Christian sexual ethics and the abuse of adolescents: Lessons from the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle
“I encourage everyone interested in law and religion issues to read this challenging piece published on the Australian Broadcasting Commission website from Emeritus Professor Patrick Parkinson: “Christian sexual ethics and the abuse of adolescents: Lessons from the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle” (24 September 2024). …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster commends some important, but sobering, reading.
(Image: Assoc. Professor Neil Foster speaks at a Diocese of Sydney Safe Ministry training event.)
Bathurst Synod 2024 Presidential Address
Bishop Mark Calder this morning delivered his Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Bathurst. Click the image above to watch.
Or read the text (PDF file).
“I only have one agenda.
His name is Jesus.
I want everyone in our churches to know Jesus, love Jesus, trust Jesus, serve Jesus and share Jesus.
And I want everyone not currently in our churches to hear of Jesus, turn to Jesus, revel in Jesus as Saviour and serve Jesus as Lord.
I was elected by the Bishop’s election board in 2019 for that agenda.
The board made it clear that they wanted change. Not just any change, but Gospel-shaped, Jesus- focused change.
Of course, I am not suggesting that Jesus wasn’t on the agenda prior to my appointment. However, the reality of the prior years, is that there were many other distressing and distracting issues which needed to be addressed.
I have now been here five years, and under our ordinances, I have three more.
So I want to share with you five lessons I’ve learnt in five years and three prayers I will continue praying in my last three years. …”
– Whether you watch or read, be encouraged to share the link to this page so that others can pray, and help in other ways.
What on earth am I doing here? — Bishop David Bassett
“I wonder if you’ve ever asked yourself this same question?
Here I am seven or so months into my new role as Assistant Bishop here in Perth. I’ve met too many people to remember, been lost more often than I care to admit, and have spent significant time at my desk praying ‘what do I do now?’ But don’t get me wrong, I am so glad to be here, there are so many blessings, and I keep seeing how God is working here.
The question is an important one for us all to be asking: what on earth am I doing here?…”
– Bishop David Bassett, Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Perth, reminds us why we’re here.
Moore Matters — Spring 2024
The latest issue of Moore Matters from Moore College is now available – at churches across Sydney – and for download from the College website.
This issue is especially encouraging – with news from Bathurst, Canberra, Adelaide, Tasmania, North West Australia, and more.
– Download or read online here.
Anglicare Sydney extends community services to the Bathurst diocese as Anglicare Central West
Here’s a media release from the Diocese of Bathurst and Anglicare Sydney:
“Joint statement: Anglicare Sydney extends community services to the Bathurst diocese as Anglicare Central West
We are delighted to share that Anglicare Sydney is extending its community services to the Bathurst Diocese to help deliver and grow those services to the community in the region.
Currently community services are delivered through a partnership arrangement with Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT (SWACT). Following agreement between Anglicare Sydney and Anglicare SWACT, Anglicare Sydney will provide these services from October.
Regionally, these services will be known as Anglicare Central West.
This decision followed careful consideration, prayer and discussion over the past six months.
The need for community services in the Bathurst Diocese is great, and it is our desire to see a strong, flourishing and expanded service of care to the community.
Anglicare Sydney is delighted to welcome the Anglicare SWACT Central West team and looks forward to providing much needed services in the Bathurst Diocese, such as food and financial assistance, including emergency relief, food hampers, no interest loans for eligible clients, and other community services.
Key areas of focus for Anglicare Sydney in the Central West include the strengthening of partnerships with local churches, as well as understanding and responding to specific regional needs and opportunities.
Anglicare Sydney is recruiting a locally based, mission aligned Regional Manager for Anglicare Central West, to help lead the growth of its services.
Please join us in thanking God for the work of Anglicare SWACT, for this new partnership with Anglicare Sydney, and that together we would see more communities loved in the name of Jesus.
Bishop Mark Calder & Simon Miller, CEO Anglicare Sydney.”
– PDF file.
Regional ministry in the Bathurst Diocese – Mark Calder, James Boardman and Sally Phelps
From Moore College:
“Vice Principal Simon Gillham chats with Bishop of the Bathurst Diocese, Mark Calder and regional workers James Boardman and Sally Phelps. They share the joys and challenges of doing ministry in a regional area and share about the exciting growth and opportunities available in the area.
Would you continue to pray for the gospel growth in the Bathurst Diocese and that many would head out into regional ministry.”
– Watch here, and do pray.
Latest North West Network (August 2024) now available
The latest North West Network (dated August 2024) – from the Diocese of North West Australia – is now available to be downloaded as a PDF file.
Use it to inform your prayers for the men and women, boys and girls, of the North West, and for the churches seeking to share the saving news of Jesus with them.
Plenty of encouragement.
– Download here. (1MB PDF file.)
