Mourning with those who mourn
Posted on December 16, 2025
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“Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has laid flowers at the scene of the Bondi massacre as Sydney Anglicans express sorrow at the death of 15 people and injuries to 25 others in a terrorist attack at a Hanukkah festival. .…
Churches have been urged to hold one minute’s silence on Sunday for the victims of the massacre. …
Archbishop Raffel will join faith leaders at 7:15pm on Wednesday night on the forecourt in front of St Mary’s Cathedral. The Prime Minister and Premier will be speaking at the memorial gathering. The public is invited.”
– Russell Powell has the story at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Image: Seven News via SydneyAnglicans.net.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel on love in the face of terror at Bondi
Posted on December 15, 2025
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From the Pastor’s Heart – a very timely edition –
“Sydney’s Anglican Archbishop Kanishka Raffel calls on Sydney to embrace our Jewish neighbours in love, friendship and support and to reject antisemitism, violence and hatred.
Archbishop Raffel says this is the way of Jesus.
Minister of Bondi Anglican Martin Morgan says they sheltered people in the church last night, who were terrified, running for their lives.
In a The Pastor’s Heart special, Archbishop Raffel is joined by minister of Bondi Anglican Church Martin Morgan and Messianic Jew Ben Pakula (also an Anglican Minister) in praying for those family and friends and the Bondi community, impacted by the gunman opening fire – leaving 16 dead including a 10 year old girl.”
And the page linked also includes the prayers made available by St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney.
Archbishop of Sydney Statement on the Bondi terrorist attack
Posted on December 15, 2025
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The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
We have been shocked and sickened by the horrific terrorist attack on Sydney’s Jewish community last night at Bondi Beach.
We embrace our Jewish neighbours and fellow citizens in love, friendship and support. We reject antisemitism, violence and hatred.
We pray to the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion, for the safety and protection of the Jewish community. We pray for those grieving the tragic loss of loved ones, those injured or traumatised, for the police and medical workers, and for our government and security agencies as they respond.
We pray for the peace, safety and recovery of the community in Bondi and more widely across Sydney.
We give thanks for the many people who offered help to those around them, including Ahmed al Ahmed who bravely confronted and disarmed one of the gunmen.
During this Jewish festival of Hanukkah, and as Christians anticipate the celebration of Christmas, we give thanks that Jesus, a Jewish man, came into our world of sorrow and sin, to bring the light of life, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
15 December 2025.
— Media statement from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel.
See also the Archbishop’s video version of his statement.
These prayers have been written for anyone who wishes to use them – PDF file.
Earlier related posts:
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s statement on antisemitism — 13 October 2023.
“In recent days we have witnessed repugnant expressions of antisemitism in Sydney which have appalled most Australians and heightened fears among the Jewish community. …”
Action on anti-semitism – SydneyAnglicans, 21 January 2025.
“Any attack on a place of worship is an attack on the principles of freedom of religion, association and conscience, which are foundational for our multicultural and cohesive community,” the Archbishop said in his fourth public statement since the crisis began.
Antisemitic slurs must be rejected – Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, 10 November 2025.
“The rally staged outside the New South Wales Parliament on Saturday has rightly drawn condemnation from across the community – particularly as it occurred on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 1938 pogrom against Germany’s Jewish community. …”
Threats “will be repudiated by all Australians of goodwill” – Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, 05 March 2025.
“The threat of a mass shooting against a Western Sydney mosque is abhorrent and distressing, especially as it references the horrific attack in Christchurch that resulted in the murder of 51 people. …”
Further antisemitic attacks – Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, 13 January 2025.
“For the second time in two months, I am taking the step of expressing the dismay of many Sydneysiders at grotesque acts of antisemitism in our city. …”
Antisemitic attacks – Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, 11 December 2024.
“The latest attack on the Jewish community in Sydney is egregious, cowardly and despicable. All people of good will, faith or none, will condemn this outrage.…”
Protest action in Sydney Square – Anglican Diocese of Sydney, 30 September 2024.
“It is a long-standing principle that protests around the precincts of St Andrew’s Cathedral, which flow into Sydney Square and the Town Hall, are not supported in any way by the Diocese of Sydney. …”
Prayer for Israel – Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, 08 October 2023.
“Sydney Anglicans have been shocked and distressed to hear of the attacks on the Jewish people and the State of Israel that have taken place over the last 24 hours. …”
And a reminder to pray for those in authority:
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4 ESV.
Bondi pastoral note from the Bishop of Bathurst
Posted on December 15, 2025
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Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst Mark Calder has released this pastoral note this morning, in text and on video.
“In moments like this, we are reminded of the radically upside-down nature of the Christian faith. Our leader — our King — urges us to love our enemies, not to kill them. Our Lord laid down his life for his enemies. Our Lord forgave those who drove in the nails.”
“Dear friends across Diocese,
What we’ve been hearing about has disturbed our hearts deeply.
Many of us don’t even know how to process it. I know for myself that I turned the TV off last night — not out of denial, but as an act of self-protection.
