Anglican Communion participants in choice of next Archbishop of Canterbury announced

“The Archbishop in Jerusalem, Dr Hosam Naoum, is to be one of the five representatives of the global Anglican Communion who help to decide the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

The names of the Communion representatives were announced on Tuesday morning, along with those selected from among the central members elected by the General Synod for a five-year term.

Previously, the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) has had only one representative of the Anglican Communion…”

– Church Times reports on the latest in the search for a new Archbishop of Canterbury.

See also:

‘Omnishambles’ May Delay Canterbury Selection – The Living Church.

Save the date for Gafcon Sunday 2025 — 29th June

From Archbishop Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council:

“Dear Gafcon family,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Will you celebrate with us Gafcon Sunday on the 29th June?

On this day in 2008 we gathered at our first Gafcon conference to unveil the historic Jerusalem Statement, which continues to express the truth and unity that binds together our movement in love.

At our G25 mini-conference in Plano, Texas in March, we played this short video that captured this historic moment:

We invite every Gafcon church to devote time during worship services on Sunday 29th June to read or display a short item about Gafcon, and to lead prayers for our movement.

We also humbly request that each church collect a special thanksgiving offertory for Gafcon, so that through your precious partnership in the gospel, you might equip us to guard God’s gospel.

In the coming weeks our Gafcon Secretariat will make available some digital resources which you may choose to distribute or display at church, or share via email and social networks.

As we gathered in the land of our Lord Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection, we experienced a moment that continues to lead us to pray to see the Bible at the heart of the Anglican Communion.

Please join with orthodox Anglicans everywhere, as we gather to celebrate Gafcon Sunday on 29th June, in just under eight weeks’ time.

The Most Rev’d Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council
Monday, 12th May 2025.”

Sydney Diocese Media release: Abortion Bill amendments

The Archbishop of Sydney is grateful for progress made, and urges Lower House MPs to reject the amended bill.

Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Archbishop’s statement re the amendment of the Greens’ abortion Bill

I am thankful to those MPs who upheld freedom of conscience for doctors and amended the Greens’ abortion bill in the NSW Upper House.

But the burden will now also fall on nurses and midwives to be involved in something at odds with their vocation.

So, I urge lower house MPs to protect the unborn and reject the bill entirely.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

9 May, 2025.

NSW Abortion bill ‘gutted’

From John Sandeman:

“The debate over the Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025 introduced by Greens’ member Amanda Cohn into the NSW Upper house, has seen several amendments.

Lyle Shelton reports: ‘I’ve been watching the NSW Parliament live feed as MLCs have debated the Greens’ abortion bill. Amendments carried tonight seem to have all but gutted the bill. It seems pro-life hospitals will now not be forced to perform abortions and pro-life heath practitioners will not have to be complicit in them.’…”

– at The Other Cheek.

Image from NSW Parliament website.

Abortion bill protest draws fired-up crowd

“A Greens bill to require doctors who object to abortion to be forced to formally refer patients to somone who will perform a termination, and allow midwives and nurse practitioners to prescribe abortion pills, drew a large protest outside the NSW Parliament last night. Religious leaders, and a former prime minister addressed the 6,000 strong crowd. …”

– At The Other Cheek, John Sandmen reports on the Abortion bill protest we mentioned previously.

Photo: John Sandeman.

Malawi: A graduate’s holistic ministry

“Visiting Anglican Aid projects at the end of last year was a joy! I witnessed how God is working through your support to grow and strengthen his church in some of the world’s poorest nations. I could see how our long-term partnerships in the gospel were bearing fruit.

I was encouraged to meet Rev. David Mponda, Pastor of Thyolo Parish in the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi …”

– Canon Tim Swan shares great encouragement from Malawi.

Praying for the Australian Federal Election

As Australians cast their ballots tomorrow, continue to pray for those in authority, those who aspire to be, and for our nation.

These words from 1 Timothy 2:1-4 are relevant:

“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.” – ESV.

Urgent Rally against the NSW bill on Abortion — Wednesday 7th May 2025

An important rally coming up on Wednesday 7th May outside NSW Parliament House.

Click the image for larger version.

See also:

Doctors’ conscience protection under threat – SydneyAnglicans.net, 19 March 2025.

“The New South Wales Parliament is considering a bill to force medical practitioners to facilitate abortions, against their conscience.

At present, doctors can object and not take part in referring patients for abortion. But the Greens party has put forward a bill that would scrap that protection for doctors and force them to refer women for abortion in violation of their conscience. …”

and see:

“Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Social Issues Committee
Statement on current Abortion Law Reform proposals in NSW

The Social Issues Committee of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, along with the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Reverend Kanishka Raffel, expresses serious concerns about the Abortion Law Reform Amendment (Health Care Access) Bill 2025, introduced by Greens MLC Dr Amanda Cohn. We have written to the Premier of NSW, the Opposition Leader, and the Leader of the Nationals urging them to oppose the Bill.

This Bill does not address abortion’s legality, already covered in existing laws, but seeks to expand abortion services at the cost of diminishing freedom of conscience and religion for NSW citizens.

If passed, Dr Cohn’s Bill would allow the Minister of Health to mandate public health organisations to provide abortion services. It would also require health practitioners who object to abortion on moral grounds to transfer patients to others who will perform the procedure. …” – issued 20 March 2025.

