Has there ever been a month like this for BCA? Five Field Staff commissioned in six weeks!

BCA’s NSW/ACT Regional Officer Paul Sampson writes,

“Our good God has heard and answered your prayers. What a joy to attend the commissioning of not one but five Field Staff in five different locations in just six Saturdays during late January, February and March 2023. Each of these ministries is a testament to the graciousness of our God and the faithfulness of BCA supporters who have prayed diligently for many years and generously provided financial support for these ministries. …”

In his The Narrow Road newsletter for May 2023, Paul shares news of commissionings at

as well as other encouragements.

Download the PDF file here. (Link via the Bush Church Aid Society Facebook page.)

All Souls Coronation Prom – from the Royal Albert Hall

Not many churches have the resources to organise a Coronation Prom at the Royal Albert Hall. Thankfully, All Souls’ Langham Place with All Souls Music, does.

On Saturday night (the evening of the Coronation) this major event was staged and Rico Tice spoke.

Watch from the beginning – or jump straight to Rico’s address.

(The Michael Andrews whom Rico mentions at the start of his talk is Senior Music Minister of All Souls, Langham Place.)

Thanks to Anglican Mainstream for the link!

THAT’S EASTER — Life to Death – and Death to Life

Back in 2010, St. Helen’s Bishopsgate released this video.

Good to share (again).

See also THAT’S EASTER Death to Life:

Do you know death?

“Over the past three years, it’s been sobering as the world confronts its mortality. Covid’s death toll overwhelmed hospitals, filled the morgues, converted paddocks into mass graves. The words of Hamilton have felt prophetic: ‘Death doesn’t discriminate between the sinner and the saint, it takes, and it takes, and it takes…’

In the wake of Covid, we awoke to the reality of death. Suddenly, the false hopes of medicine, exercise, healthy diets to fix everything were exposed as fake, phonies, flimsy bandaids that offered only temporary solutions. And suddenly the desire for pretty things, faster internet, on-trend fashion, tastier coffee faded in comparison to the desire for life and love and longevity.

But death shouldn’t surprise us. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Jeanette Chin shares something of her story, our story, and the sure hope we have in Jesus.

Easter message from Bishop Mark Calder

Here’s an Easter message from Bishop Mark Calder, Bishop of Bathurst.

The Resurrection is Real — The Archbishop’s Easter message 2023

“Have you experienced the true meaning of Easter? … Jesus’ resurrection changes everything!”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released this 90 second Easter message.

Great to share / show in church / put on your church website.

Download the text from SydneyAnglicans.net (PDF).

Report by Russell Powell –

“Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has used his Easter message, to appeal for people to consider the true message of Easter and the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. …”

“Go ahead and invite them”

“Research on community attitudes has revealed some encouraging statistics on people’s willingness to attend church during Holy week.

The statistics come from the National Church Life Survey’s Australian Community Survey, taken at the end of 2022.

Asked if they would go to church this Easter if a close friend or family member invited them, 42 per cent of Australians said yes. A further 19  per cent of those surveyed said they were unsure. …”

– Here’s some encouragement from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Preaching Hope on Good Friday

“The late Professor Chris O’Brien, after whom the Life House is named at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital said, ‘Everyone needs hope, we live on hope’.

We normally associate hope with resurrection and so preach hope on Easter Sunday, but this year I am going to preach hope on Good Friday.

The Christian life is full of hope because hope is based on promise, and God reveals himself as the God who makes promises to his people. His promises are the basis of our hope. …”

– David Cook has this encouragement for preachers at The Expository Preaching Trust.

Photo: David Cook at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in August 2022.

‘The Dead are Raised…’

“The subject of death is not something we usually discuss. It’s too personal and confronting. Yet it’s the ultimate certainty we all face. It’s why literature, film and philosophy so often dwell on the themes of our mortality. But it’s rare that anyone claims they can do anything about it. Death is assumed to be the inevitable end for everyone. …”

At The Anglican Connection, John Mason reminds us that death is not the end of the story.

Glen Scrivener on the ‘Secular Sermon to Archbishop Justin Welby‘

Glen Scrivener at Speak Life responds to ‘a secular sermon’ open letter directed to the Archbishop of Canterbury by high profile UK TV presenter Sandi Toksvig.

Can we love people and disagree? Very helpful in thinking about how to respond to those with whom we disagree.

Watch here.

Bishop of Tasmania’s Training Event 2022

From the Diocese of Tasmania:

“On 17 and 24 September, over 500 Anglicans from across Tasmania gathered in Hobart and Launceston to attend the annual Bishop’s Training Event.

In its 6th year, it was our biggest year yet, and we enjoyed encouragements from Bishop Richard and Wei-Han Kuan (the State Director of CMS Victoria). We are making the videos of the keynotes available and you can watch them below.”

– Most encouraging.

Amazing Grace shown to sinners like us

Two hundred and fifty years ago today, the hymn Amazing Grace was first sung. The Rev. John Newton wrote it to accompany his sermon on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 on New Year’s morning 1773.

At the time, Newton can have had no idea of what a blessing that hymn would be to millions.

There’s no better way to begin a new year than by remembering God’s grace shown to us in Christ, to bless God, and to tell others of him.

JohnNewton.org has resources linked from their front page.

Update: Marylynn Rouse, Director of the John Newton Project, has contributed this piece just published in The Times.

(What is the good news Newton knew? Glad you asked.)

Twenty-three years closer to Eternity

Sydney celebrated the beginning of 2000 by displaying on the Harbour Bridge the word Eternity in the iconic copperplate handwriting of Arthur Stace.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, and in many ways the world has changed. But the basic and urgent need of men and women is the same – to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.

In 2023, be encouraged to continue to trust Christ, and to live in the light of eternity. Romans 13:11.

Faith in the historical Jesus

“One of the great joys of 2022 has been The Rest is History podcast with Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. I don’t think I have missed any of its 288 episodes! It is informative, entertaining, accurate, stimulating, challenging and never dull. It is also remarkably balanced and fair in its treatment of Christianity. Nonetheless I was a little apprehensive when I heard that they were doing a double edition on the historical Jesus.

I need not have feared. As usual it was interesting, informative and fair. There was much I could agree with but there were some things that were a little more challenging.

Tom and Dominic demonstrate the historicity of Jesus and offer some insightful and helpful historical background details. For example, no credible historian thinks that Jesus is a myth. They also acknowledge the enormous impact of Christ on human history. It is interesting to note that the name of Jesus is used every minute of every hour of every day on this planet! …”

– David Robertson writes at about the historicity of Jesus.

Bishop of Bathurst’s video message Christmas 2022

This video is a companion to Bishop Mark Calder’s text version previously published.

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