How do we make church accessible to all?

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“How can we as church leaders develop and implement plans to care for people affected by disability – so that they can hear the gospel clearly and engage in Christian fellowship.

What are the theological foundations for disability ministry?

How do we in our hearts/attitudes welcome or distance those with disability?

What language should we use?

How do we include people on the autism spectrum? What are the complexities welcoming people with mental health challenges?

Louise Gosbell is Principal of Mary Andrew’s College in Sydney and has worked with the Sydney Anglican Social Issues Committee to produce a set of guidelines to help churches.”

– Watch or listen – and download the guidelines – at The Pastor’s Heart.

Open Week + Open Night — 29 August – 2 September

Moore College Open Week is on:

Open Week (29 Aug – 2 Sept):

Come and visit our Newtown campus, experience an actual lecture and meet faculty and students. You will be greeted by a student who will give you a tour, introduce you to other students and take you to class. You can drop in for a day or part of any day during this week plus share in a morning tea and lunch.

Open Night (Monday, 29 Aug) – “Into the World” (includes live-stream option):

Open Night looks at how our graduates are prepared to take the gospel into the world. Speakers include Mark Thompson, Simon Gillham, Kara Hartley and Paul Grimmond. You will have an opportunity to have your questions answered in our Q & A session. Dinner and supper are provided.

– All the details you need – including links to RSVP – are on the College website.

Archbishop of Brisbane Phillip Aspinall to retire — effective February 2023

Today Dr Phillip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane, has written to his clergy announcing that he has tendered his resignation, effective 2nd February 2023 –

29 August 2022

AD CLERUM

Dear sisters and brothers

God willing, on 2 February 2023 I will mark 21 years as Archbishop of Brisbane. I think that will be an appropriate time for the Diocese to begin seeking a new archbishop.

Therefore, pursuant to the Archbishop Election Canon s.2 I have today tendered to the Registrar my resignation as Archbishop of Brisbane to take effect from 5pm Thursday 2 February 2023.

I think a convenient time for me to lay up the pastoral staff will be when the diocesan family gathers in the Cathedral for the diocesan ordinations on Saturday 3 December 2022. I then plan to take a period of accrued long service leave and annual leave leading up to 2 February 2023, during which period the Diocese will be overseen by my Commissary.

It has been a unique privilege to serve as Archbishop of Brisbane. Thank you for your support, prayers and collegiality in the many tasks we have tackled together to take forward Christ’s mission in the Diocese and beyond. Some of this ministry has been difficult, painful and demanding. At other times we have been filled with peace and joy in Christ’s service. In it all there has been a pervading sense of God’s grace.

I am extremely proud of and filled with gratitude for the team of clergy and lay leaders who give so unstintingly of themselves in parishes, schools, Anglicare and other mission agencies. A great deal has been achieved over the last 20 years. Much more remains to be done in a new chapter.

This Diocese has a very important place in the Anglican Church of Australia. The vision we have embraced to foster, articulate, embody and promote a comprehensive Anglicanism has never been more important in the life of the national church and in the international Anglican Communion. May you all go from strength to strength in that mission.

I assure you all of my prayers for the future and in the search for my successor.

In Christ

The Most Reverend Dr Phillip Aspinall AC
Archbishop of Brisbane.

Ad Clerum also available via David Ould on Twitter.

Darrell Parker elected Bishop of North West Australia

From the Diocese of North West Australia:

“We thank God for the election of Revd Darrell Parker Bishop of North West Australia.

Darrell is currently Senior Minister St Paul’s Anglican Church Tamworth in the Armidale Diocese, NSW. He has extensive experience in regional/remote ministry (24 years, incl 18 years as Archdeacon) and ministry among indigenous Australians.

Darrell is firmly committed to the gospel and proclaiming Christ. He seeks to bring God’s revealed word to bear on people inside and outside the church through preaching, teaching, witness, discipling, and love. Darrell is married to Elizabeth and they have 4 adult children.”

– Via the North West Anglicans Facebook page.

Sydney’s One Special Evangelist — Book launch Wednesday 14 September 2022

The Australian College of Theology invites you to a Book Launch for our newest book in the ACT Monograph Series, Sydney’s One Special Evangelist: John C. Chapman and the Shaping of Anglican Evangelicalism and Australian Religious Life 1968-2001, by the Rev Dr Baden Stace.

When and Where:

Wednesday 14 September 2022. Start: 1:00 for 1:15 pm End: 2:15 pm Read more

Assisted suicide is spiralling out of control in Canada

“Canada is widely seen as one of the world’s most progressive nations in the world, ‘leading the way’ (depending on where you stand) on a variety of social issues. But in recent months, Canada has been garnering some less than savoury international attention because of the dark side of one of its recent progressive accomplishments …

3.3 per cent of all deaths in Canada in 2021 were assisted deaths. This has matched and surpassed the rates in places like Belgium and the Netherlands, despite it being available in Canada for less than a decade.”

– The National Post (Canada).

Link via Challies.com. Image via St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

Presbyterians extend hand of fellowship to Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Cross

Dr Peter Barnes, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, has written a letter to Dr Glenn Davies, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Cross.

