Amazing Grace — a hymn for the New Year
John Newton wrote his most famous hymn, Amazing Grace, 249 years ago.
Learn more at The John Newton Project.
“The words of Amazing Grace were etched on Newton’s heart daily.
But we assume that he first wrote this hymn for his New Year’s Morning sermon of 1 January 1773, for it fits his sermon notes so closely and the text he chose to write above it in the Olney Hymns, 1 Chronicles 17:16,17, is identical to the sermon’s text.”
You can also hear some of the earliest tunes used to sing the hymn.
Greg Sheridan on the 160 pages that may change your life
At The Wee Flea, David Robertson has posted the full text (with permission) of Greg Sheridan’s a wonderful Christmas article in The Australian entitled 160 pages that may Change Your Life (subscribers’ link).
New Year’s Resolution: focus on the now
“I was recently reflecting on the initial results released after the 2021 Australian Community Survey regarding what Christians think and know about Jesus and church. Already these things should cause us to come to God in prayer.
On the one hand, there are so many signs that the spiritual health of Australian mainstream society is poor.
On the other hand, one can’t help but notice the opportunities to share about Jesus, and the benefits of being part of a Christian community who love and care for each other.
This then also got me thinking about the fascination that we have (me included) with New Year’s resolutions. …”
– Ben George writes at The Australian Church Record.
The impact and ministry of the Archbishops wives
“The Archbishop’s wife is a key person in our Diocese, providing her own leadership and gifts in the service of the Lord Jesus, church members, her family and her husband.
In Sydney we have been blessed by a succession of godly and able women, whose contribution has been sometimes underappreciated but always invaluable.”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Simon Manchester asks Pam Goodhew, Christine Jensen, Di Davies and Cailey Raffel about their roles and experiences in working alongside their Archbishop husbands.
Preserving preaching Christ – with Michael Stead
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The whole concept of a tolerant society is being spun around.
Sydney Anglican Bishop Michael Stead says there are moves afoot to block Christians from being able to say that ‘Christ is the only way to heaven.’
It’s also being claimed by Equality Australia that to say ‘marriage is between a man and woman’ is an offensive statement.
Bishop Stead says he wants to protect moderately expressed statements of religious belief. …”
– This is a very big issue. Watch or listen here.
Priscilla & Aquila Conference 2022 — The one another commands
Peter Orr is the keynote speaker at the 2022 P&A Conference at Moore College on 31 January. (Also via livestream.)
Recently, The Australian Church Record asked P&A Director Jane Tooher what to expect. There’s a lot planned, including ten afternoon electives.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson after the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope
Last night (Christmas morning in the US), after years of delays, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched for NASA from South America by the European Space Agency. It’s an incredibly complex and sensitive observatory with the potential to make astounding discoveries.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson spoke shortly after the launch, using words you may find familiar. (Starting at 2:04 into the video.)
Christmas morning encouragement
With thanks to Emu Music.
Christmas Eve Encouragement
O Come, All You Unfaithful – from Sovereign Grace Music.
The easiest conspiracy theory to debunk this Christmas
“Are you feeling a bit apprehensive about your conversations with family and friends this Christmas?
The restrictions and lockdowns of the last few years have helped to keep us safe physically, but they’ve also played a role in dividing us socially. The combination of physical isolation, fears for safety, and the overwhelming stream of digital information at our fingertips have opened us up to all sorts of problems…”
– Dreading talking about COVID or US politics over Christmas lunch?
Lionel and Bronwyn Windsor have a suggestion for you. At The Australian Church Record.
Masks, density limits reintroduced in NSW
“Wearing a mask while indoors will become mandatory in NSW from midnight tonight as the state government reintroduces restrictions to curb the Omicron wave.
Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced density limits of one person per 2 square metres for hospitality venues would also be reinstated from December 27, while QR code measures will be ‘back in a limited way’. …”
Updated Rules for people in NSW.
And from SydneyAnglicans.net’s “COVID-19 Church Worker Frequently Asked Questions”:
“What process do we follow if we have a COVID-positive case at church?”
Christmas message from the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Christmas message to the Anglican Communion is a somewhat sombre affair, with a focus on COVID, Climate Change, and the coming Lambeth Conference.
Related:
Canadian commentator and author Mark Steyn on GBNews spoke overnight on the Church of England’s missed opportunities during COVID lockdowns.
Christmas message — Bishop Mark Calder
The Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst, Mark Calder, has released this terrific message for Christmas 2021.
Here’s the text:
Will Christmas celebrations offer any reprieve from the anxiety and uncertainties we face through COVID-19 at the present time, especially with omicron?
About a month ago, it looked as though we could plan for a pretty much normal Christmas. Hotel quarantine for international travellers has been scrapped. Requirements of wearing masks and checking in through the QR codes had been relaxed and we were able to plan family reunions and Christmas holidays.
Now all of that is up in the air as NSW case numbers are blown out of the water. Some of your friends may have now been deemed as close contacts of a COVID case and you’re not able to meet with them. Christmas holidays have had to be put on hold for many people. Some planning to travel to Queensland are now no longer able to get there simply because they haven’t got their test results back in time.
I think anxiety levels are now higher than they at any time during the lockdowns that we’ve known.
Yet into all of this, Christmas will surely come, and it is the message of Christmas that can give us some hope, some comfort, and some perspective.
Perhaps you’ve been singing some of the ancient carols, where we sing words such as:
“He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all”.
“So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n”
“Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled”
By turning up here on earth in the historic person of Jesus Christ, God reached out to us in love, and the invitation is there this Christmas and always, to reach back to him and find some hope, strength, perspective, calm, peace, and even joy, in the midst of our mess.
Don’t miss the truth of Christmas — Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
Here’s the first Christmas message from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel.
With thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.
Great to share – you can also download it from this link.
Submission to Parliamentary committee on the Religious Discrimination Bill
From Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia:
“The submission of Freedom for Faith to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry into the Religious Discrimination Bill is now available for download here. I prepared the submission with input from other board members.
Submissions to this committee can be made at their website here, but only until 5 pm Tuesday 21 December.
There is also a short survey that the Committee have released which it would be good for anyone concerned with religious freedom in Australia to fill in before that same deadline.”
Image: Diocese of Sydney. (Emphasis added.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…