First GAFCON 2013 prayer bulletin available
“A series of prayer bulletins is being issued in the weeks leading up to the October conference.
This allows provinces, churches, organisations and individuals to read about the preparations and to uphold GAFCON in prayer.”
– Download the first one from this page.
‘Premier wrong to push for same sex marriage’ — NSW Council of Churches
“The NSW Council of Churches today reiterated its call to Premier Barry O’Farrell not to lend support to a push to legalise same sex marriage in New South Wales. …”
– Media release from the NSW Council of Churches.
Key UK conference planned for November
Reform and the Anglican Mission in England are organising a conference for Anglican evangelical leaders in November.
“ReNew will be a two day conference with the aim of advancing Anglican Evangelical ministries for the salvation of England.”
Speakers include Hugh Palmer, William Taylor, Richard Coekin, Mike Ovey and John Richardson. Details here.
Anglican Mainstream response to legalisation of same-sex marriage in England & Wales
“With other marriage advocates, we at Anglican Mainstream are distressed but not entirely surprised by the passage of last week’s legislation. …
Of course the entire social fabric will not collapse overnight. Social mores do not function like that. … But SSM will have unintended and for some unforeseen consequences. …”
– Read it here.
Same-sex marriage bill granted Royal Assent
“The Daily Telegraph and BBC reported yesterday afternoon that royal assent has been given to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Billl, paving the way for the first same-sex weddings next spring in England and Wales.
The Queen, who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, gave her formal approval to the Bill yesterday afternoon.” – from Evangelicals.org.
The Archbishop of Canterbury on a coming royal birth
“When this baby is old, it will be the 22nd Century. Yet he or she will be able to tell children about a great grandmother… who served in the Second World War.
By then, the 1940s will be as far away as the Crimean War and the charge of the Light Brigade is today.”
– Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby reflects on the hope a new baby brings. In Mail Online.
‘Irreconcilable’ understandings of the nature of God
John Richardson in the UK writes,
“There aren’t many things that qualify in my view as ‘must read’ articles, but this from Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude, is one of them. Here is a taster:
“The Church of England knows it has a crisis on its hands. It thinks the crisis might be solved by gently persuading enough conservatives to overcome their convictions and vote yes for women bishops. I am convinced the problem is far deeper than that. I think we hold dramatically different understandings about the nature of God and they are irreconcilable.”
For a rather different perspective from that of Changing Attitude: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield on DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) and the Rock.
‘Value Vision’ — Bishop Rick Lewers
“This is NAIDOC Week. Its theme ‘We value the vision’ reflects decisions made in the past that now are captured in legislation.
Better than a vision captured in legislation would of course be a vision captured in the heart. …
Of course, God had a vision in which He would so love this world that He would give His only Son to the world so that all who trusted in Him would not perish but have eternal life.”
– Bishop of Armidale, Rick Lewers, writes on the diocesan website.
July pastoral message from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala
A Pastoral Message from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Chairman of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans –
“Here in Nairobi we are preparing with great anticipation for our second Global Anglican Future Conference, GAFCON 2013, and this is the first of what I intend to be monthly pastoral messages as we move forward together in the unfolding purposes of God.
I am confident that this great gathering of over 1,300 delegates will touch the lives of you all, whether or not you are able to be present, and will be a decisive moment in a movement which will shape the future of the Anglican Communion for generations to come.”
Read it all at the GAFCON website.
Bishop Ian Lambert to be commissioned
Bishop Ian Lambert will be commissioned as Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force on Friday in Canberra.
New Bishop for The Murray
John Ford, currently Bishop of Plymouth in the Diocese of Exeter, has been elected the new Bishop of The Murray.
Expanded vision for Oak Hill
Oak Hill College in London has appointed its first Director of Free Church Training, to better equip those preparing to serve in the Free Church.
Graham Beynon explains his new role in this video on the Oak Hill website.
Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation to purchase Anglican Schools in Dubbo and Orange
The Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation is buying Anglican Schools in Dubbo and Orange –
“this decision of the Bathurst Diocese and the Board of Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation will bring stability to underpin the future operation of these schools…”
Here’s the media release from the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation –
28 June 2013
Dr Laurie Scandrett, Chief Executive Officer of Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation, today has announced that the Corporation has exchanged contracts for the purchase of Macquarie Anglican Grammar School at Dubbo and Orange Anglican Grammar School.
“We are very excited to be able to make this announcement today. Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation has exchanged contracts for the purchase of both of these schools. We expect that the purchases will be completed at the end of September. By including the operation of these schools as part of Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation, we can guarantee to students, parents, staff and each community that the future of these schools is secure. The schools will be able to continue their great work of Christian education with confidence,” said Dr Scandrett.
The announcement follows a competitive expression of interest process resulting from the decision, earlier this year, of the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst to sell these schools. Read more
Call for prayer for Egypt
“The situation in Egypt is very serious. I do not know where this situation will take us. I feel that Egypt is at the verge of violent demonstrations, another revolution, or civil war. We do not know what is going to happen, but we know that we are at the edge of something drastic.”
– Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa, Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis, appeals for prayers for Egypt and the people of Egypt ahead of demonstrations expected this weekend.
TEC National Cathedral special service to cheer gay marriage
“The National Cathedral is pealing its church bells, along with some other Washington churches, to celebrate the Supreme Court’s decisions on gay marriage.” – CBS News.
“Dean Hall has also issued an invitation to all LGBT couples and families to attend a special service tonight, Wednesday, June 26, at 7 p.m. A diverse group of faith leaders will speak out in support of marriage equality at a press conference preceding the prayer service at 5 p.m.”
– Washington National Cathedral. (Image: Washington National Cathedral.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…