Fort Worth: Fourth lawsuit arrives

“With three suits pending in two Texas counties, members of the minority that chose to stay in The Episcopal Church (TEC) two years ago have launched another assault on much the same grounds as the first three. Today All Saints’ Episcopal Church on Crestline Road in Fort Worth has sued Bishop Jack Iker personally, in federal court.

There can no longer be any doubt that this litigation is intended to harrass, intimidate, bankrupt, and divert the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, its Corporation, and its leadership – particularly Bishop Iker – from carrying out the mission of the Church.

Ironically, only this weekend Bishop Iker made several comments in jest to a gathering of clergy and laity of the Church of England in London, saying that he had “not checked the Internet today” to see whether he had been sued again…”

– from the Diocese of Fort Worth.
(Bishop Iker has only just published his response to the third lawsuit.)

Sydney Synod votes against Bishopscourt sale

“Bishopscourt, the Archbishop of Sydney’s official residence in Darling Point, will not be sold after the Diocesan Synod rejected the proposal in a close–run secret ballot, 249 votes to 218 …”

– Jeremy Halcrow has the details at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Bishop Mark Lawrence speaks at reconvened South Carolina Convention

Bishop Mark Lawrence of South Carolina spoke at the reconvened 219th Diocese of South Carolina Convention.

He gave an update on the events of the last few months, and his rationale on keeping South Carolina within TEC.

Watch it at Anglican TV. (See also: 219th Diocesan Convention Reconvened.)

‘Moral equivalence myopia’

“In another example of moral equivalence myopia, Canon Dr. Kenneth Kearon has sent a letter to the Southern Cone asking Bishop Tito Zavala to withdraw from the Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Unity Faith and Order…”

– from the Anglican Essentials Canada blog.

Related story from Church Times. (Photo of Bp Zavala: CMS UK)

Bp David Mulready’s North West Australia Synod Address

It’s Synod time around Australia – and Bishop David Mulready’s Presidential Address last weekend to the Synod of the Diocese of North West Australia has been published online (PDF file).

He gives an overview of ministry changes in DNWA – it’s a busy place!

His address includes a prayer of thanksgiving in this Centenary year of the diocese:

Our Heavenly Father, during this Centenary year, we give you hearty thanks for your amazing love, mercy and grace poured out on your people through the Gospel in North West Australia.

We thank you for your Word and for the preachers of your Word whom you have called to serve you here. We thank you for strengthening them with the Holy Spirit to teach your truth and drive away error; to break the bread and drink the cup in remembrance of our great Saviour’s death and resurrection.

We thank you for faithful members of Congregations scattered throughout our vast area, who have served you for long and short periods of time.

We thank you for partners whom you’ve given us to share the burden through prayer, financial support and for many who have come to work alongside us for a time.

We thank you for your work of new creation as you convict people of all ages and backgrounds of their need to repent and trust in Jesus as their Saviour, and so become members of your family.

We thank you for what you’ve done over the last 100 years and pray that you would be pleased to continue to work in us and through us, so that your name might be honoured and glorified.
Amen.

(Photo with thanks to Outback Magazine.)

Bp Peter Brain’s Armidale Synod Charge 2010

Bishop Peter Brain’s Charge to the Synod of the Diocese of Armidale (delivered last Friday) is encouraging and challenging.

It’s worth reading in full – from the Armidale website (PDF file).

(Photo: Russell Powell.)

Science and the Early Chapters of Genesis

Barry Newman is continuing to produce thought-provoking articles on his blog.

Having just completed a series on The Essence of Spirit, he’s now begun a series on Science and the Early Chapters of Genesis (part 1, part 2). It’ll be interesting to see where he goes with this.

‘Anglicans warned church is on its knees’

“The Anglican Church in Sydney is in diabolical trouble. Already battered by the global financial crisis, the diocese is planning further savage spending cuts.

The archbishop, Peter Jensen, told the annual synod on Monday: ‘The financial issues are grave.’…”

– David Marr writes in The Sydney Morning Herald.

(However, to get a feel for the tone of the address as it was actually delivered, it’s very helpful to hear it.

Update: You can also watch it – in two parts – on Vimeo. Part 1, Part 2 , where you can also download the file if you are logged in.)

Is Ephesians 3:14-19 relevant to the headline?

Abp Peter Jensen Presidential Address 2010

This afternoon, Archbishop Peter Jensen delivered his Presidential Address to the 2010 meeting of Sydney Synod. Here’s one encouraging excerpt:

“Matthew Pickering the Rector of Nowra received a phone call to attend the bed-side of a dying man. He found a man who had been handed a copy of The Essential Jesus by a visitor from the parish of Huskisson where he lived; he found a man who had read the Gospel of Luke in this version; he found a man who wanted to know how to become a Christian; he left a man who found the Saviour and whose whole hopes had been transformed as a result, to the astonishment of his wife. I believe that there must be many such stories all over our Diocese.”

Archbishop Jensen’s wide-ranging address is available as a PDF file from SydneyAnglicans.net. Worth reading in full.

Sydney Synod meets

Sydney Synod meets today, tomorrow and Wednesday and next week.

Doubtless all involved would value your prayers. Pray that discussions, debate and decisions would all bring honour to Christ.

Archbishop Freier to Melbourne Synod

Archbishop Philip Freier’s charge to the Melbourne Synod, which has just concluded, is now available on the (newly redesigned) Diocese of Melbourne website.

October 2010 ACR online

The October 2010 issue (number 1900) of The Australian Church Record is now online. It’s downloadable as a PDF file from their website.

Lots of thoughtful content, and an editorial sure to provoke discussion.

New CMS NSW General Secretary announced

CMS NSW General Secretary John Bales writes, “It is with great joy that we can announce that Malcolm Richards, who is at present serving in DR Congo with his wife Elizabeth, has accepted the unanimous invitation of the General Committee to fill the position of General Secretary in 2011”.

John continues, “Malcolm and Elizabeth are coming back to Australia for leave and Home Assignment at the end of 2010, and we anticipate that Malcolm will take up his new role in the first half of 2011’.

Please uphold in your prayers Malcolm and Elizabeth and CMS NSW in this time of change.

‘Former strip club sees the light’

“Four years ago it was more Jezebel than Jesus, but now Tasmania’s Anglican Church has reclaimed a former strip club next to its cathedral in Hobart…”

– Report (and image) from ABC News.

Over consumption, not over population, the problem, General Synod told

“Population growth is not the fundamental environmental problem, but our greed and over-consumption, said Canon Sandy Grant, Dean of Wollongong, at General Synod this week…”

– this story from Anglican Media Melbourne gives a taste of one debate at last week’s General Synod. (Photo: Anglican Media Melbourne.)

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