– Read the full statement at SydneyAnglicans.net.

In Memoriam: Pope Francis — Message from the Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council

“On behalf of the Gafcon movement and the Anglican Church of Rwanda, I extend my heartfelt condolences to those closest to Pope Francis, and to the many Roman Catholics within our regions whom we know and hold in deep respect.

His life of quiet humility and steadfast service to the poor and marginalised leaves a lasting witness in our world.

We join with others around the world in giving thanks for his life and praying for comfort for all who mourn his passing.

The Most Rev’d Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council
Thursday 24th April 2025.”

– from GAFCON, via e-mail.

Being a Christian Entrepreneur — An Interview with Mr Neil Smith

For the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches, Charles Raven interviews Christian businessman Neil Smith.

There are some fascinating insights into the challenges of doing business as a Christian – as well as insights into what works and what doesn’t work in investment and development.

In 2016 Neil founded The Relay Trust – a charity set up to enable the training of grassroots Christian leaders in the poorest Anglican provinces of Africa – currently training about 8,000 people a month in partnership with the GSFA. (Charles Raven is The Relay Trust’s CEO.)

– Watch here. 36 minutes.

Obeying God or the Government? NSW Conversion Practices Law with Neil Foster, Michael Stead & Simon Swadling

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“New South Wales’ Conversion Practices Ban Act has just come into effect — along with guidelines from Anti-Discrimination NSW that many Christian leaders believe overstep the legal boundaries and impact ordinary pastoral ministry.

We are joined by legal expert Associate Professor Neil Foster, South Sydney Bishop Michael Stead, and Summer Hill Anglican Assistant Minister Simon Swadling.

Together, we unpack the implications of the new law for Christian preaching, prayer, counselling, and discipleship — especially in matters of sexuality, marriage, and gender.

We discuss:

– Watch or listen here. Quite extraordinary. Important viewing.

Easter Disruption

“The world of strategic planning includes reference to ‘disruptor events’. Chat GPT defines this as: ‘a significant occurrence or incident that dramatically changes the normal course of operations, behaviour, or expectations within a system, industry, or society’. Covid-19 was a good example.

By any reckoning, the events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection constitute the prime disruptor in human history. …”

– David Burke, Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, shares his Easter message.

Photo courtesy Christ College Sydney.

The Living Hope of Easter

An Easter message from the Chairman of the Gafcon Primates Council:

“This Easter, we celebrate the cornerstone of our faith—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not merely a story of the past, but a powerful declaration of life, salvation, and hope for today and the days to come.

When we think of Easter, we think of resurrection—a promise fulfilled, a Saviour risen, and a future secured. As 1 Peter 1:3 declares, through Christ’s resurrection, we are given a living hope.

This hope is not a wishful thought but a confident expectation rooted in God’s unchanging promises.

Hope, for the believer, is more than optimism. It is a deep trust that no matter how long the night, dawn will surely break. It is looking toward the Son—Jesus—with hearts full of anticipation, knowing he will act, redeem, and restore.

This hope connects to three powerful truths.

Firstly, hope relates to salvation. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Without Easter, life is without meaning or direction. But because he is risen, we have access to forgiveness, a relationship with God, and eternal life.

Secondly, hope looks to the future. It stretches our faith and gives us strength to persevere. Even in the darkest valleys, hope whispers that God is working, that better days are coming, and that his promises will be fulfilled.

Thirdly, hope transforms us. It builds patience, anchors our souls, inspires prayer, and fills us with peace. Without hope, life falls into despair. With hope, we rise with confidence.

So this Easter, remember: Christ is our hope.

May the resurrection ignite in you a renewed joy and faith. In every hardship and trial, hold fast—because Easter proclaims that hope lives.

He is risen. He is our living hope. Amen!

The Most Rev’d Dr Laurent Mbanda
Chairman, Gafcon Primates Council
Maundy Thursday, 17th April 2025.”

– Source: Gafcon.

Are we post Christian or post Secular? – with Mark McCrindle

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The new McCrindle report ‘An undercurrent of faith’ says:

Founder and Principal of McCrindle research, Mark McCrindle, says his report shows a new search for purpose and meaning and asks is ‘Australia Post Christian or are we now Post Secular?’

Plus we compare the findings of the national McCrindle report with the recent Sydney Anglican report on Church attendance.”

– Watch or listen here.

Conversion Act protest needs to be targeted carefully

“NSW has now joined Victoria in having a Conversion Act come into operation that bans some forms of Christian ministry. The Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 No 19 aims to “aims to “ban practices directed to changing or suppressing the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals”,” and created a civil penalties scheme.

Victoria’s act goes further than the NSW one. Despite the NSW Premier Minn’s promise not to ban prayer, certain types of prayer are now against the law in NSW following Victoria. The Other Cheek reported the then-opposition-leader’s promise: “Labor’s Chris Minns promises no ban on preaching, prayer in conversion therapy bill.“

But the prayer promise was not kept. Prayer with an LGBTQIA individual with the aim for them to be celibate or change orientation is clearly defined as illegal in the NSW Act. In the case of sustained prayer, definitely so. …”

– John Sandeman at The Other Cheek adds more on the ‘Conversion Act’ in NSW.

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