Church of Ireland Bishop gives thanks for GAFCON

Bishop Harold Miller, of the Diocese of Down and Dromore in the Church of Ireland, attended GAFCON 2018 in Jerusalem:

“I have just returned from the third Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem, which took place from 18–22 June. It was a wonderful experience to be with so many Anglicans from all over the world and I wanted to share some reflections and observations. …”

– Most encouraging. Read it at the Diocese of Down and Dromore website.

Diocese of Wangaratta pushes ahead with Same-Sex Blessings

“The Diocese of Wangaratta, at its recent synod, passed the following motion,

That this Synod:

… commends the pastoral value of the Bishop authorising a Form of Blessing [of same-sex couples] for optional use in the Diocese of Wangaratta … and  …

requests that the Bishop of Wangaratta ensure opportunity for the clergy and laity of the Diocese to engage in further discussion as part of the process leading to the potential Diocesan provision for blessing of civil marriages. …

It is hard to see [Bishop Parkes’] actions here as anything other than a direct challenge to the position that the Anglican Church of Australia has established both at a national synodical level and also amongst his fellow bishops.”

– Read the post at DavidOuld.net for more.

Two GAFCON summary videos you could show this Sunday

Earlier, we posted a link to “GAFCON 2018 in 90 seconds” from SydneyAnglicans.net, which you might like to download and show in church.

Thanks to GAFCON and Dominic Steele, above is another, which runs for 3:27.

You can also see the assembly on the Temple steps in this video.

Freedom for Faith Conference 2018 audio available

Thanks to the team at Freedom for Faith, you can now hear the audio from their recent conference, Freedom18, on the limits of religious freedom.

Speakers and topics were:

Dr. Alex Deagon: A Christian Framework for Religious Diversity in Political Discourse.

Senator the Hon. Jacinta Collins: Building Constructive Partnerships in Politics.

Dr. Joel Harrison: What is Religious Liberty For?

Hon. John Anderson AO: How Do We Now Understand Freedom?

Prof. Patrick Parkinson AM: The Limits on the Freedom of Religious Organisations to Select Staff Consistent with Their Ethos.

Emeritus Prof. Rosalind Croucher AM: The Role of the Australian Human Rights Commission as the National Human Rights Body in Promoting and Protecting Rights.

Hear the talks at Freedom for Faith.

And be encouraged to pray.

Abp Ben Kwashi is GAFCON’s new general secretary. Meet Ben and Gloria Kwashi.

“Archbishop Ben Kwashi of Jos, Nigeria will replace current General Secretary, Archbishop Peter Jensen of Australia, who has served Gafcon in the role since its inception 10 years ago.

This leadership transition will be graduated over the next several months as Kwashi’s and Jensen’s terms overlap in a period of planning. Kwashi will fully take over in January 2019.”

– From GAFCON on Vimeo.

That’s me, 34th from the right

“I am a 2008er. That is, I was probably one of the first Australians to know about the Global Anglican Future Conference and one of the first to register in 2008.

I went to the London leadership conference in 2012, GAFCON II in Nairobi in 2013 and I have just returned from GAFCON III in Jerusalem. As a member of the media team at all three GAFCONS, I have been privileged to see things up close.

I have never been prouder to be an Aussie – given the way my brothers and sisters from Anglican churches across Australia got stuck in to help in Jerusalem. …”

– Russell Powell (who is only 4th from the right in the photo above) shares his reflections on GAFCON 2018 at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: GAFCON Media.

“Letter to the Churches” encapsulates authentic Christianity with clarity, firmness and grace

“The Conference in Jerusalem which has just ended was an extraordinarily rich experience. Not just the dynamic worship, outstanding teaching, and cross-cultural fellowship in small groups and one to one.

A huge amount of information has been presented formally from up front and informally in the form of interviews and blogs. Much of this will be lost in time; the life-changing experience of delegates may fade, but what remains is the Conference Statement. …”

– At Anglican Mainstream, the Rev. Andrew Symes provides some initial reflections on GAFCON’s ‘Letter to the Churches’.

