Bathurst Diocese Bishop’s Newsletter June 2026

The latest Bishop’s Newsletter from the Diocese of Bathurst has been published. PDF file at this link.

Among other important topics is this request – “Please pray for great wisdom and the Lord’s guidance for the Bishop’s Election Board.” (Bishop Mark Calder retires on 19th September.)

In this newsletter, Bishop Calder writes,

“It’s been a joy and privilege to preach through Romans these past weeks; something I’ve not done before. It quickly became clear to me that Romans is not simply a detailed theological document. It is a deeply pastoral letter, written to ordinary Christians learning what it means to live in the King’s kingdom.

Again and again, Paul takes us back to the gospel: our universal sinfulness, God’s astonishing grace, justification by faith, peace with God, life in the Spirit, and the certain hope of future glory. Yet Romans never leaves these truths in the realm of theory. The gospel transforms how we think, how we worship, how we suffer, how we relate to governing authorities, how we love one another, and how we live together as God’s people.

I soon realised how determined Paul is to remove every ground for boasting in ourselves. We cannot boast in law-keeping, our religious background, or any effort to make ourselves right with God. Instead, we are reminded again and again that it is only through Jesus’ sacrifice that we are declared right with God. If we are to boast at all, we boast in the Lord.

Romans also reminds us that God’s saving purposes are far bigger than we often imagine. Through Christ, God is creating one people from many peoples, united not by background, culture, tradition, or personal preference, but by faith in his Son. We are to serve one another in humility and love our enemies generously.

My prayer is that this series has helped us to more clearly see the greatness of Jesus and what he has done for us, that we might with one mind and one voice, glorify him.”

Also on the diocesan website, and for your prayers and consideration, there’s a reminder of this parishes which are seeking leaders –

Bishop Richard Condie’s 2026 Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania

Bishop of Tasmania Richard Condie delivered his Presidential Address at the 2026 earlier this month.

It’s now on the diocesan website –

“Synod is about partnership. We each have our roles to play, as we bring our spiritual gifts to bear on our ministry and leadership. Each Parish and sector ministry, each chaplaincy and school has a unique context with unique mission challenges. But Synod reminds us that we do not labour alone, but alongside each other in partnership in the gospel. Paul was very aware of this as he wrote to the Philippian church. He was not a solo missionary, nor was the church in Philippi all on its own. Rather, Paul gives thanks to God for their partnership, their fellowship, their communion in the Gospel, right through his association with then. They were in this together, and so are we.

I am so thankful for your partnership and prayers and give thanks to God for them. I have been especially aware of this in recent days as we have begun to address our challenges around redress, but also in the development of our renewed shared Vision that we will launch at this Synod. We genuinely do this work together and it is a great joy. …”

Bishop Condie speaks around three points –

  1. Where we have come from
  2. Where we are now – redress
  3. The Future – Launching Tasmanian Anglicans 2031.

Under the third heading, he outlines –

– Read it all here.

Plenty of food for prayer for our brothers and sisters and the progress of the gospel in Tasmania.

Image thanks to the Diocese of Bathurst.

St Barnabas’ Orange East at 100

The parish of St Barnabas’ Orange East celebrated the centenary of the parish and Christian ministry in this key central west city on Sunday.

Photo: Cutting the celebration cake. The Rev’d Bob Cameron, immediate past Rector, Bishop the Rt Rev’d Mark Calder, and the Rev’d Ben Mackay, current Rector.

Via the Bathurst Diocese Facebook page.

Moore College Principal to retire at end of 2027

Announcement from SydneyAnglicans.net –

“The Principal of Moore College, Dr Mark Thompson, has announced he will retire at the end of 2027.

The announcement was made at Moore College on Friday, June 5, as Dr Thompson told staff and students.

‘After discussions with the Archbishop and the Governing Board, we have decided that 2027 will be the last year that I serve as the 13th Principal of Moore College,’ Dr Thompson said. ‘No doubt there will be much more that will be said and written over the next eighteen months. But I wanted to let you know at this point, so that you won’t be surprised when advertisements for the position begin to appear in the second half of this year, and so that you might pray as the process of choosing the 14th Principal unfolds.’…”

– Read it all here. It would be really good to pray for Mark and Kathryn, for the College, and for whoever will be appointed the 14th Principal.

Also announced through the College website:

Retirement announced.

Help for Nyngan?

From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:

“Friends, Nyngan currently has no Sunday services, as they have no clergy and no licenced lay minister. We struggle to know how to help such churches. Would you be up for a chat about helping?”

A matter for prayer.

The ‘senior pastor loneliness problem’ – with Sheridan Voysey

An important topic from The Pastor’s Heart –

“The loneliest person in church may be the one standing at the pulpit.

Pastors spend their lives surrounded by people, but ministry can make real friendship strangely difficult.

Confidentiality, responsibility, expectations, perceived favouritism and the pressure to “have answers but not needs” can leave church leaders profoundly alone.

