2024 Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Canada

The 2024 Synod of the Anglican Network in Canada was held November 20-22 in Burlington, Ontario.

The summary published by ANiC reveals that the decision was made to rename the ANiC as The Anglican Diocese of Canada (in the Anglican Church in North America, part of the global Gafcon movement).

The Bible Studies each day were given by Simon Manchester, drawn from the Letter to Titus. Most encouraging.

Growth and Change and Preaching

“Recently during a week of study leave I had the privilege of reading Andrew Heard’s excellent new book, Growth and Change: The danger and necessity of a passion for church growth (Matthias Media, 2024). It receives the commendation of numerous respected pastors and scholars. D. A. Carson, reluctant to call any book the ‘best’ in its field, suggests in the Foreword that Growth and Change might serve as an exception to his rule.

Reading through it over three consecutive days, I found myself praising God for its zealous, ambitious, and what I believe to be a scripturally faithful perspective. …”

– David Burge writes at The Expository Preaching Trust. This is Part 1 of his reflections on the book.

Rejoice in the Lord — John Mason reflects on Thanksgiving

“‘Thanksgiving’ in America is one of the delights Judith and I experienced when we moved to New York in 2001. Despite the evil events of September 11, 2001 people at our first Thanksgiving Dinner expressed their thanks for the way the Lord had used the events of 9/11 to build their trust in him.

When we think about it, thanksgiving is a theme that permeates the Bible – especially the Psalms. And while we do live in an uncertain world, there is still much for which to be thankful.

Come with me to Paul the Apostle’s Letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 4 through 9…”

– As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, the Anglican Connection’s John Mason reflects on what Scripture says on the topic.

All the families of the earth – Genesis 11:27-12:9

Last week, Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson spoke about the Promise to Abraham as the College comes to the end of the academic year.

It’s not only Moore College students who need to be reminded of God’s promises and why we’re here.

Watch or listen at the Moore College website.

A wonderful gospel resource you might not have seen

We first posted this in 2022, but it’s worth revisiting since so few people seem to know about this valuable (free) resource:

“Have you ever been in a situation where you would love to leave a gospel message with someone but had nothing with you to give? Or the person didn’t read English and that’s the only language you have available?

Global Recordings Network has a unique solution to this dilemma: 5fish! …

The International Orality Network tells us that 4 out of 5 people in the world communicate primarily or exclusively through oral, not textual means. This means that only 1 out of 5 people are happy when you give them something to read – regardless of whether it is a book, magazine, or tract. Everyone else wants to listen or watch!

The Australian Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey in 2006 that informs us that approximately 7 million (46%) Australians aged 15 to 74 years did not reach the minimum standard required for individuals to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work in the emerging knowledge-based economy. Almost half of the Australian population would struggle to read and understand the Bible if you handed them one.”

– At AP (The Australian Presbyterian), Global Recordings Network’s Christine Platt makes a case for 5fish.

Watch the 75 second video below to see how 5fish works.

Consider sharing the video, and links to 5fish, with members of your church.

(We understand the app will soon be updated to add even more functionality.)

Commitment to Christ

Bishop Keith Sinclair opened Church Society’s 2024 Junior Anglican Evangelical Conference in August. His topic? “Commitment to Christ”.

– Listen here. Most encouraging.

What is the JAEC?

“Established by John Richardson in 2011, Church Society has hosted this conference since 2014. It is specifically for those who are ‘junior’, that is anyone considering ministry in the Church of England, lay or ordained, through training, curacy and the first few years of incumbency or the equivalent. The conference aims to help anyone in that category be more effective as an Anglican Evangelical, making the most of every opportunity to reach the lost for Jesus, build up the church through his word, and send workers into God’s harvest field.”

Photo: Church Society.

Make the Most of Sunday Mornings — Two Simple Changes

“Ah, Sunday. That majestic morning when my children awake to the aroma of eggs and bacon and fresh-squeezed orange juice. When they bound down the stairs, Bibles in hand and a song in their hearts. When I lead them in family worship over breakfast, and my wife plays the piano as we prepare our hearts for meeting with the people of God.

The only downside when we finish is that we still have time to kill. Oh well. At least we’ll be super early to church — again!

If you’re smirking, it’s because you know this is not reality. …“

– At Desiring God, Matt Smethurst has a couple of suggestions to help you (and others) at church – because, as he says, “Christianity is not a spectator sport”.