What has happened is not only tragic; it is outrageous. Anger is an appropriate response when something like this occurs on our shores — reflecting ancient conflicts between peoples whose origins are far away from here. We don’t want this here. We don’t want it anywhere, of course. And yet we find ourselves asking: why bring it here? Don’t people come to Australia to escape such things?
In moments like this, we are reminded of the radically upside-down nature of the Christian faith. Our leader — our King — urges us to love our enemies, not to kill them.
Our Lord laid down his life for his enemies.
Our Lord forgave those who drove in the nails.
And our Lord will one day return to bring justice, and his righteous rule will last forever.
This is what Advent is about. It is designed to lift our eyes from the muck of this world to the coming — the Advent — of our King, who will right all wrongs and rid the world of evil and death. Come, Lord Jesus.
But what are we meant to do about this today?
Teachers and children still have to get up and go to school. Retailers will open their stores. Accountants will pore over the books. Farmers will be out and about — some still finishing harvest.
Life goes on, even when our hearts are heavy.
The only way we can deal with this is:
• to cast all our cares on him who cares for us
• to admit that there is much in this world we will never understand
• to turn to the Lord who is close to the broken-hearted, who saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34)
• and to pray.
We pray for those being treated in hospital — for healing and comfort.
We pray for the families of those who have died — for comfort in their distress.
We pray for the many witnesses to what has happened, who may be traumatised for a long time to come, and for police and paramedics who are stretched and under great strain — that they may receive the care and help they need.
We pray for members of the Jewish community, who may be living on edge — for protection, reassurance, and hope.
And yes, we pray even for the perpetrators and those who stand with them — that they may bow the knee to Jesus, who loves his enemies.
Above all, we turn our eyes to Jesus — the true light of the world — who alone can bring light into this darkness.
The message of Advent, and then of Christmas, is the message of Jesus coming to deal with evil and to bring righteousness. That is the only reason that, even in the midst of today’s darkness, we can still be people of hope and expectation.
God bless and comfort you today.
May God draw you to himself and remind you of his love.
May the Lord grant you that peace which passes understanding.
Mark Calder, Bishop.”
A nation in shock
Posted on December 15, 2025
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“Just minutes before, they had prayed for the Jewish community at the start of Chanukah, then, as the congregation of Bondi Anglican Church was leaving, they heard shots ringing out at the beach nearby.
‘A whole crowd of people ran past our church building which goes down to the beach, very close to where the violence occurred,’ said Bondi’s senior minister Martin Morgan. ‘So as we were leaving the church we saw people running past and we came back into the church building. Two or three of our church members who are in the crowd saw what had happened.’ …”
– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net has this report and video from Martin Morgan, Rector of the parish of Bondi.
Urgent prayer for victims of Bondi shooting
Posted on December 14, 2025
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“Please join me in praying urgently for the injured and families of victims of the shooting at Bondi Beach.
Pray for the safety of the Jewish community and residents of Bondi. Pray for the police and medical teams in their work. Lord have mercy.”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel via X.
The Dean’s favourite verse
Posted on December 14, 2025
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“Friends in Christ, my favourite verse in the Bible is Romans 5:8.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. …”
– In the Cathedral newsletter, Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, explains why this verse is is such good news.
Who Owns Jesus? Tommy Robinson and The Dirty Revival
Posted on December 13, 2025
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Republished at Ian Paul’s Psephizo, Dr Jason Clark reflects on responses to the “Unite the Kingdom” Christmas Carol event planned for central London tonight Australian time:
“Over the last few days, my social media feeds—shaped by the strange, selective algorithms we all live under—have been replete with progressive and left-leaning Christians condemning the upcoming ‘Christ in Christmas’ event in London linked to Tommy Robinson. Anecdotally, those are the voices I see most loudly. And beyond my feeds, the national news and radio have been wheeling out predominantly Anglican clergy (as they always do) to denounce the gathering in firm, moral tones, with warnings of the ‘Far Right’ and ‘Christian Nationalism’.
I understand why people feel uneasy. I am no Tommy Robinson supporter. But I also sense that something deeper is happening here—something revealing, something uncomfortable, and something worth paying attention to. Because if we only focus on the personalities involved, we risk missing what this moment is saying about the soul of the UK, and perhaps the state of Christianity itself. …
For years now, huge numbers of ordinary Brits have felt ridiculed, unheard, and publicly shamed simply for being British. And the moment some of them reach for Christian symbols, language, and tradition—the very things Christianity once assumed belonged to all—those who preach tolerance respond with moral panic and purity tests. The contradiction is hard to ignore.”
– Read here.
Related:
‘Putting Christ back into Christmas’: Carol concert announced as follow up to Tommy Robinson rally – Premier Christian News,
Possibly related:
Let the young man come to church with mixed motives – Steve McAlpine.
ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood case to proceed to Trial
Posted on December 13, 2025
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“Archbishop Steve Wood of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is to be tried in a church court according to a memorandum directed to members of the denomination today.
Wood faces a formal complaint submitted by ACNA clergy and laity alleging bullying of staff, misuse of funds, and two separate allegations of inappropriate advances brought by a former children’s ministry director and an anonymous complainant. …”
– Jeffrey Walton at Juicy Ecumenism reports on the latest developments in ACNA.
