A Cloud of Witnesses: Australian Anglicans in Tanzania – Rev Dr Colin Reed

“The Letter to the Hebrews encourages us with the account of the great cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament – people who lived by faith looking forward to Jesus. The Moore College Archives encourage us with some of the witness of people of more modern times who have stepped out in faith looking to Jesus as they went to serve God in Tanzania. How do they encourage and challenge us today? What shaped their faith? What shaped their passions? What were their aims in mission? How do they ‘strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees’?”

Colin Reed spoke at a Moore College Library Lecture earlier this month. His fascinating lecture will be of great interest to anyone wanting to know more of the history of CMS in East Africa, and many people he mentions will likely be familiar to our readers.

Rev Dr Colin Reed grew up in Africa and (along with his wife Wendy) served with CMS as a missionary in Tanzania, on staff of the NSW & ACT Branch, and as Principal of St Andrew’s Hall.

Over many years, Colin has studied and written on the history of the Church in East Africa.

Watch here.

And on YouTube, there are timestamped links to topics mentioned in the lecture.

Rejoicing at what Gafcon is doing in Europe

From The Anglican Network in Europe:

“On 15th October 2024 Gafcon inaugurated a third diocese for the Anglican Network in Europe [ANiE]. The Anglican Missionary Congregations (Europe) [AMC] has grown from a single Nigerian diaspora congregation in Manchester to 39 congregations all over the UK and in some parts of Europe, served by 54 mainly self-supporting clergy.

Joining in partnership for mission to Europe is a beautiful expression of the Lord gathering people from every tribe, language, people and nation to proclaim Christ faithfully to a needy continent. AMC will bring their significant energy and experience of church planting to ANiE.

Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, Chair of the Gafcon Primates’ Council, inaugurated the diocese and then consecrated Dr Gideon Illechukwu before Presiding Bishop Andy Lines installed him as their first bishop. In a service with a vibrant Nigerian flavour, people from all over the Network celebrated their unity in the global Anglican family of Gafcon for gospel mission under the clear authority of scripture.

The Archbishop said, ‘This is what Gafcon has done and will continue to do; not only contending for the gospel but providing an ecclesial home for those determined to proclaim God’s unchanging truth in a changing world.’

Newly consecrated Bishop Gideon Illeechukwu said, ‘Praise God for a day like this, that we are joining the Anglican Network in Europe as their third diocese. I am grateful to the Lord for calling me to serve as the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Missionary Congregations (Europe) and pray that together we shall expand the kingdom of God in Europe and beyond through Gafcon.’ ”

– via e-mail.

Earlier:

Background – ANiE.

Meanwhile, back in the Church of England –

Martyn Snow, lead bishop for the ‘Living and Love and Faith’ process, presents an 8 minute video where he outlines what happens next with the LLF steamroller, arguing that the Church of England was born in disagreement, and hoping that people won’t leave.

Why so many new Anglican denominations?

“There are multiple Anglican denominations all over the world and even here in Australia – that is nothing new. For instance, have you ever heard of the Free Church of England in Australia, or the Anglican Independent Communion Australia or The Traditional Anglican Church in Australia? …

In March this year, I was in Rwanda for a meeting of the GAFCON primates’ council. In the room were church leaders, some recognised by both GAFCON and by Canterbury, together with another group of leaders whose churches are only recognised by GAFCON. …”

– Bishop Malcolm Richards answers the question of “Why so many new Anglican denominations?” – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Image: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Church Society Podcast: The Alliance and other issues

The latest Church Society Podcast has been released:

“At the beginning of a new series of podcasts, Ros Clarke, Lee Gatiss and Chris Moore chat about what is happening in Church of England circles at the moment, what happened over summer and the state of play in various aspects of church politics.”

– Listen here.

Proposed Misinformation Disinformation Bill

It may be that you are unaware of the Australian Government’s Communication Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024.

Public comment on the bill (unless the time is extended) closes tonight.

