In the running to support Moore College

Michael Jensen is raising money for Moore College by running the Sydney Marathon (42 km) on 18 September.

Learn more (and make a donation!) here.

Mexican Presbyterian Church breaks with PCUSA

“The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico … has voted to end its 139-year partnership in mission with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in response to the PC(USA)’s decision earlier this year to allow the ordination of sexually active gays and lesbians. …”

– news from The Presbyterian Outlook. (Related.)

 

2011 Australian Christian Book of the Year

From SPCKA –

“One of the nation’s leading economists has won the Christian Book of the Year award with a book he regards as one of his most significant contributions to civic life in Australia.

Emeritus Professor Ian Harper of Melbourne Business School, now a partner with Deloitte Access Economics, won the first prize for ‘Economics for Life’, awarded at the 31st Australian Christian Literature Awards on Thursday, 18 August 2011 in Melbourne.  Read more

SMBC Missions Conference 2011

“2011 Equipping Your Church for Global Impact Conference” is the theme of a day conference on Saturday 17th September 2011 at SMBC. The organisers say:

“Most churches still give the major part of their energy and resources to the maintenance of their own local programmes. More than ever, we need well informed, fully resourced global mission enthusiasts in every local church. This conference will provide ideas, resources and opportunities for discussion with other mission enthusiasts.”

– Read the details here.

Douglas Moo to speak in Sydney

This year’s Eliza Ferrie Public Lecture, sponsored by the Presbyterian Theological College in Sydney, will be given by Dr. Douglas Moo on “Justification in the Crosshairs”. 11th August 2011 at PLC Croydon.

Details from the PTC website.

Tim Harris new bishop for Adelaide

Tim Harris, the Dean of Bishopdale Theological College in Nelson, New Zealand has been appointed Bishop for Mission and Evangelism in the Diocese of Adelaide.

Reports from Anglican Media Adelaide, and Anglican Taonga.

The Horn of Africa Famine Crisis Appeal

“The Archbishop of Sydney, The Most Rev Dr Peter Jensen,through Anglican Aid, is seeking the goodwill of all Sydney Anglicans to show an extraordinary outpouring of compassion and generosity to raise $500,000 for drought and famine relief for the peoples of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.”

– Read about Anglican Aid’s latest appeal here.

With thanks for John Stott

“His death has made me realise afresh that I’ve been reading John Stott all my Christian life. The Cross of Christ is still my favourite among his books, but My Confirmation, as I have said, shaped me at a very significant stage of my development. Tapes of his sermons, books and articles written by him have been helpful in the years that followed. I’ve read his last few books with particular interest. They are the lasting testaments of an elder statesman, deceptively simple and yet rich in biblical truth and gospel wisdom. …”

– At his blog, Mark Thompson expands on his earlier tribute to John Stott.

John Stott (1921–2011)

John R. W. Stott, at the age of 90, went home to be with the Lord early this morning.

We’ll have a special tribute from the ACL here soon. In the meantime, Justin Taylor has posted this at the Gospel Coalition.

Memorial website here.

See also John Stott’s ‘Final Public Address’.

Council of Churches urges ethics rethink

From the NSW Council of Churches –

“MEDIA RELEASE 27 July 2011
Time for O’Farrell government to reconsider Labor’s so-called ethics.

The NSW Council of Churches has joined the call to urge the NSW Government to repeal the laws that led to the establishment of so-called ethics classes in state schools.

The history of these classes is worth remembering.  Read more

New Principal for Melbourne School of Theology

Here’s a press release from the Melbourne School of Theology (formerly the Bible College of Victoria) –

Melbourne School of Theology announced today that Mr Timothy Meyers will take on the role of Principal of the College from December 2011.

MST Council President Ian Cathie said the Council was united and excited about Mr Meyers’ appointment and expressed the Council’s thanksgiving to God.

“The Council earnestly sought the Lord’s leading over many months to identify the person of His choosing for this unique and strategic role, and we give thanks to God for providing the Council with such a clear sense of conviction.   Read more

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada approves statement on human sexuality

“Following more than two hours of debate, delegates of the 2011 ELCIC National Convention approved a Social Statement on Human Sexuality. The results came late in a day and were done by written ballot, with 213 votes in favour of the motion and 134 against. …

Delegates voted on whether to call the question and the results were announced as 166 in favour and 162 against. As convention moved on to consider the adoption of the social statement, a steward announced that there had been an error with the previous count and the majority of delegates had voted not to call the question.