A fresh encounter with John’s Gospel
“An epic Bible reading at St Jude’s Carlton invites attendees to encounter Jesus in a powerful and immersive way.
John’s Gospel will be read aloud in full, allowing people to experience the entire book and notice the threads running throughout.
The event is part of a series of free public readings Simon Camilleri will deliver across Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney churches in September 2024.
Mr Camilleri said he was excited to present the entire gospel story for people who may never have heard it before. …”
– Story on page 28 of The Melbourne Anglican for September 2024.
Simon is reading John’s Gospel at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on Saturday 7th September.
Minister for Gulgong announced
From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:
“Bishop Mark Calder announced today the appointment of the Rev’d Josh Taylor as assistant priest in Cudgegong Valley, with responsibility for Gulgong. Josh and Jordon will arrive in Gulgong early in 2025. Praise God!”
Also from the Diocese of Bathurst, here’s the latest list of parishes – for your prayers:
Review – Darkness: The Conversion of Anglican Armidale
Presbyterian Minister Graham Barnes reviews Darkness: The Conversion of Anglican Armidale, 1960-2019, by Thomas Fudge.
“Darkness is Professor Fudge’s ‘accidental (p.1)’ book on the history of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale from 1960 to 2019, and the battles between theological liberalism and evangelicalism. The book is thirteen chapters long, 800+ pages, and for the most part theology and history are interwoven.
For Fudge, the watershed moment was the 1964 Election Synod where the evangelical Clive Kerle was elected Bishop of the Diocese. …
Not being an Anglican, and not knowing the individuals nor the events that Fudge seeks to describe, I will try limit this review more to Fudge’s theology, focusing on the earlier and later parts of his book. In truth, many of his comments, in particular about individuals, were poor to say the least.”
– Read the full review at AP.
Related:
Responses to a new book about the recent history of the Diocese of Armidale – 09 April 2024.
“John Chapman led a diocese to go evangelical, and outrage lingers still” – 17 June 2023.
Chappo’s contribution to the Anglican Diocese of Armidale – Tim Stevens, 2014.
John Chapman touched on his time in Armidale several times in this 2012 interview with Richard Chin (on Vimeo). If you only have time for one segment, you may want to jump to 1:13:27. (He recalls events around the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade.)
Armidale Diocese “The Link” for July-August 2024
Earlier we missed mentioning that the current issue of The Link – the magazine of the Diocese of Armidale – for July and August 2024 is now up on their website.
For your encouragement and prayers. (PDF file.)
Dr Rhys Bezzant to be next Principal of Ridley College, Melbourne
“The Reverend Canon Dr Rhys Bezzant has been announced as the new principal of Ridley College.
Canon Bezzant is currently dean of Missional Leadership at Ridley College, and a canon of St Paul’s Cathedral.
In its announcement, the Ridley College Board said ‘Rhys has demonstrated experience of and love for mentoring [and] equipping the next generation of men and women for God’s mission.’…”
– News from The Melbourne Anglican.
More at the Ridley College website, including a video message.
On use of the Lectionary
“Way back when I was 10 (55 years ago), I used to grab dad’s lectionary before we went to Evening Prayer on a Sunday so that I could bookmark the readings in my Bible and have them ready to find during the service.
I recall even then that there were many Sundays where the readings used were different from those in the lectionary. ‘Why don’t they use the set readings dad?‘ ’Because Mr Goodhew (our rector), likes to work through a whole book at a time.’…”
– In an “From the Bishop’s Desk” article (PDF file), Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder explains why some churches use the Lectionary, and some don’t. Which might be most helpful?
It might not be a question you are asking – but, then again, it might be! And it is an encouragement to all of us to treasure God’s word and to seek to grow to maturity in Christ.
Bishop of Bathurst’s Newsletter — Winter 2024
If you are praying for the churches of the Diocese of Bathurst (or if you’d like to start!), the Bishop’s Newsletter for Winter 2024 is a great help.
– Download your copy (PDF file) from the Bathurst website.
Discover Serving in the Bathurst Diocese — on Zoom, Monday 22nd July
This is coming up on Monday – from the Diocese of Bathurst:
“Are you interested in ministry opportunities and pathways outside of the city? Are you curious about what it actually looks like to minister out west? Are you keen to hear about what it is like to SHARE JESUS for LIFE in the Bathurst Diocese?
Come and join current workers and their spouses online as they answer these and other questions. This session is for anyone who is interested or curious!”
– on Monday 22nd July on Zoom. Details at this link.
Very much related:
On Sunday, Bishop Mark Calder wrote:
“Warm, welcoming, keen to grow and learn. Without a pastor for nearly three years. Who will come?
Great to be at St Ambrose Memorial Anglican Church Gilgandra this morning – meeting with the Uniting Church across the road as our building needs some work.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…