From The Australian Christian Lobby:

“Where the government should be safeguarding the free speech of Australians, it will instead require social media to control our public discourse. From public health to politics to the economy and ideology, how this bill defines harm will determine what you are allowed to say online.

Remember, this isn’t just about protecting our rights; this is about our ability to speak truth in love – unpopular but true messages that challenge what society has accepted, messages that reveal God’s goodness. Christians have many things to say about a range of issues, and when it comes from a place of grace and truth, it’s helpful for society. Our message are not, as the government would dictate, ‘harmful’ nor ‘leading to ‘serious harm’. …”

– Read their whole post and the accompanying PDF file.

Gideon Ilechukwu – Planting a Diocese from Scratch — Global Anglican Podcast

From Gafcon:

“Meet the Venerable Gideon Ilechukwu, who is about to become Gafcon’s newest bishop, and who will soon lead Gafcon’s newest diocese.

Thirteen years ago, he planted a church in Manchester, England, which has now grown to 39 churches with 52 ministers… and on October 15 we will form this fellowship into a diocese called ‘Anglican Missionary Congregations (AMC) Europe’, which he will lead as bishop.

General Secretary Paul Donison speaks with Gideon, as he shares with us how he planted this diocese from scratch, and how Gafcon provided vital support and resources for gospel mission throughout the UK and Europe.”

– Listen here.

New Gafcon Diocese and Bishop serving the UK and Europe

News from Bishop Paul Donison, Gafcon General Secretary:

“Dear Brothers and Sisters of Gafcon,

I am delighted to announce the establishment of a new Gafcon diocese, to be led by our newest bishop-elect, the Venerable Dr Gideon Ilechukwu. …”

– Read the full announcement at the Gafcon website.

A Heart for the Gospel: Paul Donison speaks with Jodie McNeill

GAFCON’s Global Anglican Podcast episode number 7 has been released:

“Jodie McNeill – A Heart for the Gospel: Meet the New Global Operations Manager

We sit down with the Revd Jodie McNeill, Gafcon’s Global Operations Manager, to discuss his vital new role in the day-to-day ministry of Gafcon.

As an Anglican pastor and longstanding advocate for the Gafcon movement, Jodie understands the need to both ‘throw a lifeboat’ to Anglican churches whose diocesan leaders have abandoned the truth, as well as the importance of supporting churches that remain within their troubled dioceses.

General Secretary Paul Donison explores with Jodie their shared passion to see Gafcon engage and equip everyday Anglicans in standing firm for the gospel today.”

– Listen here.

Repost: Call from the Presbyterian Moderator General to “Walk for Life”

“David Burke, the moderator general for the Presbyterian Church of Australia, has called on all people of Christian faith to defend the rights of the unborn by participating in ‘Walk for Life’.

Rev. Dr. Burke argued that there is a parallel with the abuse relating to domestic violence, vulnerable people such as children and people with disabilities as well as child abuse in all its forms. Burke said:

‘To my mind, one of the great unmentioned forms of child abuse is the fact that there is a capacity in Australia to kill a child still in its mother’s womb – a living human being with all its actuality and potential made in the image of God.’”

– See the video message from David Burke at AP, the Presbyterian Church’s national journal.

The Walk for Life to which he is referring is planned for September 21st 2024, 2:00pm – 4:00pm Hyde Park, Sydney. Tickets here.

From the ticketing website:

“Love Sydney exists to stand for truth and intercede for the preborn through gathering together with others who are in agreement with our mission.

As we walk, may our countenance and attitude of our faith be evident with all interactions with each other. We welcome everyone who wishes to stand for life with us in this respectful way, regardless of their faith, ethnicity, age or gender.

We ask that you not engage with anyone that is expressing their opposition to our peaceful Walk for Life event. Our trained marshals, professional security and police are all here to keep our event safe. Anyone making nuisance noise will be asked to leave.

