Armidale Centenary
“Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies will be the keynote speaker at a special service in Armidale next month to commemorate the centenary of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale…”
– from The Armidale Independent. See also the Diocese of Armidale’s Centenary page, history publication (‘I Will Build My Church’), and upcoming events.
Mission 2020 — To see Christ honoured as Lord and Saviour
The Synod of Sydney Diocese last week, in committing itself to Mission 2020, adopted these statements –
Our Vision – To see Christ honoured as Lord and Saviour in every community.
Our Mission – We commit ourselves afresh, in prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit, to glorify God and love our neighbour by proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ, calling people to repent and living lives worthy of him.
See the full statement of Vision, Mission and Values here (PDF file).
And see also SydneyAnglicans.net: Synod recommits to Mission.
Societas 2014 now available
It’s a highlight of the diocesan calendar — Societas, the Moore College Students’ magazine, has been released for 2014.
You can download the 16.8MB PDF file – or read it online.
Mark Fairfull at Moore writes: “Hard copies can be ordered from the College. There is no longer a charge to purchase the magazine, but the College is inviting people to make a voluntary donation to help cover the publication and postage & handling costs if they wish to do so.”
Grab your copy now, be informed, and be moved to pray for the College.
Colin Bale to be Moore College Vice-Principal
“Rev Dr Colin Bale has been appointed Moore College’s new Vice Principal. Colin has been a member of the College faculty since 1999 and its Academic Dean since 2009. The two roles will be joined from 1 January 2015…”
– Grab the details from the Moore College website.
Sydney Synod gives thanks for Bishop Ken Short
Sydney Synod paid tribute to the late Bishop Ken Short today, adopting these words brought to the Synod by Bishop Peter Tasker –
“This Synod notes with great sorrow the death of Bishop Ken Short last Sunday evening.
We give thanks to God for the extraordinary ministry of Ken, who has faithfully served his Lord and Saviour throughout his life and has been a blessing to others In his various ministries as an elder statesman of the Diocese of Sydney, missionary in Tanganyika evangelist, parish rector, military chaplain, regional bishop, Dean of Sydney and Bishop of the Defence Forces.
We pray for his widow Gloria and the family as they grieve their loss, yet rejoice with them in the sure and certain knowledge that our brother Ken is now ‘at home with the Lord’.”
Bishop Short’s funeral service will be held, with military honours, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, on Monday 27th October at 2:00pm. We understand the service will be streamed live for those who can’t attend.
(Photo: Ramon Williams.)
Anglican Aid’s Inaugural Festival of Just Ideas
Anglican Aid’s Inaugural Festival of Just Ideas is on this coming Saturday (25th October 2014) at Broadway. It’s not too late to book in.
Sydney Synod resolution on Global Anglicanism
The Synod of the Diocese of Sydney has passed a resolution, encouraging GAFCON to continue and expand its work. Here is the complete text:
“9.23 Global Anglicanism
Synod –
(a) gives God thanks for the success of GAFCON 2013 (Global Anglican Future Conference) being made up of 1358 delegates from 39 countries including the 99 delegates from Australia,
(b) recognises that GAFCON is an emerging instrument of communion when others have failed to provide the well needed leadership at a time of growing liberalism within Anglicanism, aggressive secularism, militant Islamism and seductive syncretism,
(c) encourages and supports GAFCON/FCA (Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans) in its desire to expand its membership, develop networks, authorise and affirm those who have been excluded by their dioceses or provinces,
(d) recognising Synod’s desire to be in full communion with the ACNA (Synod resolution 46/09), Synod congratulates the Most Reverend Foley Beach on his consecration as Archbishop to the ACNA (Anglican Church of North America),
(e) encourages the development of FCA Australia and its inaugural conference, “The Anglican Future Conference” to be held in Melbourne next year,
(f) looks forward to the next GAFCON as a principle gathering of leaders in the Anglican Communion, and
(g) requests the Secretary to write to The FCA Primates’ Council, The ACNA and FCA Australia informing them of this.
