Gafcon Australia Statement about Wangaratta
Gafcon Australia has released this statement:
“The Board of Gafcon Australia notes with regret that a blessing of a civil marriage of two men has taken place in the Diocese of Wangaratta. This is inconsistent with the teaching of Christ that marriage is between a man and a woman. The Anglican Church of Australia has no other doctrine of marriage. Actions of this type in other Anglican jurisdictions around the world have deeply impaired fellowship between Anglican provinces and resulted in the most serious, and in some cases, formal and ongoing breaches of unity within and between Dioceses. Gafcon Australia remains committed to supporting faithful and orthodox Anglicans wherever they may be, and invites any who are concerned about these recent developments to contact us for prayerful encouragement and support at info@gafconaustralia.org.”
GAFCON Chairman’s Advent Letter 2020
“Advent greetings to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
The season of Advent, one of the oldest observed Christian seasons, is upon us. This season calls us to become aware of two great tensions: The Lord Jesus has come into the world, and He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. These two great tensions describe the hope and anticipation of faithful followers of Jesus for two-thousand years.
My prayer is that we will live faithfully in this tension between these ‘two Advents.’…”
– GAFCON Primates’ Council Chairman The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach shares his Advent message.
Anglican Network in Europe launched
A new Anglican jurisdiction is launched
“The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) is a partnership of new and existing church initiatives led by the Gafcon Missionary Bishop for Europe.
This new organisation is an authentic expression of Anglican church life and mission, authorised and supported by the Gafcon Primates. In June 2020 they passed a resolution, recommending that:
“Bishop Andy Lines be appointed as the Bishop of the Anglican Network in Europe, encompassing two convocations, The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) and the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE), and that Bishop Andy Lines be under the primatial oversight of whoever is the Chairman of the Primates Council for his point of accountability.”
This initiative follows Gafcon’s previous support for the establishment of AMiE and the Scottish Anglican Network; it also replaces the oversight generously provided up until now by the Anglican Network in Canada and which ends on December 31st. …”
– Read the full press release, and learn more about ANiE here.
Appellate Tribunal Matters November 2020 — Statement from the Board of Gafcon Australia
“Gafcon Australia exists to promote the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Anglican Church of Australia. We are convinced that the fullness of life that only Jesus gives is experienced through hearing, trusting and obeying his word of grace and life, in the power of his Spirit and the fellowship of his people.
For this reason, the Board of Gafcon Australia expresses its deep regret that the recent majority opinion of the Appellate Tribunal of the Anglican Church of Australia relies upon a disputed definition of the meaning of ‘doctrine’ rather than on a whole-hearted and glad embrace of the life-giving Word of God. In doing so, they have seriously undermined the basis of national unity in our church.
We regard their conclusions as erroneous and unconvincing. …”
– Read the full statement released today by the Board of GAFCON Australia.
Archbishop Foley Beach — GAFCON Chairman’s Pastoral Letter, November 2020
Bishop Foley Beach has released his November 2020 GAFCON Chairman’s letter.
“As the pandemic continues amidst economic hardship, violence, wars, and injustice in so many of our provinces, let us revive our work to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, and provide for the orphans and widows in our local communities. Our message of salvation in Jesus Christ not only has eternal consequences, but earthly ones as well. And while we work in our local communities, let us remember to work and pray for the Gospel to reach the billions of people on planet earth who have no way of hearing about Jesus. …”
Commending the Jerusalem Declaration
GAFCON has created a page to commend and explain the Jerusalem Declaration.
Most encouraging.
Be sure to watch the “Understanding the historical context” video on that page.
You can also assent to the Jerusalem Declaration yourself.
GAFCON Chairman’s October 2020 Letter
“Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
As I write to you, my brothers and sisters, it is the fall season here in North America. Like you, we are being challenged by the onslaught of the pandemic, but we have not lost hope and we are confident in the faithfulness of the Lord that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 10:35), and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
Please continue to pray for the Lord to relieve the world of this pandemic, guide the medical and health officials and the politicians in their decisions, and bring healing to those who have the coronavirus. …”
– GAFCON Primates Council Chairman, Archbishop Foley Beach, calls for continued prayer – including for Archbishop Ben Kwashi – in his October Letter.
Frontline church leader battles cancer
“There’s been a worldwide prayer request for one of Africa’s senior church leaders, who has been hit by colon cancer.
Archbishop Ben Kwashi, the general secretary of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) and Archbishop of Jos in Nigeria, has begun treatment after being diagnosed last month. …”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
Archbishop Ben Kwashi on colon cancer, the future of Gafcon, COVID in Africa
From Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart:
“As general secretary of GAFCON, Nigeria’s Archbishop of Jos Ben Kwashi is one of the world’s most influential Anglican leaders.
With GAFCON representing two thirds of the world’s Anglicans, Archbishop Kwashi has been described as the most influential person in the Anglican Communion.
Nine days ago rumours started to circulate on social media that he’d been diagnosed with Colon Cancer.
Archbishop Kwashi joins us to give an update on his health, the 74 orphans who live with him and his wife Gloria, plus news on navigating COVID in Africa and the future of the GAFCON.”
– Plenty to pray about. Be sure to watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.
Lift up your hearts – GAFCON devotions – this month by Simon Manchester
Simon Manchester is contributing October 2020’s ‘Lift up your Hearts’ devotions for GAFCON. On the book of Deuteronomy.
And see the interview with Simon on the page linked above.
(Photo: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)
Praying for Christians in Sudan
In a recent interview, Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail spoke about the Peace Agreement signed in Sudan earlier this month.
Fuel for prayer.
Bishop Andudu and Faith McDonnell lead GAFCON’s Suffering Church Network.
Good News from Sudan
“The Gafcon Suffering Church Network leaders, Faith McDonnell and Bishop Andudu Adan Elnail, joined Gafcon’s Everyday Global Anglicans for an interview about recent, positive developments in Sudan.
A peace agreement was signed which will have significant implications for the church in Sudan. …”
– Watch at the GAFCON website.
GAFCON Chairman’s September 2020 Letter
“It seems trite and overused to say we are living in ‘unprecedented times.’ But the reality is that we are. These times are still ‘unprecedented.’
But they are not unique. The history of the Church is full of the changes and chances of life and the followers of Jesus continued on with His ministry and His message.
So, in the midst of these times, we press on towards Christ and His purposes for us. We go forward. Always Forward. Everywhere Forward! …”
– Archbishop Foley Beach, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, shares encouragement in this month’s pastoral letter.
GAFCON Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions with Stephen Noll
The Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll is contributing this month to GAFCON’s “Lift Up Your Hearts” devotionals.
He is sharing on the subject of “Marriage According to the Book of Common Prayer”.
Read or listen at the GAFCON website.
You can also subscribe to daily e-mail updates.
David Short remembers J I Packer standing for the gospel
As part of an online GAFCON tribute to Dr J I Packer, Canon David Short in Vancouver remembers and gives thanks.
David’s contribution begins here. He goes on to recall the crisis in the Diocese of New Westminster from 32 minutes – but watch it all. Archbishop Ben Kwashi, Dr. Leslie Thyberg and Dr. Joel Scandrett also take part.
David mentions Packer’s essays “Why I walked” and “Speculating in Anglican Futures”.
Most encouraging.