Please remember no megaphones or signs. Our official signs will be available for you to carry while at this event. Please obey the marshals, security team and police on the walk.

Our role is simple – to stand in the gap and be a voice for the voiceless, as we cover Sydney in prayer and love.”

Jodie McNeill named as Gafcon Global Operations Manager

Here’s an announcement from Bishop Paul Donison, Gafcon General Secretary:

“Dear Brothers and Sisters within our Gafcon family,

On behalf of the Gafcon Primates, Guarantors and Trustees, it is my joy to announce the appointment of the Reverend Jodie McNeill as our new Global Operations Manager.

Jodie is a passionate supporter of Gafcon with extensive executive-level ministry experience, as well as gifts in preaching and pastoral ministry.

He served on the organizing committee for the Jerusalem 2018 and Kigali 2023 conferences, and has chaired the committee for the recent Australasia conferences in Canberra and Brisbane.

We believe Jodie brings both the administrative and strategic planning skills this role requires, while also excelling in team leadership and generosity of spirit that will serve our Secretariat well.

Jodie will serve in this role part-time until he concludes at the end of this year as Rector of Jamberoo Anglican Church, Diocese of Sydney. He succeeds Canon Daniel Willis, who has commenced retirement, having served faithfully in this role since 2020.

Jodie will lead the international staff and ministry of the Gafcon Global Secretariat from Sydney, Australia, and will work closely with me as General Secretary, as well as Archbishop Mbanda and our Primates’ Council, Trustees and Guarantors.

Jodie is married to Mandy, who has enthusiastically served alongside him in Gafcon ministries since 2018, and who continues to share with him a deep passion for this movement that they love. They have four adult children, two sons-in-law, and a baby grandson.

Please join me in praying for Jodie and Mandy, the Parish of Jamberoo, and our whole Gafcon movement.

Again and again in this Gafcon work I see Psalm 118:23 in action: “This is the Lord’s work; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

Yours in Christ,

The Rt. Revd. Paul Donison
Gafcon General Secretary.”

– via e-mail.

Will the Church in Wales be extinct in 15 years?

“The Church in Wales may be small (a weekly attendance of 25,000 and falling) but as this blog has noted in the past it seems determined to shrink further. The Church Growth Modelling website predicts that it might be close to extinction in less than fifteen years, with just a few large urban congregations surviving.

John Heyward, who made this prediction, explains why the Church in Wales faces such a bleak future…”

– Anglican Futures reports that The Church in Wales seems intent on going the way of all flesh.

The GSFA’s Chairman’s Quarterly Letter — September 2024

The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches has released this Quarterly Letter from Chair of the GSFA Steering Committee, Archbishop Justin Badi Arama:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

Dear GSFA Family and Friends,

I am writing this letter on September 3rd which, according to the Anglican Lectionary, we observe as the Festival of Gregory the Great who died in 604. For Anglicans, he has a special significance as the Pope who had the missionary vision to send Augustine, who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, to evangelise the Anglo-Saxons in 597.

It is good to remember that our Communion originated from bold missionary enterprise, not only in more recent centuries, but also in its deep past. And there are other aspects of Gregory’s life and ministry from which we can learn. The Anglican Communion is going through a time of crisis and change and so was the Church of Rome when Gregory became Pope. The glory of ancient Rome had departed and both secular and church leadership were weak, leading to widespread poverty and insecurity.

Yet despite this weakness, Gregory’s papacy began the transition to a new Rome which rose to become the centre of Western Christendom. As heirs of the Reformation, we are aware of the errors of the late mediaeval Church, but this does not take away from Gregory’s achievements. In addition to the mission to England, he reformed both church and secular government, systematised relief for the poor, renewed the liturgy and established Rome as the leading Church of the West.

We too live in a time of historic transition. Tragically, the See Augustine founded has departed from the faith Augustine taught and I see lessons of hope for us in the life of Gregory as we continue the great task of resetting the Communion.