The Clerk of the General Assembly of Australia has sent a copy to all Ministers and Session Clerks, adding,

“The Moderator-General has requested that this letter be forwarded to you with the request that it be circulated amongst the members of your congregation.”

Here’s the letter:

22 August 2022

Dear Glenn,

Your many Presbyterian friends have watched recent developments in the Anglican Church in Australia and are delighted at your appointment as the Bishop of the Southern Cross Diocese. This is a strong stand for biblical truth, and we trust the Lord preserves and keeps you, and uses you greatly.

We are most appreciative of the kindness shown to us, especially concerning theological education in NSW in the 1970s, and also the use of Anglican church buildings for worship and would be more than happy if we could help out in any way by facilitating the use of our properties and making them available to you and your flock.

In the meantime, be assured of our prayerful good will and eager interest in what the Lord is doing through you.

Kind regards in Christ

Rev. Dr Peter Barnes
Moderator-General,
Presbyterian Church of Australia

Endorsed heartily by previous Moderators-General: Rev. Dr John Wilson, Rev. David Cook, Rev. David Jones, Rev. Professor Allan Harman, Rev. Bruce Christian, Rev. Robert Benn, and Rev. Bob Thomas; and Rev. David Burke (Moderator-General Designate).

– PDF file.

A Pastoral Letter from the Archbishop of Sydney — 25 August 2022

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has today issued this Pastoral Letter (PDF file) with the full text of last week’s statement about the establishment of the Diocese of the Southern Cross.

The Doctrine of Marriage in the Anglican Church of Australia – Has it Changed?

“As the dust begins to settle over last week’s announced formation of the Diocese of the Southern Cross attention has naturally turned by some to the question of whether such an action was actually necessary. Has the doctrine of marriage actually changed in the Anglican Church of Australia? If it hasn’t, then why such an allegedly unnecessary and radical course of action?

The Primate of Australia, Archbishop Geoff Smith of Adelaide, issued a statement [pdf] on Thursday 18 August, the day on which Bishop Glenn Davies was formally commissioned as the first bishop of the new diocese.

Smith’s core complaint is clearly expressed:

The meeting of the General Synod held in May this year clearly affirmed the view that marriage is between a man and a woman, and declined to affirm same sex marriage. It is perplexing therefore that the leaders of this breakaway movement cite the reason for this new denomination as the failure of General Synod to explicitly express an opinion against the blessing of same sex marriages. …

The Primate claims that the doctrine of marriage has not changed and yet the revisionists now act as though it has.”

– David Ould takes a look at what has actually changed in the Anglican Church of Australia.

Armidale: We have no intention, nor need, to leave the Anglican Church of Australia

Bishop of Armidale Rod Chiswell has today published this statement on the diocesan website. Emphasis is original. –

24th August 2022.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

You probably have by now heard of the launch of the Diocese of the Southern Cross at the recent GAFCON Australia conference. This new diocese is a parallel Anglican structure outside of the Anglican Church of Australia. While some were dismayed at its establishment, I believe that it was a sad but necessary step at this point in time. The reality is that some Anglican evangelicals in dioceses led by liberal bishops who have a different view of the teaching of Scripture on matters concerning human sexuality, are looking for alternative episcopal oversight. Sometimes this is because they are being put under pressure by their bishop to step into line with the world’s way of thinking, other times it is a matter of conscience as they do not want to be led by bishops who they believe are leading God’s people contrary to God’s word. It is important to note that the Diocese of the Southern Cross has been activated solely as a safety net for these evangelical Anglicans.

Now, I suspect some evangelical clergy and laity in those dioceses will leave, others will stay. I don’t think that there will necessarily be a flood of evangelicals leave the Anglican Church of Australia to join the Diocese of the Southern Cross, but I trust that those who do will have good reason to do so. The leaders of GAFCON Australia have made clear that the Diocese of the Southern Cross will only remain while it is needed. If all Anglican bishops across Australia were to agree to the plain teaching of the Scriptures the parallel Anglican structure would no longer be needed.

With regard to the future of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale I want to make crystal clear that we have no intention, nor need, to leave the Anglican Church of Australia. The structure of the Anglican Church of Australia means that each of the twenty-three dioceses are autonomous and operate according to the decisions of their own synods. Thankfully the Armidale diocese has unity when it comes to upholding the plain teaching of Scripture in all matters of Christian life and doctrine, including human sexuality. We are thoroughly evangelical in this sense, with bishop, clergy and laity all on the same page. At this point in time, I stand with all other evangelical bishops in Australia when I say that we have no reason to abandon the Anglican Church of Australia. The ship as launched by Archbishop Cranmer in the 16th Century is a good one. Its constitution is sound, having excellent fundamental declarations and ruling principles that uphold the authority of Scriptures as primary.

In all of this we need to remember that God is still sovereign, Jesus is still King and He will build his church. May God strengthen us all to trust in Him and persevere with the main game in the Armidale Diocese which is “To Introduce All People to Jesus and Help Them Home to Heaven.”

With love in Christ, Rod Chiswell.

Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale.

Source. Photo: Rod and Jenni Chiswell.