After a brief time of reflection, Bishop Johnson … ruled the decision to call the question stood, since delegates had proceeded in good faith according to information from the stewards. …

The original vote to approve the proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality resumed, and after voting, delegates heard a presentation and several announcements. … At around 7:30 p.m., Bishop Johnson announced the statement had been adopted by a vote of 213 to 134…”

– from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)
Related: Bishop Johnson and Archbishop Hiltz’s Christmas greetings 2010.

No Fault Today, No Marriage Tomorrow

“I do not generally seek advice about marriage from celebrity models, but I could not help noticing that Christie Brinkley said she’ll ‘never get married again’. …”

– Phillip Jensen writes on the end point of the ‘no fault divorce’.

ACL Council members 2011–12

We’ve updated the list of members of the Anglican Church League’s Council, after last week’s Annual General Meeting.

Supreme Court of Canada dismisses appeal, congregations to be evicted

David Short, Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy:

“the way we respond is a God-given opportunity to bear witness to Christ. As those who are disciples of Jesus Christ, this is not just about ‘what’ we do but also ‘how’ we do it. In some ways nothing will change with the decision on Thursday. We are still God’s family, and he has placed us in Vancouver to spread his glory.”

News release from the Anglican Network in Canada:

“The trustees of four Vancouver-area Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) parishes are preparing to vacate their church buildings after the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed their case and awarded legal costs to the Anglican Church of Canada Diocese of New Westminster. The four churches are: St John’s (Shaughnessy), St Matthews (Abbotsford), Good Shepherd (Vancouver), and St Matthias & St Luke’s (Vancouver).

The parishes had appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada requesting the court to overturn the decision of the BC courts in awarding their church properties to the Diocese.

‘Obviously, this decision is extremely disappointing and should be of great concern to all Christian denominations. While these congregations have remained steadfast in their faith, and have not changed the traditional teaching of the Christian church, they have now been called to sacrifice all their assets, including their church properties, for the sake of their faith’, said Cheryl Chang, a former Trustee of St. John’s (Shaughnessy) and Special Counsel to the Anglican Network in Canada.‘Clearly, we were hoping for a better result when we sought help from the courts. However, we always said that given a choice, we would choose our faith over our properties, and we have been willing to make that sacrifice if called upon by the courts to do so.’

The Supreme Court of Canada gave no reasons for their decision.”

————-

Before the decision was announced, David Short, Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy (and Canon of St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney), released a pastoral letter to the congregation at St. John’s. The congregation at St. John’s is being called to prayer this afternoon, Sydney time.

“Friends,

I am writing to let you know that this Thursday we will receive the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision on our Leave to Appeal Application. We have been in this unprecedented process for nearly 10 years, and this is the next step toward clarity about our future. I thank God for you and for our unity together in the gospel, and ask you to pray that God would bring glory to his own name through the unfolding events.

If the Supreme Court of Canada does not grant us Leave to Appeal, we will meet at the Church at 7:30 PM Thursday evening to pray together. This will mark the end of the Legal process for us.

From a practical point of view, a number of parallel processes will then be initiated.

If we are granted Leave to Appeal, our Lawyers will begin working on the documents for the Trial. Currently the Supreme Court of Canada is scheduling hearings in the first quarter of 2012. It will then be another 6-8 months before we have a decision, likely late 2012 or early 2013.

Regardless of the decision on Thursday, the way we respond is a God-given opportunity to bear witness to Christ. As those who are disciples of Jesus Christ, this is not just about ‘what’ we do but also ‘how’ we do it. In some ways nothing will change with the decision on Thursday. We are still God’s family, and he has placed us in Vancouver to spread his glory. We are in an uncomfortable place and the words of Romans 12 encourage us to “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

I thank God for sustaining and guiding us this far as a family, in partnership with our extended family of St. Matthews Abbotsford, the Church of the Good Shepherd, and St. Mathias & St. Luke. I do not know of many churches that have had the privilege of being so purposefully shaped and transformed by the Holy Spirit in such unusual circumstances; and I am constantly grateful to be a member of St. John’s, praying and expecting to see how God will use this for his own glory.

Warmly,
David Short
Rector St. John’s Vancouver

(from the St. John’s website – PDF.)

Related news note from The Globe and Mail. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney, GAFCON.)

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