To boldly go… with the troops
This story by Southern Cross journalist David McIntyre won the ARPA Silver Award for ‘Best Feature Single Author’. It gives a good picture of the life of Australian military chaplains –
“Navy Chaplain Andrew Lewis washes dishes in the scullery on board the transport ship HMAS Success – not because he has to, but because it gives him ‘permission to sit down with the cooking staff at morning tea’.
He then goes up to the bridge to chat to the officers on duty before heading off to a meeting with the commander of the ship. …”
– Read it all at Defence Anglicans.
Greg Thompson elected Bishop of Newcastle
“Bishop Greg Thompson has been elected by the Anglican Synod as the next Bishop of Newcastle.
The synod gathered under Bishop Administrator Dr Peter Stuart on Saturday to consider electing Bishop Thompson, 56, to serve as the 13th bishop of the city.”
– Report from The Newcastle Herald.
Quiz Worx Appeal 2013
Our friends at Quizworx need your help.
Newcastle Synod meets to elect new Bishop
“The Anglican Diocese of Newcastle is today meeting to vote on a new bishop, after a previous vote failed to reach consensus. Five candidates, including a woman, nominated for the last vote in March, to replace the retired bishop Brian Farran. This time round the Northern Territory bishop Greg Thompson is the only candidate vying for the role. …”
– Report from ABC News.
Northwest Network, September 2013
Bishop Gary Nelson writes in the latest Northwest Network (September 2013).
Read Gary’s message below, and download the full issue to use in your prayers for the churches and people of the North West (6.6MB PDF file).
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Our God is so amazing and ‘his compassions never fail. They are are new every morning; great is your faithfulness’ (Lam 3:22f).
So why am I continually surprised by God’s mercies? When I feel the weight of financial burdens, the shortage of resources, the unavailability of people to serve in the North-West, then God provides emails with enquiries about ministry in the diocese; or encouraging phone calls – even if they are the wrong number; or generous gifts from people scattered around Australia. God is worthy of all our praise, just as Revelation 4 and 5 remind us. And at the heart of that reminder is the image of the throne, ‘there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it’ (4:2). The One seated is the sovereign Lord – whose reign controls all things. How reassuring this image would have been to John and his first readers! For they all lived under the shadow of another throne – the imperial might of the Roman Caesar with his arbitrary whims of persecution. And how reassuring to us – to know that in the midst of the topsy-turvy nature of our lives God has it all in hand, so we can confidently trust him in the present and for our futures. The never-ending praise of all heaven emphasises why we can leave it to our gracious Lord (4:8):
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.
Friends, the work of the diocese is God’s work, who incredibly uses frail servants to accomplish his purposes. Please keep supporting us in prayer so we may bring honour to God as we share the gospel of our Lord Jesus with the many different people of the North-West. Come and visit us – or perhaps, move over to the west and stand with us in gospel ministry.
NORTH WEST CONCERNS
Cathedral ministry: with nearly 40% of Geraldton’s population under 25 the parish council decided to seek a youth minister for the team. We have been contacting suitable people to challenge them about joining us. This means Bishop Gary will remain acting dean, so please pray for God’s wisdom and strength to manage these extra responsibilities.
Exmouth parish: we are blessed to have Bill and Jackie France as locum until December. Please pray for a full-time minister in 2014 with sufficient financial resources to make this possible.
Paraburdoo-Tom Price parish: we are thankful for Kees and Cindy Bootsma spending three months serving the people there. Keep praying for someone to see the need and offer to minister in this area which has been without a full-time minister for a number of years.
Registrar: Wayne Sutton will be retiring at the end of the year after two decades in this ministry. The Rev Jonathan Earnshaw has accepted the position for 2014. We will be having a change over period in the last part of this year. We thank God for his provision.
In October we will be holding our fellow workers’ conference – a time for families to get together to be encouraged from God’s word, to share with one another and to be refreshed. We are appreciative to those who supply funds to enable this to occur (such as the Mothers’ Union). David Seccombe will be our Bible teacher for the week and we’re looking forward to his ministry among us. We will also be catching up on child protection training and discussing other issues affecting the life of our diocese.
Canberra & Goulburn Synod 2013
The Synod of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn was held this weekend.
Archbishop Glenn Davies: Statement on PM’s Q and A comment
Anglican Diocese of Sydney – Media Release 3/9/13
“To sanction same-sex ‘marriage’ is not the teaching of the Anglican Church of Australia nor is it the teaching of the Bible.”
Full statement below:
Statement by the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, about comments by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on ABCTV Q and A, Monday Sept 2nd.
“Kevin Rudd was profoundly wrong in his understanding of the Bible. He misquoted the Bible and attributed to the Bible something that Aristotle said (that slavery is a natural condition). The Bible never says that. The Bible sees slavery as the result of fallen and broken relationships in society and it is crystal clear in its condemnation of the slave trade.
