Perth Synod: Archbishop’s “breach of trust and failure of integrity” disappoint conservatives

“This past Saturday and Sunday has seen the annual synod of the Diocese of Perth on Australia’s west coast.

Over that weekend and since then many delegates who were present have contacted me to let me know of what happened. …”

– David Ould shares reports from last weekend’s Perth Synod.

Photo: Diocese of Perth.

Introducing City on a Hill

Guy Mason, Pastor of City on a Hill, and also an Archdeacon in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, introduces the church after they have had quite a bit of media coverage in the last few days. Also a good reminder to uphold them in prayer.

Sydney diocese declares ‘breach of fellowship’ with Australian Church

“The synod of the diocese of Sydney has carried several motions urging changes to the way in which the diocese interacts with the Anglican Church of Australia. …

One motion carried at the Sydney diocesan synod noted ‘with godly grief the deep breach of fellowship in the Anglican Church of Australia exposed at the eighteenth session of General Synod on matters of doctrine and human sexuality’. It requested the synod’s Standing Committee ‘to consider our future approach as a Diocese to meetings of the General Synod’…

Speaking at a pre-synod dinner, Dr Davies, who is the first bishop of the diocese of the Southern Cross, said that, if Sydney diocese really cared for Australia, the ‘best clergy’ and lay people should be sent to dioceses where there were ‘welcoming bishops’. It also needed to support, through the Gafcon diocese, ‘hurting Anglicans’ in dioceses led by ‘revisionist bishops’.”

– Muriel Porter writes in The Church Times – also at Virtueonline.
Photo: Sydney Synod 2022.

Related:

Bishop Glenn Davies’ ACL Synod Dinner address, 2022.

Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Bathurst Diocese Service for Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II

A memorial service for the late Her Majesty the Queen was held in Bathurst on Thursday 22 September.

See Bishop Mark Calder’s address above.

Download the Order of Service here.

Armidale Synod meeting this weekend

For your prayers:

Armidale Synod is meeting Friday September 23 to Sunday September 25 at Calrossy Anglican School in Tamworth.

It will their the first in-person full synod since 2019.

Do pray for the churches of this large area of NSW as they hold out the words of eternal life. And pray for Bishop Rod Chiswell and his leadership team.

Image: The Diocese of Armidale stretches from Boggabilla to Lightning Ridge and Walgett, to Quirindi to Tenterfield.

Bishop Mark Calder’s Presidential Address to Bathurst Synod 2022

Photo: Bishop of Armidale Rod Chiswell with Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder at last night’s Synod service (16 September 2022).

The Second Session of the 50th Synod of the Diocese of Bathurst is meeting this weekend.

This morning Bishop Mark Calder gave his Presidential Address.

He begins:

If we, the people and churches of this diocese, become clear, passionate, and determined about that most privileged work of SHARING JESUS for LIFE, we will be transformed and revitalised.

That’s a huge claim.

Do I have that much confidence in our strategic plan and its implementation? Am I over-confident in my leadership as bishop? A firm “NO” to both of those.

My confidence is in the power of the gospel – because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.1

My confidence is in the convicting power of the Holy Spirit – who testifies about Jesus2 and will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement.3

My confidence is in Jesus – the one mediator between God and humankind, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.4

My confidence is in our great God who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.5

My confidence is in you – the clergy and people of this diocese, who are increasingly clear about our calling as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.6

My confidence is in our churches who share the devotion of the Acts 2 church – to teaching, to one another, to hospitality, and to prayer. So may it be, that we too, enjoy the favour of all the people, and the Lord adds to our number those who are saved.7

When the gospel is clearly lived out and proclaimed; when the Holy Spirit does his convicting work; when people grasp the mediating work of Jesus; when God our Father draws people to himself; when we obey our calling and become devoted to all that the Acts 2 church was devoted to; then, we ourselves – our churches – and our diocese – will be transformed and revitalised. …

1 Romans 1:16, 2 John 15:28, 3 John 16:8, 4 2 Timothy 2:5-6, 5 2 Timothy 2:4, 6 1 Peter 2:9, 7 Acts 2:42-27.

Be encouraged to read it all here (PDF file). The text has many Bible references for your edification.

Please pray for the members of the Synod and individual church members across the Diocese of Bathurst.

Clergy shortage, biblical marriage on Melbourne Synod agenda

“Upholding biblical marriage and parish vacancies will be key issues on the agenda at the 53rd Melbourne Synod in October, according to agenda documents.

Gender balance and the Archbishop Election Act are also listed as priorities for debate, as are Anglican childcare facilities and kindergartens. …”

– Report from The Melbourne Anglican.

Bathurst thanks Sydney Synod

This video was shown in Sydney synod on Wednesday night 14 September 2022, as part of Bishop Calder’s presentation to thank Sydney for their generous support and humbly ask that it might be renewed.

Much to give thanks for – and much to continue to pray about.

Background:

Sydney helps Bathurst – SydneyAnglicans.net, 15 October 2018.

Bishop Mark Calder: Thanks for Her Majesty

In this short video, Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder gives thanks for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and her trust in Jesus.

Bishop of Armidale Rod Chiswell’s message on the death of Queen Elizabeth

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

It is with deep sadness today that I heard the news of the death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

We join with Anglicans across our diocese and around the world in grieving her passing.