The Myth of the Via Media, and other Canterbury Tales

“Sometimes it is called fudge … And I say, hey, I like fudge, it’s a lot better than killing each other.”

So said Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, on the topic of Anglican identity, in an interview during the recent Lambeth Conference a fortnight ago. Personally, I too like fudge. Perhaps as much as Archbishop Cottrell. However, I am not as convinced that ‘fudge’ is a desirable description of authentic Anglicanism.

And I trust, most of you will agree with me that ‘fudge’ is not what we wish Australasian Anglicanism to taste like; that Anglican ‘fudge’ does not supply sufficient sustenance for us Australasian Anglicans, as we seek to proclaim the glories of Christ to the nations, and as we seek to strengthen the spiritual lives of the men, women, and children within our parishes. Milk it may very well contain, but something more meaty is needed to sustain Anglican identity.

– The Australian Church Record has published the text of Dr Mark Earngey’s seminar at the GAFCON Australia Conference in Canberra last week.

He says, “I want to take you through two major misunderstandings: that of the so-called Anglican via media and that of the so-called Anglican three-legged-stool.”

It will repay careful reading!

Mark is Head of Church History at Moore College.

New Missionary Bishops for the Anglican Network in Europe

From The Anglican Network in Europe:

“On October 21st the Anglican Network in Europe plans to celebrate the consecration of four new bishops. They will assist Bishop Andy Lines as he leads the growing alternative to Canterbury-aligned structures in Europe.

Over the past two years the Anglican Network in Europe, with its two constituent Convocations – the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE) and the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) – have grown, with new congregations and mission initiatives being formed in Wales, Scotland, continental Europe and England. Individuals and families have found faith in Christ, and mature believers have found a hope and a home in historic, orthodox, biblical, confessional Anglicanism.

The clergy have also found proper support and encouragement, accountability and oversight from a highly relational model of episcopacy which includes opening the Bible and praying with the Bishop week by week.

In order to maintain this relational episcopacy and provide for continuing growth, both AMiE and ACE will have two additional bishops who will serve the wider Convocation in addition to their local pastoral responsibilities.

The names of the two AMiE bishops, Tim Davies and Lee McMunn, were announced in June. The two ACE bishops will be formally named shortly.

Archbishop Ben Kwashi, General Secretary of Gafcon, said: ‘The election and appointment of these servants of Christ is a testament to the work of the Holy Spirit in the mission.’

The consecration service will take place in Hull on 21st October, led by Bishop Andy Lines and Archbishop Foley Beach, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America and Chairman of the Gafcon Primates’ Council.”

– Source: Anglican Network in Europe.

Living as God’s woman in God’s world

“Some of the biggest questions you can ever ask yourself  as a human on this planet are: who am I? why am I here? what is my purpose?

We ask those questions because we are human, and we ask them as women. And how we answer them determines how we live our lives, how we see ourselves, how we relate to each other, how we treat each other, and above all, how we respond to God.

Let me begin with two affirmations:

1) that we were created for God, for God’s  glory – created to bring glory to God; and

2) that it is only as we live as God intended that we are truly free.

So the questions we need to ask ourselves are:

• what do we learn about who God is?
• what do we learn about ourselves, as humans and as women?
• what do we learn about how God wants us to live in His world? …”

– At Equal But Different, Lesley Ramsay has been posting on the theme of Living as God’s woman in God’s world –

Part 1 – Living as God’s woman in God’s world: Confusion.

Part 2 – Living as God’s woman in God’s world: Old Testament Clarity.

Part 3 – Living as God’s woman in God’s world: New Testament Clarity.

– with the promise of more to come!

She also recommends God’s Good Design 2nd Edition by Claire Smith (Matthias Media 2019).

Archbishop of Sydney: We have no intention of leaving the Anglican Church of Australia

The Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, released this statement a few days ago –

“The Diocese of Sydney is an integral part of the Anglican Church of Australia and we have no intention of leaving.

Parishes, schools and organisations in the Diocese of Sydney are not affected by this development and there will be no change to our structures. We are committed to the reform of the Anglican Church of Australia from within our existing ecclesial structures including the General Synod.

The Diocese of the Southern Cross has been established for those elsewhere who have left their diocese because they cannot in good conscience accept the authority of those who have departed from the teaching of Christ.

It is a sadness that this new Diocese has become necessary but I extend the hand of fellowship to the Diocese of the Southern Cross and may God bless Bishop Davies and his work.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

18 August 2022.”

– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net

Pray for the Diocese of North West Australia election synod this weekend

In the July 2022 issue of North West Network (PDF file), Administrator of the Diocese of North West Australia, Paul Spackman, asks for prayer for the election of the new bishop of the diocese.

He writes,

“This is an important activity in the life of our church. Some 50 workers and lay members representing every ministry across the diocese will meet in Geraldton to pray and choose the Eighth Bishop of North West Australia.

Would you pray for those having conversations with possible candidates and those who are considering the position. Pray for the Election Synod members that we would be filled with wisdom and discernment as we deliberate and decide on our next Bishop.”

The election synod is planned for this weekend, Friday 26 August – Sunday 28 August.

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