Sheridan Voysey says pastors don’t just need supervision, systems or resilience strategies. They need real friends: people they can talk to, depend on, grow with and enjoy. People who know the weight they are carrying. People they can call at 2am when everything has gone wrong.

Sheridan helps us think pastorally and practically about the lonely pastor, the friendship Jesus modelled and how churches can give leaders permission to be human.”

– Watch here.

Spreading God’s word, literally

“Sam Freney, the translation consultant for Bible Society Australia, gave a demonstration of how hard it is for those without a Bible in their heart language, at a recent supporters’ lunch. He began with reading this in Pitjanjatjara:…”

– A vital endeavour. Story via John Sandeman at The Other Cheek.

Also see this excellent Bible Society video which features Nungalinya College in Darwin. From this Bible Society page –

A prayer for DR Congo and the Ebola outbreak

From AnglicanAid –

“A rare strain of the Ebola virus is circulating in DR Congo with Ituri and North Kivu provinces worst affected (in red on map).

As of 20 May, around 600 cases and 139 deaths were reported. Another person died in Kampala, the capital of neighbouring Uganda, after travelling from DR Congo.

Please join in praying that the outbreak will be contained. …”

– AnglicanAid also has a prayer you could use.

Changes in Bathurst Diocese

Today, the Rev Ben Mackay will be commissioned as Rector of St. Barnabas Orange East. Please uphold him and Bron and their family in your prayers – as well as Bob and Fiona Cameron, who served at East Orange from 2017.

– via the Diocesan Facebook page.

Also, The Western Advocate has published a story on the upcoming retirement of Bishop Mark Calder. It’s a great reminder to pray for Mark and Susan and also for the election of the next Bishop of Bathurst.

– via the Diocesan Facebook page.

‘There are no rocks being thrown from this corner’ – Dominic Steele on Sam Allberry

From Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart – a compassionate and pastorally sensitive, gospel informed response.

Biblical Theology is Key

Peter Jensen writes at the Moore College website –

“The mere fact that our College is 170 years old this year does not mean that it is excellent. Many an institution has fallen badly away from its founding principles over such a period. Moore has had its ups and downs over its history, and there are other colleges that may be quite young, but are worth supporting.

Nonetheless, we rightly rejoice. Over many years, our College has stayed true to its origins. I think Bishop Barker, who had so much to do with its founding in 1856, would also be rejoicing. …”

– Read it all here.

Also in the Autumn 2026 edition of Moore Matters –

Top photo: Bill Dumbrell teaching at Moore College in the early 1980s.

Bathurst Diocese newsletter — Easter 2026

The Easter 2026 Bishop’s Newsletter from the Diocese of Bathurst is now available for your interest – and for your prayers.

– PDF file at this link.

Anglican board directs Bishop of The Murray to step down

From John Sandeman at The Other Cheek, a report on Bishop Keith Dalby of The Diocese of The Murray –

“Following the diocese becoming aware of his secret marriage to Alison Dutton in August 2023, Bishop Keith Dalby had stepped aside from his office as Bishop of the Diocese of The Murray with effect from 9 December 2023. In his statement, Bishop Murray expressed his ‘deep regret for the impact of my actions on the Diocese of the Murray, its clergy, and its people.’ …

[Bishop Dalby responds] ‘I am considering my position in light of the Board’s determination and will respond within the required timeframe. I ask for prayers for all those affected by this matter, including the people and leadership of the Diocese of the Murray.’”

– Story here.

Easter bloodshed in Nigeria

From George Conger at Anglican.ink –

“Nigeria’s Holy Week was marked by bloodshed, with coordinated attacks on churches and Christian communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt leaving more than 50 dead from Palm Sunday through Easter. As graphic accounts emerged from Kaduna, Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau states, worshippers faced one of the most violent Holy Weeks in recent years, raising urgent questions about security and the government’s ability to protect Christian communities. …”

– Read it here.

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof

Commander of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, Reid Wiseman, took this photo of the Earth yesterday, shortly after the crew had fired their engine to leave Earth orbit to travel to the vicinity of the Moon. (Image credit: NASA.)

The photo has been widely shared in the media. It shows the night-time side of the Earth, illuminated by the full Moon, which is behind the spacecraft. The Sun is hidden behind the Earth.

The planet Venus is the bright point at top left, and a reflection of something inside the cabin is the bright spot just below the centre of the picture. Auroras are visible at both poles, and stars can be seen in the blackness of space.

As published, the photo has usually been shown with north at the bottom, making identification difficult. The image above is rotated to north at the top. A comparison might help in working out what is what.

Psalm 24 reminds us that “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…”

If you look closely at the picture (click for a larger version – or see the unrotated original here), you can pick out the lights of cities across NW Africa  and the Iberian Peninsula. Madrid is the brightest light there.

Each of those lights represents thousands – or millions – of people. People who need to come to know the Lord Jesus who died and rose again for them.

As well as praising the Lord for the wonder of his creation, praying for the people framed in that photo would be a good way to pray this Easter.

Update:

Astronaut Victor Glover onboard Artemis 2 was asked for his reflection this Easter Sunday –

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