Firstly, he was a man of deep spirituality who knew his weakness despite his strong natural and spiritual gifts. He suffered poor health and perhaps this reinforced his sense of dependence upon God. The challenges before us cannot overcome in our own strength. Like St Paul, we need to be people of prayer who know that God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

Secondly, Gregory knew that practical action and good administration is necessary if the Church is to be effective in its witness and the care of people. This is our understanding too. At the First Assembly in June, the GSFA relaunched its three Tracks and I am delighted to report that action plans to take us up to the next Assembly in 2027 have already been presented to the Primates Steering Committee. Please pray for the newly appointed Track Chairmen as they take this strategic work forward: The Rev Dr Timothy Chong from Singapore (Missions Partnership), the Rt Rev Prof. Alfred Olwa, Bishop of Lango, Uganda (Leadership and Ministerial Formation) and Mr Diogo Henriques of the Anglican Church in Brazil (Economic Empowerment). I am delighted that they will be supported in this work by our Track Facilitator, Mr Daniel Magagnin on a part time secondment from one of our Mission Partner organisations, The Relay Trust.

Thirdly, Gregory saw that without effective leadership, the growth and life of the Church in the West would be compromised. He established Rome as a locus of spiritual leadership in teaching, liturgy and mission, not to emulate the past glories of Empire, but to restore the Church’s effectiveness in a world that had changed profoundly. Likewise, the GSFA, through the Cairo Covenant, has established a new locus of leadership to deal with a new reality, now that the historic centre of the Communion has surrendered to a secular culture which is alien to the vast majority of its members.

Fourthly, Gregory was a missionary leader. At a time when the Church of Rome could have been inward looking because of its many challenges, Gregory took missionary initiatives that would change the course of history. Likewise, mission is the great purpose to which we are committed and I rejoice that the Missions Track is already under way with GSFA Mission Partners joining the Diocese of Singapore’s Mission Roundtable in Bangkok next month. We are already enabling strategic connections and I praise God that arising from a conversation at our First Assembly in June, the Ven Darrell Critch of the Anglican Church in North America has been elected as a missionary bishop for the Diocese of Mahajanga, Madagascar in the Province of the Indian Ocean. Please pray for Bishop-elect Critch and his family as they prepare to leave Canada and begin this new journey of faith.

Let me conclude by urging us to hold in prayer those of our brothers and sisters within the GSFA family who suffer; for an end to war in Sudan, for peace as my own nation of South Sudan decides whether to go for elections in December or not, and for those affected by widespread flooding in both countries. We also continue to pray for the people of Myanmar and Eastern Congo facing growing fragmentation and violence, and of Bangladesh as they adjust to a new government and struggle with floods which have displaced many thousands.

May the all sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen

The Most Rev Dr Justin Badi Arama
Archbishop and Primate of the
Episcopal Church of South Sudan and
Chair of the GSFA Steering Committee.

Source: The GSFA.

Tickle v Giggle: Sex and Gender Identity

“In his decision in Tickle v Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd (No 2) [2024] FCA 960 (23 August 2024) Bromwich J in the Federal Court of Australia found that the company Giggle had been guilty of indirect gender identity discrimination when its director, Sall Grover (who was also sued), had removed Roxy Tickle from her women-only social media app. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster comments on a ruling “which raises concerns for religious folk, many of whom see sex as a biological category determined at conception and ordained by God”.

When will bishops be held to account?

“I have been the victim of religious discrimination within the Church of England. Because of a sermon delivered in 2019, I am being treated as a safeguarding risk. I don’t know why, because they have so far failed to tell me exactly what the problem is, but it appears to be because my sermon upheld the Church’s own teaching on marriage.

I was reported to secular safeguarding authorities, but they have all cleared me. Only the Church stands out against the acceptability of the Church’s own beliefs. …”

– The Rev. Dr Bernard Randall shares his story.

Background:

Chaplain who was sacked for identity politics sermon to appeal ruling – March 2023.

Image: Christian Concern.