Photo: Christ Church Cathedral, Darwin, via the Diocese of the Northern Territory.

Ministry in the Later Stage of Life

Earlier this month, Phillip Jensen spoke at a Prime Time event at Croydon Park.

He speaks to retirees (or those hoping to be): “We have the gift of a decade.”

See what he means – and what we can do with it.

Is God disappointed with me?

“For a long period in my Christian life, I felt like God was always just a bit disappointed in me.

Sure, I believed he loved me enough to die for me, and I knew he forgave me for my sin, but I felt that perhaps God just tolerated rather than delighted in me. After all, Jesus calls us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:48). Christians are told to pray continually (1 Thes 5:17). Paul exhorts us to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4). I knew I wasn’t perfect, my prayers were certainly not continual and I failed to always rejoice, so I felt that God must be constantly displeased with me.

I walked around in a persistent state of low-level guilt. I assumed God gave a bit of a deep sigh and an eye roll each time he saw me fail again.

I wish I had been able to read Faith Chang’s heartwarming book, Peace Over Perfection, in those long years. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Jocelyn Loane reviews Peace Over Perfection.

Armidale’s “The Link” – November 2024

The latest edition (November 2024) of The Link, the magazine of the Diocese of Armidale, is now online.

Download a copy for your edification and your prayers.

How personality impacts ministry teams

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“I want to be a big hearted encourager like Barnabas. I want to be a reliable assistant like Timothy. I want to be passionate preacher like Apollos.

When you think about the qualifications for Christian ministry in 1 Timothy 3, the significance of personality is pretty much ignored.

What is the relationship between character and personality? Someone is all about structure and someone else is much more ‘loosy-goosy/flexible’.

When there’s conflict in church or in a ministry teams – it’s often put down to personality difference or sometimes even disorder.

What does the Bible say about all this?

Tim Omrod serves with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) at Griffith University on the Gold Coast and has just finished a study of the co-workers of Paul.”

– Watch or listen here.

Preaching through January

“This year, the quieter period of church life when families are away and thoughts turn to cricket test matches, begins on Sunday 29 December and continues through 5, 12, 19 and 26 January.

A total of 5 Sundays before life returns to normal on 2 February.

Some preachers use these Sundays to give younger preachers an opportunity to preach, others take a series on Psalms at each holiday period, so they continue with the next consecutive Psalm.

Why not make a special event of these Sundays because it is a special time as we turn the page on one year and get ready for 2025. …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook has some helpful suggestions for preachers.

A Tamworth ministry to the local Indigenous community

“In West Tamworth, there is palpable excitement in Glen Street on Wednesdays. Children finish school and go straight to Aunty Lucy Gibbs’ place where they wait for Frontyard Church to begin, filling in the time by running around or jumping on the trampoline.

In the late afternoon, about a dozen people arrive from St Peter’s, South Tamworth, spending the next half hour in the vacant block next door unpacking a shipping container full of chairs, tables and lights, plus a sound system and the all-important barbecues. …”

– SydneyAnglicans.net relays this encouraging story from the Diocese of Armidale.

Church Revitalisation

“The Presbyterian Church in Australia has a new minister – yours truly!  I have signed the formula and have officially become the minister of Scots Kirk in Hamilton, Newcastle. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and wrote a letter reflecting on the journey that has taken us to this place – Letter from Australia 122 – A Return to my Radical Roots.

Some people felt that the basic principles for church revitalisation I listed in that letter might be worth sharing in a wider context so I have added to them a little and hope that they will indeed prove helpful.

I have no great plans. I have dreams and visions – for without that I would perish. But I also have this certainty  that God’s word will not return to him empty and will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. I do have some basic principles/aims/ideas which are as follows …”

– At AP, David Robertson – not Minister at Scots Kirk, Newcastle – shares his thoughts on church revitalisation. Doubtless, many Anglican churches would benefit from at least some of his suggestions.

Parenting in God’s family

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“What is Christian parenting?  How do we do family Bible time well?

How can we prioritise church, even when it’s hard?  Navigating social media with teens?

And how to parent teens who are doubting, drifting or deserting?

Parenting is joyous, magical, tiresome, boring, stressful and complicated.

Harriet Connor is editor of ‘Parenting in God’s family: Biblical wisdom for everyday issues.’. Kat Ashton Israel is a contributing author.”

– Watch or listen here.

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