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.)

‘Archbishop of Canterbury: Anglican Church has ‘no problem’ with gay bishops’

“The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that the Anglican Church has “no problem” with homosexuals being bishops but he was not “positive” about them having relationships…”

– From The Telegraph. One of the stories in today’s UK papers. Anglican Mainstream has this response.

David Peterson to speak in NZ

The Latimer Fellowship in New Zealand has announced details of this year’s William Orange Memorial Lecture:

The Rev Dr David Peterson – Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in New Testament at Moore College – is speaking on “Church Growth in the Book of Acts and Today”.

Auckland: Friday, 5 November 2010
7.30 pm at St Margaret’s Anglican Church, 102 Hillsborough Road, Mt Roskill.

Christchurch: Sunday, 7 November 2010
2.00 pm at St Stephen’s Anglican Church, 6 Emmett Street, Shirley.

Nelson: Tuesday, 9 November 2010
7.30 pm at Bishopdale Theological College, 30 Vanguard Street, Nelson.

Jerusalem Declaration eyewitness – Allison Street

The Rev. Allison Street spoke at General Synod in favour of Australian Anglican churches studying The Jerusalem Declaration. Afterwards, Russell Powell asked her about what she said and why. Watch the interview here.

Peter Jensen on Jerusalem Declaration vote

SydneyAnglicans.net has posted “a quick reaction from Archbishop Peter Jensen after the vote of General Synod to pass the Jerusalem Declaration to Australian churches for study”. See it here.

And Bishop Robert Forsyth writes, “Overall this has turned out to be a friendlier occasion than I can remember in nearly seven General Synods.”

Faith Under Fire — new resource for Defence Chaplains

From Defence Anglicans:

“Faith Under Fire is a practical look at the Christian Faith for those in the military. The full course will be released and distributed to Australian Defence Force Chaplains in the beginning of 2011. The course is a six session practical introduction to the Christian Faith.”

– Army Reserve Chaplain, and Rector of Guildford, Tim Booker, previews the series.

ACL membership friendly reminder

ACL Members are reminded that subscriptions for 2010/2011 are now due. If you have not paid in the last few months, you can renew your membership here. Thanks!

Anglicans oppose euthanasia move

“Labor and the Greens have shown a lack of integrity by moving on voluntary euthanasia straight after the election rather than before it, Melbourne Anglican Bishop Philip Huggins said yesterday.

Bishop Huggins has asked the national parliament of the Australian Anglican Church, now meeting in Melbourne, to affirm the sanctity of life as God’s gift. … ‘This was not a matter of pre-election debate. Would people have voted the same way if they knew a Labor government with the Greens would, as a near-first action, promote a conscience vote on euthanasia?’…”

– Report from The Age.