GAFCON Chairman’s December 2017 letter

“My dear people of God,

On the 7th December, the first ordinations of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) took place in London.

AMiE was established by the overwhelming consensus of the Nairobi Conference in 2013 as a mission society in England to help our English brothers and sisters in the massive task of evangelisation. …”

– Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Chairman, the GAFCON Primates Council, writes his December 2017 Pastoral Letter.

Anglican realignment moves forward as AMiE conducts first ordinations

“The focus for the first ordination service conducted by Gafcon missionary Bishop Andy Lines on 7th December was on the universal scope of Christ’s authority, and his commission to make disciples across national and cultural barriers. …”

– Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes writes about the implications of last week’s ordinations.

AMiE ordination service – 7th December 2017

Through its Vimeo account, GAFCON has released a video snapshot of the AMiE ordinations in London on Thursday December 7:

“Revd. Lee McMunn introduces the first ever AMiE ordination service which took place in London, England. The video also includes footage from the event itself.”

Watch here.

St. Helen’s Bishopsgate relationships with other deanery churches ‘temporarily impaired’

From St. Helen’s Bishopsgate (via their Twitter account):

“After William Taylor’s sermon last Sunday on Romans 16 (), he met with the Area Dean on Monday, and this is his subsequent letter.”

From the letter:

“Our temporarily impaired relationship means that we shall no longer take part in some activities within the deanery that imply partnership in the Gospel. This will impact a number of areas including the clergy chapter, prayers in deanery synod, and deanery services.

In other respects we shall remain full and active members of the deanery and diocesan structures.”

Click here to read the full letter. (And do watch or listen to the sermon linked above.)

Passing of Smith Bill shows Disregard for Freedoms — Coalition for Marriage

“The passing of the Dean Smith bill unamended through the House of Representatives today was evidence of the disregard that many MPs have for the freedoms of Australians and the upholding of international human rights obligations, the Coalition for Marriage said today.

‘It is deeply disappointing that both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader reneged on the assurances they gave to the Australian people during the marriage campaign,’ Coalition for Marriage spokesman, Lyle Shelton said. …”

– Read the full media statement from Coalition for Marriage here.

Celebrate the AMiE Ordinations online

“On Thursday 7th December 2017, nine men will be ordained by Bishop Andy Lines. This will be the first ordination service. It is a significant day for those being ordained and in the life of the Anglican Mission in England. Because of this we want as many people as possible to share this occasion with us.

Please come along to the service if you can. We’d love you to be there if you’d like to celebrate with us and pray for those being set apart as deacons and presbyter. The ordination will happen at East London Tabernacle Church. This is located in Mile End, not far from the Tube Station. It will start at 8pm [7:00am AEDT Friday 8th December] and finish by 9.30pm.

If you cannot make it to the service but would like to watch it then check out our Facebook page. We are planning to livestream it here. Simply like the page and you will be able to access this significant event from anywhere in the world.”

– from The Anglican Mission in England.

Read about AMiE here.

‘Rival church set up in gay marriage row’

“Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, faces a new threat to the unity of the Church of England as a rival Anglican church announced it will hold its first ordination service for nine ministers.

Andy Lines, missionary bishop for the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE), will ordain nine ministers in Tower Hamlets, east London, on Thursday. …”

– Story from The Times. (Subscription.)

Related:

1.) The story mentions plans by AMiE to plant churches, as seen in this encouraging video published in September 2016.

2.) Here’s a statement from Revd Lee McMunn, Mission Director, Anglican Mission in England.

Excerpt:

“We are convinced that England needs many new Anglican churches that are sharing the great news about Jesus our Saviour and Lord, and forming communities of his loving disciples, who base their lives and worldview on Scripture, and are empowered by his Spirit.

We want to play our part in the spreading of the gospel in England. We treasure the crucified and risen Jesus and we want to tell as many as possible that he can transform their lives. Indeed, that he can change where they will spend eternity. We know that many faithful Anglicans remain within the structures of the Church of England.

However, some are finding their entry to ordination blocked by liberal clergy who do not believe orthodox Anglican teachings, like Jesus being the only way to be saved.

Moreover, an increasing number of those exploring ordination now have no interest in joining what they see as a fundamentally compromised denomination. They are distressed by the number of senior clergy who are keen to bless what the Bible calls sin. Many are now talking to about a different way of being an Anglican in England. They are discovering the joy of belonging to a network where church leaders actually believe the historic Reformed faith in the 39 Articles, and where clergy are fully convinced that people need to be saved from the judgement to come.

They are also experiencing the delight of being led by bishops, who all believe that faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation; who uphold the supreme authority of the Bible in all matters of belief and behaviour; and who are personally involved in the lives of the clergy.”

(Formatting added.)