I have been reading a book recently about Queen Elizabeth’s Christian faith, her godly example throughout her long reign has been a strong inspiration to many. Throughout the trials and tribulations of world history during her time as Queen she has been a steady rock, a wise, compassionate and selfless servant of God and the people entrusted to her.

As we join with Christians all around the world in mourning her passing in coming days, we do not grieve without hope, for we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise all those who trust in Jesus from death to present us in His presence (2 Corinthians 4:13-14). Together we give heartfelt thanks to God for Queen Elizabeth’s long reign marked by dignity, grace and unstinting humble service motivated by her enduring Christian faith. God has been kind in giving such a leader to so many for so long.

We pray also for the Royal family as they grieve and prepare to say goodbye to their beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and Queen. May God be their refuge and strength in this, their time of grief.

With love in Christ,

Rod Chiswell.

From the Diocese of Armidale.

Photo: The Queen’s Christmas message 2011.

Profile of Darrell Parker — new Bishop of the North West

“Revd Darrell Parker, the newly elected Bishop of North West Australia, is a man who loves Jesus, rural ministry and hitting the open road.

Darrell and his wife Elizabeth have spent 25 years serving God in northern NSW (in the Armidale Diocese), most recently as Senior Minister at St Paul’s Tamworth.

By the grace of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit and sustained by prayer, he delights in bringing God’s word to bear on people inside and outside the church and is clear-eyed about his new role. …

Please join us for Darrell’s consecration at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, on 3 February 2023, and installation at Geraldton Anglican Cathedral on 15 February 6pm.”

— from the Diocese of North West Australia.

An Anglican “lifeboat” for Australia

“We have recently seen the announcement of the activation of a new ‘extra-provincial’ Anglican diocese in Australia.

The ‘Diocese of the Southern Cross’ (‘DSC’) is not a part of the official ‘Anglican Church of Australia’ (‘ACA’). It has been set up to provide an ecclesiastical home for congregations who are Anglican by theology and conviction but find themselves unable to accept the authority of bishops of the ACA who do not accept the teachings of the Bible, especially on the subject of the Biblical views of marriage. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster gives some legal background to the new Diocese of the Southern Cross.

New Minister-in-charge for Oberon

From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:

“We are excited to announce the appointment of Jonny Lush to minister-in-charge in Oberon parish from 2023. Please pray for Jonny and Liz as they prepare for this transition and for the parish as they prepare to welcome them.”

Jonny is currently serving at the Brisbane School of Theology.

Do continue to pray for the Diocese of Bathurst, and for Bishop Mark Calder as he seeks be encourage the saints, and also to find the right people to serve in the many parishes where there is no full-time minister. (e.g. featured ministry opportunities.)

Traditional Anglicans are Going by The Book

“A group of clergymen has broken away from the established Anglican church in Australia to form the ‘Diocese of the Southern Cross.’ Former Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies is its first Bishop. The announcement was made at the recent Gafcon Australasia Conference held in Canberra.

What’s it all about? Well, to be clear, I’m not an authority on doings within the Anglican church. I’m just a parishioner. But I have enough understanding to have a view on the issue at stake. …”

– Writing in Quadrant, Peter Smith looks at the reasons for the formation of the Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Archbishop of Brisbane Phillip Aspinall to retire — effective February 2023

Today Dr Phillip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane, has written to his clergy announcing that he has tendered his resignation, effective 2nd February 2023 –

29 August 2022

AD CLERUM

Dear sisters and brothers

God willing, on 2 February 2023 I will mark 21 years as Archbishop of Brisbane. I think that will be an appropriate time for the Diocese to begin seeking a new archbishop.

Therefore, pursuant to the Archbishop Election Canon s.2 I have today tendered to the Registrar my resignation as Archbishop of Brisbane to take effect from 5pm Thursday 2 February 2023.

I think a convenient time for me to lay up the pastoral staff will be when the diocesan family gathers in the Cathedral for the diocesan ordinations on Saturday 3 December 2022. I then plan to take a period of accrued long service leave and annual leave leading up to 2 February 2023, during which period the Diocese will be overseen by my Commissary.

It has been a unique privilege to serve as Archbishop of Brisbane. Thank you for your support, prayers and collegiality in the many tasks we have tackled together to take forward Christ’s mission in the Diocese and beyond. Some of this ministry has been difficult, painful and demanding. At other times we have been filled with peace and joy in Christ’s service. In it all there has been a pervading sense of God’s grace.

I am extremely proud of and filled with gratitude for the team of clergy and lay leaders who give so unstintingly of themselves in parishes, schools, Anglicare and other mission agencies. A great deal has been achieved over the last 20 years. Much more remains to be done in a new chapter.

This Diocese has a very important place in the Anglican Church of Australia. The vision we have embraced to foster, articulate, embody and promote a comprehensive Anglicanism has never been more important in the life of the national church and in the international Anglican Communion. May you all go from strength to strength in that mission.

I assure you all of my prayers for the future and in the search for my successor.

In Christ

The Most Reverend Dr Phillip Aspinall AC
Archbishop of Brisbane.

Ad Clerum also available via David Ould on Twitter.

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