An open letter on the Anglican Covenant

Canon Chris Sugden responds to an article in the Church of England Newspaper by Andrew Goddard –

“You write that the Covenant has been “consistently supported by the Global South Leadership.”.  Yet on November 24 2010, seven primates [Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda,Tanzania, West Africa, and the Southern Cone of Latin America] representing 40 million Anglicans released a statement that in their view “the covenant was fatally flawed and so support for this initiative is no longer appropriate”…”

– read his full letter at Anglican Mainstream.

Christmas messages from around Australia

Advent / Christmas messages have been published by various bishops of the Anglican Church of Australia. Here are some we’ve spotted so far –

Bishop to the Australian Defence Force – Len Eacott.
Armidale – Bishop Peter Brain.
Newcastle – Bishop Brian Farran.
Rockhampton –Bishop Godfrey Fryar.
Riverina –Bishop Doug Stevens.
Bendigo – Bishop Andrew Curnow (page 2 of PDF).
Canberra & Goulburn – Bishop Stuart Robinson.
Tasmania – Bishop John Harrower.

(Image: Anglican Church of Australia.)

Bishop of Tasmania’s Christmas message

John Harrower, Bishop of Tasmania, climbed the Cathedral tower in Hobart to record his Christmas message. See it on his blog.

New church plant in Newcastle

The Diocese of Newcastle website reports on the new church plant in Newcastle, headed by Archdeacon Arthur Copeman.

The clear goal… is to reach out to people who are outside the present church and to be able to tell them of God’s love for them in the Lord Jesus.

And from Bishop Brian Farran’s Newcastle Synod Charge in October:

“Archdeacon Copeman is establishing a church plant in Newcastle that will reach out to younger families. … Given the broad sweep of Anglicanism, it is appropriate that there be an Anglican Church in Newcastle City that is of the Anglican Evangelical tradition.”

(Arthur is leading a session at the Provincial Mission Convention in Canberra in January. His topic: ‘Starting from Scratch: Church Planting with a Team of One’.)

Two new assistant bishops for Canberra-Goulburn

Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, has followed-through on his stated commitment to appoint a woman bishop in his diocese. Announcement here.

A reminder to pray for DNWA and a new Bishop

Dean of Geraldton and Administrator of the Diocese of North West Australia asks for prayer for the election of a new Bishop (election synod February 10-11), in his first letter to the diocese.

Archbishop of Canterbury’s Advent Letter 2011

Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, has published his Advent letter to the Anglican Communion – on the Lambeth website.

Bishop Lawrence writes about Disciplinary Board Decision

“For now given no more allegations from anonymous sources within the diocese it is my hope we can all get back to focusing our full attention on proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and to Glory of God the Father that the Church here in the Diocese of South Carolina may add daily to its number those who are being saved.…”

– Bishop of South Carolina, Mark Lawrence, writes to his diocese about the dropping of ‘Disciplinary proceedings’ against him.

Earlier: Allegations of ‘abandonment’ against Bishop of South Carolina

CMS UK looking for new leader

“The Executive Leader is responsible for leading the community and its organisation in pursuing the vision of a world transformed by the love of Jesus, and the fulfilment of the aims of making disciples, resourcing leaders and transforming communities…”

– Details from CMS UK (PDF fie).

Rick Lewers elected Bishop of Armidale

Rick Lewers, currently Rector of Engadine, and well-known to many in Sydney, has been elected as Bishop of Armidale at this weekend’s Armidale election synod in Moree. Rick will take up the reins after the retirement of Bishop Peter Brain in April.

Please uphold in prayer Rick and his family, the people of Armidale diocese, and the church at Engadine, as they serve the Lord Jesus in the days ahead.

(The Synod began with a short-list of three: Rick Lewers, David Hanger from Woolgoolga, and John Tongue from Ulverstone in Tasmania.)

Update: Here’s a media release from the Diocese of Armidale:   Read more

US Diocese asked to rehabilitate Pelagius

“The Diocese of Atlanta has been asked to rehabilitate Pelagius.

Delegates to the diocesan convention will be asked to reverse the condemnation of the Council of Carthage upon Pelagius, and to explore whether the Fifth century heretic may inform the theology of the Episcopal Church…”

(Of course, they may vote No…)

– George Conger writes for the Church of England Newspaper. Photo: Diocese of Atlanta.

Canon Phil Ashey reports from London

In his weekly report, Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council writes from London –

“GAFCON was not just a moment; it is a movement. The purpose of the 2012 leadership conference will be to gather existing and emerging FCA leaders… to promote the ongoing renewal and reformation of the Anglican Communion.”

“Dear Friends in Christ,

I have been working this week from London in meetings of the global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), which has just opened an office here under the able leadership of Bishop Martyn Minns.  Next year, there will be a conference of about 200 leaders from the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans held in London in the spring. Read more

Bishop of Tasmania’s letter to the Bishop of South Carolina

The Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, has written (October 14) to Mark Lawrence, the Bishop of South Carolina, to offer support and encouragement –

“Dear Brother,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I received with deep concern and sadness the news of formal allegations against you and your diocese with respect to some ill-defined sense of abandoning the faith of the Church.

I write so that my recognition and support of you as a Brother Bishop in the Anglican Communion may be clear and unambiguous, and to assure you of my prayer for you and your leadership team at this time.

It has become clear over recent years, and it was certainly my experience at the Lambeth Conference of 2008: not only are the revisionist pursuits of certain parties clearly no longer bounded by the fundamental witness of the gospel in Scripture, but the means of that pursuit seem no longer bounded by the common human wisdom of good grace and fairness. The fact that current events demonstrate a willingness to impugn the fundamental character of Episcopal polity is a demonstration of their intransigence.

Nevertheless, please be encouraged in the Lord Jesus in whose sufferings you share and in whose resurrection hope we live and minister.

I note the words at the top of your diocesan website – “…that all may come to know Him…” Our Lord Jesus is indeed our sole focus, our joy, our salvation; and the knowledge of him our goal for ourselves and all those we meet. He is the head of the church and his promise to his people is secure.

May his grace and peace be with you and the faithful saints of the Diocese of South Carolina.

Yours sincerely in the bonds of Christ,
Shalom

John Harrower
Bishop of Tasmania.”

– Also as a PDF file on the Diocese of Tasmania website. (h/t Will Briggs.)

Allegations of ‘abandonment’ against Bishop of South Carolina

Some action by the Episcopal Church against the Diocese of South Carolina has long been expected. Here’s a report from the Episcopal News Service.

The Bishop and Standing Committee of the diocese have sent this call to prayer –

October 5, 2011
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Thursday, September 29, 2011 the Bishop received communication from the President of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops that “serious charges” have been made under Title IV of the canons of The Episcopal Church. These are allegations that he has abandoned The Episcopal Church. Read more

Photos from St. John’s Vancouver

St. John’s Vancouver has posted on their website a photo gallery – showing their last service at St. John’s Shaughnessy on September 18, and the first Sunday service at their new location, on September 25.

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