Three short Good Friday reflections from Luke 23 — Bishop Mark Calder
Bishop of Bathurst, Mark Calder, shares three short reflections from Luke 23 for Good Friday.
See Luke chapter 23 (ESV).
1. He has done nothing to deserve death.Luke 23:2-25.
2. Today, you will be with me in paradise. Luke 23:32-43.
3. Surely this was a righteous man. Luke 23:44-47.
Are we post Christian or post Secular? – with Mark McCrindle
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The new McCrindle report ‘An undercurrent of faith’ says:
- Those turning to Christian faith are not who we might expect – it’s especially older people, the recently widowed and recently separated or divorced.
- The move is most on away from Christian identity in outer suburbia and regional areas.
- Australians are still turning to Christianity in large numbers, despite a decline in Christian affiliation.
- While 85,000 15-24 year olds have moved towards Christianity in the last five years, that’s dramatically down on a decade ago.
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.”
Now is the time to find forgiveness through Jesus
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s Easter message 2025.
Good to watch – great to share.
Don’t let prayer be our last resort
From Archbishop Kanishka Raffel:
“On Sunday, May 4, I have invited all of our churches to share in a day of prayer for the spread of the gospel across our Diocese – from the Hawkesbury to the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands to Wollongong and the South Coast, and Greater Sydney. A day of prayer for our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues who don’t know Christ, to come to know him and his redeeming love. …”
– Read it all at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Ministry opportunities expand in Bathurst
From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:
“Back in August when our bishop wrote an article for Southern Cross, he said we needed just 11 more ministers, so that each of our 28 parishes might just have one! As of now, we need 15! Two of our ministers have moved to Sydney multi-staffed parishes, one has retired, one moved to another role, and another had to leave ministry for personal reasons.
Perhaps if you’re in a multi-staffed city parish, you might consider our situation and the tremendous opportunities which await. Please email our bishop: bishop@bathurstanglican.org.au.”
– Facebook.
See also:
Bathurst Diocese Ministry Opportunities.
“Folded and complied” — Conversion Laws Dilemma For Melbourne Anglicans
“Melbourne Anglicans face a dilemma. They must decide whether to obey state laws or the teachings of the Bible.
Their diocese demands that members sign a Code of Conduct that among many other rules, agrees not to seek to change or suppress a child’s gender — as dictated by Victoria’s conversion laws under the Change Or Suppression (Conversion) Practises Prohibition Act 2021.
Those who don’t sign the Code are banned from serving in the church or attending synods.
They include religious liberty analyst Elizabeth Kendal who laments that many church members have folded and complied with the code of conduct, ignoring Biblical teachings on gender and sexuality. …”
See also:
A Canary In The Anglican Coalmine – Mark Durie.
(Photo: St. Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne is the backdrop for an evangelist’s sign on Princes Bridge.)
Midwife to a Movement: The Legacy of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“This week, TEDS [Trinity Evangelical Divinity School] announced a merger with sister school Trinity Western University in British Columbia. And the TEDS campus, 2,147 miles away in the Chicago suburbs, will close after the 2025–26 school year.
Select faculty and staff may follow to Canada. But a long and illustrious chapter in one of the most prestigious seminaries in the United States has come to a close.…”
– At The Gospel Coalition, Collin Hansen reacts to the news.
Image: TEDS announcement webpage.
Before the Throne – Diocesan Day of Prayer for the spread of the gospel – Sunday 4th May 2025
A Day of Prayer for the spread of the gospel.
2:30pm – 4:00pm, Sunday 4th May 2025, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.
From Tara Sing at Anglican Media Sydney:
“We’d love to see every Sydney Anglican church represented at St Andrew’s Cathedral that afternoon, visibly demonstrating our unity in Christ as we lift up the mission of our diocese in prayer. How special it will be to experience a glimpse of heaven, as people from all cultures and generations gather to pray.”
Diocese of the Northern Territory Prayer Cycle 2025
If you would like help in praying for the work of the gospel in the Northern Territory, see the recently-published Prayer Cycle for 2025.
– Download your copy here. Direct link to PDF file.
The Link – Autumn 2025 – from the Diocese of Armidale
Published online a few weeks ago, the Autumn 2025 issue of The Link from the Diocese of Armidale has local stories and food for prayer.
Available here. Or direct PDF file link.
Southern Cross magazine March — April 2025
The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine (March – April 2025) is now available in churches.
If you miss out on getting a printed copy, a digital version is available from sydneyanglicans.net.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral Open Day — Saturday 12th April
From St. Andrew’s Cathedral –
“Join us Saturday 12th April, 9am-12pm and 1:30-4:00pm.
Guided tours on the hour, every hour. Browse in between.
Limited behind-the-scenes access to parts of the Cathedral rarely accessible to the general public. (Details to come!) …”
Win-win on housing and ministry
“More than 250 new affordable homes and critical ministry infrastructure are set to be developed in Bankstown and Regents Park, providing a much-needed boost for west and southwest Sydney.
The projects secured funding under the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF). …”
– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net reports on projects in the parishes of Bankstown and Regents Park.
Giving thanks for Campus Bible Study — 50 years on
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Today we review the 50 year impact of The University of New South Wales’ Campus Bible Study on Christian ministries across Australia and around the world – in raising up gospel workers, sending missionaries, planting churches and in Christian publishing.
Former Anglican Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen led the ministry for thirty years till 2005. Since then Paul Grimmond and Carl Matthei have been senior chaplains.
Alan Stewart started studying at the University of New South Wales just two years after Phillip Jensen arrived as Anglican Chaplain. Alan was saved by Jesus in 1979 and went on to assist in the ministry, before becoming CEO of Anglican Youthworks, Bishop of Wollongong, head of Church Planting for Sydney Anglicans and then national director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.
Tony Payne and Tracey Gowing started as undergraduates a few years after Alan. Tony went on to run the influential Christian publishing house Matthias Media, while Tracey led the Christian ministry at Cumberland College Christian Group before returning to UNSW as a senior staff member at Campus Bible Study.”
100 Ministry stories — Peter Jensen interviews Lloyd Bennett
From Moore Theological College:
“Former Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, sits down with Lloyd Bennett – pastor, chaplain, and Moore College graduate.
Lloyd shares how he came to know Christ, his journey into ministry, and the ways God used his time at Moore to shape a lifetime of faithful service. From classrooms to chaplaincy, his story is one of God’s grace and guidance every step of the way.”
– This is a most encouraging interview. Watch or listen here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…