Uganda and Australia in partnership with Bishop Alfred Olwa
Posted on December 13, 2025
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From Moore College’s Moore in the Word podcast:
“In this episode, we are pleased to bring you an interview recorded in September 2025 between Simon Gillham, Vice Principal and Head of the Mission Department at Moore Theological College, and Alfred Olwa, Bishop of the Lango Diocese in Uganda, chairman of Uganda Christian University and Moore Theological College graduate.
Alfred tells the stories of how he came to study at Moore College, the relationship of mutual ministry between Uganda and Australia, and the history of theological training in Uganda and the impact that is having on the country.”
– A cause of much thanksgiving.
GAFCON to Re-Order Communion — Anglican Unscripted with Bishop Paul Donison
Posted on December 12, 2025
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In the latest edition of Anglican Unscripted (number 945!), Kevin Kallsen interviews Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison.
If you missed Bishop Donison’s recent Australian tour, this is the next best thing.
– Watch here.
Bishop John Guernsey Appointed Chairman of Chairman of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
Posted on December 12, 2025
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Prayer request from Gafcon:
“Give thanks to God for the appointment of The Rt. Rev. John A. M. Guernsey as the new Chairman of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, whose Trustees faithfully govern and support the ministry of Gafcon and the Global Anglican Communion.
We praise the Lord for Bishop Guernsey’s deep and longstanding commitment to Gafcon: a delegate at GAFCON 2008, Chair of the Statement Committee in Nairobi 2013, and Worship Coordinator in Jerusalem 2018. His decades of faithful leadership in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) have strengthened our global fellowship.
Pray for Bishop Guernsey and his wife, Meg, asking that God grant him wisdom, humility, and joy as he helps guide our movement to have the Bible at the heart of the Anglican Communion.”
– Source. (Background: Bishop Guernsey Wikipedia entry.)
How to fight your Phone Idolatry
Posted on December 12, 2025
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“Smartphones are physical objects we take everywhere; they’re rarely more than an arm’s length away. When was the last time you went out for errands without your phone? Left for an overnight trip without your phone? We shudder at the thought.
We go through our days with near-constant attachment to these mobile devices. In every in-between moment of waking life—in line for a coffee, sitting in a waiting room, walking from point A to point B, stopped at a red light—we instinctively pull out our phone and scroll, text, check notifications, aimlessly toggle between apps.
It’s not just a nervous habit. It’s a liturgical impulse: muscle-memory habits of devotion. When was the last time you sat still in a pause moment and meandered in thought or daydreamed, rather than grabbing for your phone? Most of us don’t do that anymore.…”
– Brett McCracken writes at The Gospel Coalition.
New General Secretary of The Anglican Church of Australia
Posted on December 12, 2025
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Here’s a media release from Bishop Mark Short, Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia –
“The Anglican Church of Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Juliet Wenden as the next General Secretary, commencing in February 2026.
‘I am sure the Anglican Church of Australia will benefit from Mrs Wenden’s years of experience as Chair, Director and Executive Officer of different not-for-profit and commercial organisations. The Anglican Church of Australia faces challenges, and Mrs Wenden’s leadership will be critical in addressing them. I am sure the church in Australia will be praying for and wishing her every success,’ Bishop Mark Short, Primate, Anglican Church of Australia, said.
Juliet has been involved with Anglican Super for most of the past 25 years, more recently as Chair. Her husband, Richard, is Rector of Seaforth Anglican Church on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and she has three teenage children.
‘I’ve worked with almost all the Dioceses in my time with Anglican Super and look forward to renewing that relationship in this new position,’ Mrs Wenden said. ‘My immediate priority will be working with the Dioceses across the country to prepare for General Synod in Melbourne during August next year.’
‘We congratulate Mrs Anne Hywood on her 11 years as General Secretary and wish her all the very best for her next endeavours,’ Bishop Mark Short concluded.”
– Source (PDF file.)
Living outside the Garden
Posted on December 11, 2025
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The Spring 2025 edition of Armidale Diocese’s magazine The Link has been published online.
(It was out in churches a few months ago, and we’re glad it is now also up on their website.)
News, encouragement and food for prayer, including the article “Living outside the Garden” by St. John’s Tamworth vicar Joshua Bovis –
“I don’t know what has come over me lately. I have always been an emotional person, but I find myself grieving more than ever. Of course, I have reasons to grieve.
Earlier this year I faced the sixth anniversary of my Father’s death and the first anniversary of my Mother’s death. But it is more than the grief that comes due to outliving one’s parents, more than the fact that I am an emotional person. I think it is also that I grieve because I, like all of us, live outside the garden and long to return.
I grieve because my attempts, and the world’s solutions to find home…fail. Just like the Pevensie children’s futile attempt to re-enter the magical world of Narnia after returning to reality through the wardrobe, the way is shut. …”
– Read it from page 8 of the Spring edition of The Link.
Earlier issues of The Link can be found on this page.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…