GAFCON Announces New Leadership

“As the 2018 Gafcon Jerusalem conference came to a close on Friday, the Primates’ Council announced the election of Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, Province of Jos (Nigeria), as the next General Secretary, and Archbishop Foley Beach, primate of the Anglican Church in North America, as the next Chairman of the movement. The announcement was received with roaring applause from the nearly 2,000 delegates in attendance.

Kwashi will replace current General Secretary, Archbishop Peter Jensen of Australia, who has served Gafcon in the role since its inception 10 years ago. After the announcement, Jensen was recognized by the conference in an emotional moment including a presentation culminating with a standing ovation. …”

– Story and photo from GAFCON.

See also: GAFCON Leadership transition announced.

Undivided – An Open Letter to Vicky Beeching

“Vicky Beeching is a relatively well-known Christian singer songwriter who is now better known for being gay and an advocate of the LGBT agenda within the church.

When she came out as gay she knew that her career on the American Christian music scene was over, but she now has a new career as a darling of the regressive establishment, as they continue their ‘redefinition’ of the Christian faith.

Her new career has resulted in numerous media appearances, an award from the Archbishop of Canterbury and a new book. ‘Undivided’ has just been published to a mixed reception. This is my review in the form of an open letter.”

– At his blog, The Wee Flea, David Robertson has published a very thoughtful open letter. Do take the time to read.

GAFCON 2018 in 90 seconds

From SydneyAnglicans.net: A slideshow designed for churches to show during services as a way of informing people about GAFCON 2018. Download here.

Canberra & Goulburn Episcopal Election Nominations Committee proceeds to next stage

“The Episcopal Election Nominations Committee… has now completed the consultation phase and the Diocesan Profile and Episcopal Selection Criteria. …

On 2 July 2018 we will be inviting Members of Synod to propose the names of persons for consideration as Prospective Nominees.”

– The Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn Nominations Committee is continuing their work, with an Election Synod scheduled for November. Do continue to pray for the churches of the diocese, and for those who will be proposed.

Letter to GAFCON Primates from Anglican Consultative Council Secretary General

George Conger at Anglican Ink has published the letter from Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council, to the GAFCON Primates – dated 13th June 2018.

“I am persuaded to write to you all, as members of the Primates’ Meeting and therefore and one of the four instruments that make up the smooth running of our Communion of Churches, about this month’s letter from the Chairman of GAFCON. …”

– The full letter may be read here (PDF), courtesy of Anglican Ink.

Related:

GAFCON a ‘subversive movement’, Irish bishops who attended, ‘an absolute disgrace’

“Attendance by two Church of Ireland bishops at the conservative Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) meeting in Jerusalem last week has provoked deep anger among the church’s clergy.

They have described it as ‘an absolute disgrace’, ‘schismatic’, and as illustrating ‘how utterly out of touch some senior clergy’ were with church membership.…”

– A very unhappy reaction to GAFCON reported in The Irish Times.

See also:

Trevor Johnson and Tim Anderson from Gafcon Ireland react to the ‘Letter to the Churches’. Video.

GAFCON Ireland.

A good reminder to pray for Ireland. (Image: from the launch of GAFCON Ireland.)

The destiny of God’s people

“No idea is more fundamental to the purpose of God in history, as it is revealed in Holy Scripture, than this one: “They shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Jer 32:38).

This truth is for us the more significant because it is men and women like we are whom God has thus chosen. Such a phrase is, therefore, not only a revelation of God’s purpose; it is also a disclosure of our own destiny. We are created and called by God to be his people, and to know him as our God. This is the chief end of man – to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Let us then consider what this means in more detail. …”

– The Australian Church Record has dug into their vaults to republish this article by the Rev. Alan Stibbs.

GAFCON 2018 Final Statement – read here

Read the GAFCON 2018 Final Statement – Letter to the Churches.

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