Melbourne Thanksgiving service for Stuart Barton Babbage
“About 12 months ago, soon after my appointment as Principal of Ridley Melbourne was announced, I received an invitation to have a cup of tea with Stuart Barton Babbage in his home in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Meeting Babbage was a memorable experience…”
– Dr Brian Rosner gave the address at last week’s Memorial Service in Melbourne for Dr Stuart Barton Babbage. (Photo: Ridley College.)
Archbishop Jensen on the 225th Anniversary of Australia’s first Christian service
Here’s Archbishop Peter Jensen’s sermon given at St. Philip’s York Street on February 3rd 2013. It was the 225th Anniversary of the first sermon preached in the Colony of New South Wales, by the Rev Richard Johnson.
“Today we have little concept of the difficulties and dangers through which the First Fleet passed in order to deliver its cargo to these shores. Its arrival here was a masterpiece of organisation, skill and courage.
Given the ubiquity of modern communications, we can scarcely imagine what it was like to travel so far with little chance of report or cry for help. We forget how rarely European ships had passed this way and how uncharted the sea was. We can scarcely conceive how frail their ships were, how powerful the forces of nature that imperilled them, how lacking in the technical instruments by which the path may be found and the course traversed in safety.
I think we may say that in truth the voyage of the First Fleet was one of the greatest feats of seamanship in recorded history. …”
– Read it all at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Sydney Ordinations 2013
Thirty four candidates have been ordained to various ministries at a service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Russell Powell has the encouraging story at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Launch of ‘Common Prayer’ — February 6th
The Archbishop of Sydney’s Liturgical Panel and Anglican Press Australia are launching new Common Prayer: Resources for gospel-shaped gatherings on Wednesday February 6 at 4:00 pm.
The venue is the Chapter House at St Andrew’s Cathedral and an invitation has gone to all Rectors and members of ministry teams. RSVP Friday February 1 to Andrew Eisenhauer on 8268 3316.
(Copies of Common Prayer will be available for purchase on the day.)
Court moves to protect Diocese of South Carolina
“No individual, organization, association or entity, whether incorporated or not, may use, assume, or adopt in any way, directly or indirectly, the registered names and the seal or mark of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina as are set out below or any names or seal that may be perceived to be those names and seal or mark.”
– A S Haley, ‘the Anglican Curmudgeon’ quotes the Temporary Restraining Order issued to protect the Diocese of South Carolina.
He explains:
“The order goes into effect immediately, so it will essentially force the remnant group meeting this Saturday to adopt a different name for the entity it will form, and by which it will be known. The governing documents which are scheduled for approval (a Constitution and Canons based on the former diocesan version before changes were approved in 2011 and 2012) will need to be changed to remove all references to “the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of South Carolina” and “the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.” The order will remain in effect until February 1, when a hearing will be held…”
Moore College ‘Big Day In’ — Sat 2nd Feb
“Moore College is holding its annual Big Day In on February 2 to welcome and orient new students to the college. …
Starting at Moore College you no doubt have a lot of questions and uncertainties, and the Big Day In is designed specifically to familarise you with the campus and culture.”
‘Egyptian court sentences Christian family to 15 years for converting from Islam’
“The 15-year prison sentence given to a woman and her seven children by an Egyptian court for converting to Christianity is a sign of things to come, according to alarmed human rights advocates …”
– Report from Fox News. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net)
Bushfire Appeals
The Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, has launched the Tasmanian Anglican Bushfire Appeal.
And the Bush Church Aid Society has also launched an appeal. Details from their website.
The Best Christmas Ever
“Christmas 2012 turned out to be the best Christmas ever! Who would have thought that we would have such a large congregation on Christmas night itself! Nearly all our initiatives worked better than anybody expected. In terms of congregational members’ involvement, evangelistic outreach, follow up contact cards, and conducting different gatherings, a whole new way of programming Christmas has been created for 2013.
To call it “the best Christmas ever” is a great claim that is of course slightly ridiculous…”
– Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen, looks back at Christmas 2012 at the Cathedral.
Christmas Eve from St. Andrew’s 2012
Watch a recording of the live stream of Carols from St. Andrew’s Cathedral 2012 – here. The service starts around 14 minutes into the recording.
Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Christmas message 2012
With thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.
And here is the text of the message formatted to A5 (two-up on an A4 sheet) – perhaps you could use it as a church newsletter insert. (180kb PDF.)
Reminder: Carols from St. Andrew’s Cathedral rebroadcast
Last year’s Christmas Eve Celebration from St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney is being replayed this year on Christmas morning.
ABC 1 at 7:00am Christmas Day
Let your friends and neighbours know – and you could watch it over breakfast before heading to church.
If you enjoy it , you could contact the ABC to thank them for broadcasting it again.
Changes
“By now many of you will have heard the news that my responsibilities at Moore Theological College, Sydney will change from 12 May 2013.
From that date I will begin to serve as the thirteenth principal of the College, succeeding John Woodhouse whose monumental contribution to its life is recognised by all. John’s model of servant leadership, his absolute confidence in the power of the word of God to change lives and drive effective Christian ministry, his generous treatment of all — those with whom he agreed and those with whom he disagreed — will continue to bear fruit in the College and through its graduates for many years. It is a rather daunting prospect to follow him in this responsibility let alone consider the long list of faithful servants who have borne it before him (e.g. Peter Jensen, D. Broughton Knox, Marcus Loane, T. C. Hammond, and Nathaniel Jones). …”
– Mark Thompson writes at Theological Theology to ask for your prayers as he becomes Principal of Moore College next year.
End of the world hype fizzles
“The end of the Mayan calendar may have unleashed a slew of predictions that the world is about to end – but this morning true believers were few and far between in towns designated safe zones from the impending apocalypse. …”
– from ABC News. (But bear in mind 2 Peter 3.)
Australian Church Record, December 2012
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record, and the results of their recent Survey of Sydney Synod members are now available from their website.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…