(The Rev Gavin Poole/The Rev Dr Michael Stead).”
– via the GAFCON website. Emphasis added.
Bishop Ken Short: ‘faithful pastor, gracious leader, elder statesman’
“Bishop Ken Short AO, former missionary, military chaplain, Dean of Sydney and Bishop of Wollongong, Parramatta and the Defence Forces, has died at the age of 87…
A funeral service is expected to be held at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, early next week. Details are yet to be confirmed. ”
– more from SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo: Ramon Williams.)
Update: It’s been announced the service will be held at 2:00pm on Monday 27 October at the Cathedral.
Report: Bp of Newcastle appoints Rod Bower as Archdeacon of the Central Coast
Rod Bower, the Gosford Anglican priest made famous by signs such as “Dear Christians, Some people are gay. Get over it. Love, God”, has reportedly been appointed by Bishop of Newcastle Greg Thompson to be Archdeacon of the Central Coast.
We understand the report to be correct, and he will be collated on Saturday 24th October, though the matter is not yet on the Newcastle diocesan website.
See also David Ould on the Rev. Mr. Bower’s previous public statements – on heaven and hell – and that Jesus did not die for our sins.
Related: Just before General Synod met recently, Sandy Grant considered the Prayer Book’s call to “drive away all false and strange doctrines that are contrary to God’s word”.
(Photo: Gosford Anglican Church.)
St Jude’s Carlton damaged in blaze
“Fire has ravaged a church in inner Melbourne, causing more than $500,000 in damage. St Jude’s Anglican Church on Lygon Street caught fire just after 4am, with flames engulfing the roof, windows and basement…” – Report from The Age.
Archbishop of Melbourne Synod Address
The text of the 2014 Synod Address by Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne, is now up on their website. (PDF file)
Mission Property Committee update
This 10 minute update video from the Mission Property Committee was shown at Sydney Synod yesterday (October 13th).
It’s an encouraging overview of the progress made in securing sites in new developments around Sydney. Uploaded by Anglican Media Sydney.
Update: an edited 5 minute version is now also available.
New Bishop for Georges River Region
During his Presidential Address to the Diocese of Sydney’s Synod, Archbishop Glenn Davies today announced a new bishop for the Georges River Region – Peter Lin, Rector of Fairfield with Bossley Park.
– Story and photo from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Listen to Archbishop Davies’ address, watch it here, or read the text (PDF).
Australian Church Record — October 2014
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record, Number 1914, October 2014, is now out on their website (just in time for Sydney Synod). Here are some excerpts:
From ‘Faith Under Attack‘
“So Protestants should be alarmed at recent trends in scholarship presenting fine-sounding arguments for faith + something else. And Anglicans need to be alarmed at even small additions to their liturgy that confuse those praying it in this same direction.”
From ‘Faith Alone v. Faith at work‘
“The tendency of the human heart to want to boast in its own achievements is all too prevalent. But there is nothing that we do to merit our justification before God. Like our forebears, contemporary Protestantism must continue to work carefully and clearly in defining the place of faith.”
Diocese of NW Australia recognises ACNA as “a member church of the Anglican Communion”
“The Diocese of NW Australia, meeting in synod this weekend, passed the following motion,
That this synod:
- welcomes the impending investiture of the Most Reverend Dr Foley Beach, the Archbishop of The Anglican Church in North America;
- recognizes the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) as a member church of the Anglican Communion, in full communion with Diocese of North West Australia; rejoices that the orthodox faith is proclaimed in word and deed through ACNA and its member churches;
- continues with ACNA to pray for and call for repentance from those churches which have turned to a different gospel;
- calls upon faithful Anglicans around the world to join us in joyful praise to God for the renewal and rebirth evident in ACNA and the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. …“
– from David Ould.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…