I was disappointed by Mr Rudd’s comments last night in the same way that I was disappointed by the position he announced in May despite, as he said, after much reflection. Unfortunately in my view he has not been reflecting on the teaching of Scripture. To sanction same-sex ‘marriage’ is not the teaching of the Anglican Church of Australia nor is it the teaching of the Bible. The Bible views marriage as an institution that God has created. Jesus brings clarity to the nature of marriage by saying that it is an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman, for life. Although there are many kinds of relationships in our society, to describe the relationship between two persons of the same sex as marriage is contrary to the Bible’s teaching.
As a bishop in the Church, I do not tell our people how to vote. They have a responsibility to vote wisely and as Christians they should vote in accordance with their conscience and their understanding of Scripture. Christians realise that no political party will reflect their views in every policy. So they have to make a judgment as to which party best represents their views. I encourage all Christians to think prayerfully and wisely about how to vote on polling day.”
– ends –
(Source – SydneyAnglicans.net. The Prime Minister’s comments may be seen here.)
Related: Shellfish, slavery and same-sex marriage — How not to read the Bible.
‘PM misrepresents the Bible’
“Last night, on a serious Australian current affairs program, Q&A, our current serving Prime Minister, a self-professed Christian, grossly caricatured the Bible. ….”
– Sandy Grant responds to the Prime Minister’s statements on Q&A last night.
And Eternity Newspaper’s John Sandeman spoke today with the Prime Minister’s questioner, Pastor Matt Prater –
“I did get attacked a lot on social media last night. And got called a lot of nasty names. I just want to make it clear to anyone reading this that I am not a homophobe. I don’t hate homosexuals. I love everyone with the love of Jesus.”
(Images: ABC TV.)
Update:
The Prime Minister further explained his response (YouTube) in Launceston on Tuesday 3rd September.
Question lands pastor ‘in lion’s den’ – The Australian.
“The first time Pastor Matt Prater interviewed Kevin Rudd, the year was 2006 and the then opposition foreign affairs spokesman was deeply obliging. …”
And Sandy Grant reflects on the whole thing at The Briefing.
Kevin Rudd defends his view on ‘gay marriage’
On ABC Television’s Q&A last night, in answering a question from a Christian pastor, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd defended his new view on ‘gay marriage’ and explained his view of the Bible.
“Well, mate, if I was going to have that view, the Bible also says slavery is a natural condition – Saint Paul said in the New Testament, ‘slaves be obedient to your masters’.”
– Watch on Youtube. ABC News report. (Image: ABC TV.)
Related:
‘PM says he may have disappointed churches’ – NineMSN (03 September 2013)
Backlash in Western Sydney (14 August 2013)
Equality not the issue says Archbishop (22 May 2013)
Assessing Christian election guides
Sandy Grant takes a look at four different Christian election guides –
“Thoughtful Christians could benefit from interacting with each one of these election guides, even the ones where they find a considerable amount to disagree with.” – Read it at The Briefing.
‘Discernment Synod’ held in Grafton
A ‘Discernment Synod’ was held in the Diocese of Grafton over the weekend as part of the process to elect a new Bishop. (Bishop of Grafton, Keith Slater, resigned in May.)
The August/September 2013 issue of The North Coast Anglican carries a report, written before the Synod, on page 4.
Backlash in Western Sydney
“Islamic and Christian leaders in western Sydney have warned of a backlash against Labor following Kevin Rudd’s reversal of his views on gay marriage and his pledge to bring forward a bill to legalise it within 100 days of the election. …
In the marginal Labor seat of Greenway, held by Michelle Rowland, Geoff Bates of Quakers Hill Anglican Church said in the view of his 800-strong congregation, Mr Rudd was ‘walking away from the very people who put him in’. …”
– Report from The Australian.
Newcastle election synod set for 14 September
“After failing to reach agreement on a new bishop earlier this year the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle will meet next month to vote again. In March, five candidates were considered to replace retired bishop Brian Farran but none of them received enough votes.
The synod will be considering just one person this time, Northern Territory bishop Greg Thompson. …”
– Report from ABC News.
Diocese of Newcastle election synod page. Photo: Diocese of the Northern Territory.
Australian Bishops welcome new Archbishop
Acting Metropolitan of the Province of NSW and Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, says of Archbishop-Elect Davies, “He will, I believe, unify our Province – and be a blessing to the national church”. Dr. Davies will be present at the Goulburn Cathedral Convention in January.
Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier –
“On behalf of Melbourne Anglicans I welcome Archbishop Davies’ appointment, and assure him of our prayers and good wishes as he begins this important ministry in Sydney and the Anglican Church of Australia.”
Primate and Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall also welcomes Sydney’s new Archbishop.
“Glenn is a well known and regarded contributor to the life of the national Church, having served on both the General Synod Standing Committee and the national Doctrine Commission for many years.”
Praying for the other Election
Wondering how to pray for the Federal Election?…
“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.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
– 1 Timothy 2:1-6, ESV. (Images: Labor and Liberal parties.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…