3.) Commentary from Julian Mann:

“The Anglican Mission in England, launched by the Archbishops of the Global Anglican Future Conference in 2011 to support biblically orthodox Anglican ministry outside the Church of England, is now coming of age.

With the upcoming ordination of nine men on Thursday (December 7th) in East London by Andy Lines, consecrated in June by the Anglican Church in North America as missionary bishop to Europe, AMIE can no longer be accused of being an angry adolescent jumping up and down on the side-lines. …”

Senate votes against same-sex marriage bill amendments

“All five amendments put forward by conservative senators James Paterson and David Fawcett to their Liberal colleague Dean Smith’s private same-sex marriage bill were voted down …

Senators Paterson and Fawcett’s changes sought to:

– Full story from The Daily Telegraph. (subscrip

Resignations in the Scottish Episcopal Church

“Following the selection and appointment by four Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church of the Reverend Canon Anne Dyer as Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney on 9 November, there are now serious questions being asked about the process.

Following the appointment, the Rector of St Margaret’s, Aberdeen, the Very Reverend Dr Emsley Nimmo … on account of his duty of care for the diocese, immediately resigned from his role as Dean of the Diocese.

The Revd Canon Ian Ferguson, Rector of Westhill Community Church also resigned from the Cathedral Chapter on Wednesday. …”

– News from The Scottish Anglican Network.

Remote Scottish church accepts oversight from Bishop Andy Lines

“The people of Christ Church, [on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides], announced today that they can no longer remain under the oversight of the bishop of Argyll and the Isles, the Right Reverend Kevin Pearson. This follows his decision to support the change to the canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) which introduced the innovation of same-sex marriage.

At a meeting with Bishop Pearson, … [t]he bishop insisted that the SEC would retain all assets.

In response the congregation made it clear that they would walk away rather than submit to a decision which departs from scripture, tradition and the teaching of Jesus Christ…”

– Read the full story from The Scottish Anglican Network.

(Map courtesy Google Maps. Photo: The Rev. Daniel Davies and the vestry of Christ Church, Harris.)

Same-sex marriage: Turnbull’s religious freedom inquiry

“Faith leaders may have welcomed the Turnbull government’s announcement of an inquiry into religious freedom protection, but some legal experts want more answers. …

‘If a school wishes to teach that marriage is not as the way the law defines, but as the way civilisation has known for millennia, then will that school be protected?’ Archbishop Davies asked. …”

– Report from SBS News, 22 November 2017.

Statement Regarding Prime Minister Turnbull’s Religious Freedoms Inquiry

“Today’s last-minute announcement by the Prime Minister that an inquiry will be held into religious freedom, only to report next year after the Marriage Act has changed, is a betrayal of the nearly 5 million Australians who voted against gay marriage.

Once again, the Turnbull Government has failed to consult relevant stakeholders. …”

– Read the full Media release from Coalition for Marriage.

Related: Philip Ruddock to review religious protections amid same-sex marriage debate – ABC News.

The Gift of your Fellowship

“Only a few people are going to occupy the role of a speaker at Gafcon 2018, even though so many of the people there are the preachers and teachers of God’s Word, and all who attend would have a story to tell and an encouragement to give.

So, are the delegates simply going for their own benefit?

Not at all!

They are attending primarily because of the special gift which they will bring, the gift of fellowship. This is the ministry which each of us will exercise. And even if you are not there in person, your support for Gafcon also involves that gift.

And that is very precious indeed. …”

– Some words of encouragement from GAFCON General Secretary Dr. Peter Jensen.

Church Society Podcast with Rod Thomas, Bishop of Maidstone

In the latest Church Society podcast, Ros Clarke chats with Rod Thomas, Bishop of Maidstone, about his job, the situation in the Church of England today, and the unexpected joy of confirmations.

Listen here.

‘To banish all strange and erroneous doctrine’

“To banish all strange and erroneous doctrine” is a phrase that comes directly from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and its ordinal service for ordaining deacons and priests and consecrating Bishops.

It is part of the charge given one who is consecrated to serve as a bishop in those Churches in the Anglican Communion who subscribe to the 1662 BCP and its ordinal (among other doctrinal statements) as “fundamental declarations.” … The weighty phrase reminds us of the universal and ancient responsibility of Bishops to guard the faith, worship, order and discipline of Christ’s Church.

For the last two days I have been in Kenya as part of a teaching team for the third GAFCON Bishops Training Institute. One of the first talks I heard here was a brilliant exposition of Galatians 1:1-9 by the new Bishop of Lango Diocese (Church of Uganda), the Right Rev. Dr. Alfred Olwa. …

– At The American Anglican Council’s website, Canon Phil Ashey is thankful for the faithful teaching of The Rt Rev. Dr. Alfred Olwa (seen here at the 2013 Moore College graduation).

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