical churches in England.
Thinking about Moore College for 2015?
Moore College would like you to think about studying next year.
Undergraduate? Postgraduate? Distance learning? See what the college has to offer and apply by November 30 to avoid extra admin fees. Details here.
The worst media Christian bashing this year?
“There’s probably no point waiting to the end of the year to award the prize for the worst media monstering of a Christian for 2014. Because the Sydney Morning Herald has published such an egregious story on Dean Phillip Jensen… that any other winning entry is unlikely.”
– Phillip Jensen has been criticised by the media before, and John Sandeman catalogues yet another example.
See also the article in question – The truth behind ISIL – by the Dean.
Bathurst’s Anglican synod grapples with $24m debt
“The gravity of the financial situation facing the Bathurst Diocese of the Anglican Church hit home this weekend for members of the 47th Synod. …”
– report from The Western Advocate.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…