Thanksgiving Service for Bishop Ivan Lee planned for Saturday 28th March

It’s been announced that a Thanksgiving Service for Bishop Ivan Lee will be held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on Saturday 28th March 2020 at 10:00am, followed by refreshments.

Bishop Lee was called home to be with the Lord on Wednesday evening.

(2015 photo courtesy Anglican Media Sydney.)

Coronavirus precautions for churches updated

“Archbishop Glenn Davies has issued new recommendations for the Diocese of Sydney on procedures for ministry in the light of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The advice updates the initial circular to churches in late January. It covers Holy Communion, Children’s ministry and food service, as well as general advice for personal interactions at church. …”

– The latest from SydneyAnglicans.net.

With thanksgiving for Bishop Ivan Lee. ACL President’s tribute

The Anglican Church League notes with sadness the passing of Bishop Ivan Lee last night and will continue to uphold Virginia and the family in prayer for the consolation that can only come from our great shepherd Jesus in this difficult time.

Ivan was elected an Emeritus Vice President of the ACL due to his longstanding commitment to gospel work and the Evangelical cause within the Diocese of Sydney. His passion for reaching out to the lost, including his willingness to try new means of connecting with those outside the churches, was evident in every conversation with him.

Personally, having served on a number of committees with Ivan, I can testify that he could always be relied on to bring a considered and unique perspective to any issue, a perspective that caused us to reflect upon whether we had understood the challenges correctly and whether there were other more creative options open to us to progress the task at hand.

Ivan’s commitment to ‘be at work in his Master’s field’ during the difficult times of his illness was a great encouragement to those who worked with him, and was a reflection of his passion for the gospel and indeed the network of the Diocese of Sydney as a key and effective means of reaching the lost for Christ.

He will be greatly missed – but he is with our Lord, which is better by far.

Andrew Bruce
President of the Anglican Church League.

(Photo: Bishop Ivan Lee at Sydney Synod, October 2019. Courtesy Anglican Media Sydney.)

“We have lost a great champion for the gospel”

“Long-serving Sydney Bishop, Ivan Lee, has passed away more than four years after being diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.

Bishop Lee died last night (4th March) at Greenwich Hospital, where he had been receiving palliative care. …”

– Members of the Anglican Church League (of which Bishop Lee was a Vice-President) are deeply saddened to receive this news, but rejoice that Ivan is now with Christ.

Archbishop Glenn Davies writes:

“Our hearts ache for Virginia and her three daughters in their grief. They have cared for him so well and for so long, and since he entered hospital at the end of January, he has never been alone. May God comfort them in their sorrow.”

And in an e-mail today, Archbishop Davies writes,

“Sad news, yet we do not grieve as others do, who have no hope.
Ps 116:15.”

There will be a private funeral next week, followed by a public memorial service at St Andrew’s Cathedral on a date to be announced.

It pays to hold your nerve in the Transgender Debate

“As Douglas Murray observes in his book The Madness of Crowds, we’re making long term decisions about people’s sexual and mental health based on untested ideas that have been around for the past twenty minutes.  And now people are starting to take a reality check. …”

– Stephen McAlpine sees signs that the tide beginning to turn. Image: BBC.

Does the Bible produce bigots?

“Mardi Gras is upon us in Sydney. When thinking about the tension in society around the issue of same-sex attraction, it’s easy to wonder if you might actually be a bigot – because you’re a Christian. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Ben George argues that the Bible produces not bigots, but forgiven rebels.

Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba enthroned as 9th Archbishop of Uganda

“The Most Rev. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu was enthroned as the 9th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda on Sunday, 1st March 2020, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe.

More than 3,000 people attended the colourful ceremony, including His Excellency the President, political leaders, the Nnabagereka and Katikkiro of Buganda and other cultural leaders, business leaders, and all the Bishops of the Church of Uganda. …

Greetings were brought by Anglican representatives from global regions – The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England, brought greetings from England, the UK and Europe. …

The Rt. Rev. Malcolm Richards from Sydney Diocese, Australia, brought greetings from Asia and Oceania. …”

– from The Church of Uganda.

Speaking with a Pastor in Italy’s Coronavirus “Hot Zone”

“Over the past few years I’ve had a number of opportunities to interact with Pastor Andrea Artioli who pastors Chiesa Sola Grazia in Mantua, Italy.

His recent newsletter told that he lives in the ‘hot zone’ of the coronavirus outbreak in Northern Italy. He told as well that his church has been instructed by local authorities that it may not meet for at least the next two weeks. …”

– Tim Challies asked Pastor Andrea Artioli to share something of what is happening in his church in northern Italy. (Photo source.)

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