Christmas message — Bishop Mark Calder

The Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst, Mark Calder, has released this terrific message for Christmas 2021.

Here’s the text:

Will Christmas celebrations offer any reprieve from the anxiety and uncertainties we face through COVID-19 at the present time, especially with omicron?

About a month ago, it looked as though we could plan for a pretty much normal Christmas. Hotel quarantine for international travellers has been scrapped. Requirements of wearing masks and checking in through the QR codes had been relaxed and we were able to plan family reunions and Christmas holidays.

Now all of that is up in the air as NSW case numbers are blown out of the water. Some of your friends may have now been deemed as close contacts of a COVID case and you’re not able to meet with them. Christmas holidays have had to be put on hold for many people. Some planning to travel to Queensland are now no longer able to get there simply because they haven’t got their test results back in time.

I think anxiety levels are now higher than they at any time during the lockdowns that we’ve known.

Yet into all of this, Christmas will surely come, and it is the message of Christmas that can give us some hope, some comfort, and some perspective.

Perhaps you’ve been singing some of the ancient carols, where we sing words such as:

“He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all”.

“So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n”

“Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled”

By turning up here on earth in the historic person of Jesus Christ, God reached out to us in love, and the invitation is there this Christmas and always, to reach back to him and find some hope, strength, perspective, calm, peace, and even joy, in the midst of our mess.

Direct link to video here.

PDF version here.

Don’t miss the truth of Christmas — Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

Here’s the first Christmas message from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel.
With thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.

Great to share – you can also download it from this link.

A Fireside Chat with Bishop Rod Chiswell

The December 2021 – January 2022 issue of The Link from the Diocese of Armidale is now up on their website.

Lots of encouraging articles and fuel for prayer.

Bishop Rod Chiswell writes,

“Greetings from Armidale. I hope you’ve weathered the winter and stayed warm in your patch. Since moving to Armidale, I’ve rediscovered the joys of sitting by the fire. So, this letter from me comes as a kind of fireside chat to share some of the things that are on my heart.

During my first eight months in the job as bishop, at every opportunity in parishes around the Armidale Diocese, I have been underlining the central importance of God’s word. …”

– Read it all on page 3 of The Link, available via this page.

Also in this issue, Bernard Gabbott reflects on “shepherding a scattered mob” during COVID in Narrabri.

The Diocesan vision is to “Introduce people to Jesus and help them home to Heaven”. How wonderfully clear and encouraging!

New video: Thank you for supporting the Gospel in Greenfields

Here’s the latest encouraging video from the Archbishop of Sydney’s New Churches for New Communities.

Our trust vindicated at Christmas

“At Christmas, God proved himself worthy of our trust.

Having put the world on notice that he was going to pay us a visit, he told us where. …”

– Neil Percival, Rector of the Parish of Young, has had this Christmas message published in The Boorowa News.

Bringing Jesus to a needy city

“It may have been a stormy night under COVID restrictions, but masks could not hide the enthusiasm as Canon Andrew (Sandy) Grant was installed as the new Dean of Sydney. …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net has this report on the Installation of Dean Sandy Grant.

Watch the entire service here.

Paul Sampson to be BCA’s NSW/ACT Regional Officer

Bush Church Aid Society’s National Director, Greg Harris, has this announcement:

“I’m pleased to announce that The Revd Paul Sampson has accepted the role of BCA NSW/ACT Regional Officer.

Paul and his wife Cathy have three adult children – Marsden, Anastasia and Geneva.

Born and raised in Gunnedah in country New South Wales, Paul became a Christian in his early twenties after being invited along to church in Wollongong where he heard the Gospel clearly preached. …”

– Read it all here. Photo: Paul and Cathy Sampson.

December 2021 Southern Cross magazine

The December 2021 issue of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is now available online – as well as in printed form from parishes across Sydney.

You can download your own PDF copy at magazine.sydneyanglicans.net

Synod steps into the “greenfields”

“When Bishop Peter Lin spoke to the Archbishop’s Election Synod this year, he shocked the audience with a series of big numbers. …

The future shock of the speech stirred a move to bring the Synod to the so-called ‘greenfields’ areas of southwestern Sydney. So, for the first time since 1866, the church parliament of the Diocese will not begin its meeting in the city centre.…”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell highlights the massive changes planned for Sydney – and what the Anglican Church is doing.

Ordained for far and wide

“It’s a very great joy to be settting aside these men and women for this ministry,” said Archbishop Kanishka Raffel as he took his first ordination service as Archbishop. “I am reminded of my own deaconing service in St Andrew’s cathedral and I’m so grateful to God for his faithfulness.”

The Archbishop spoke as ordinands prepared to embark to ministries as wide afield as suburban Sydney to Darwin, Norfolk Island and the Seychelles. …

– Encouraging story from Russell Powell about the latest ordinations at St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

Armidale Synod meets Saturday 20 November 2021

The Synod of the Diocese of Armidale meets on Saturday in Tamworth.

You could pray for the members of the Synod, and Bishop Rod Chiswell, as they seek to proclaim the saving news of Christ in their part of NSW.

New CEO for Anglicare Sydney announced

“This morning the chairman of Anglicare Sydney’s board, Greg Hammond, announced that the organisation’s new CEO is business consultant Simon Miller.

Mr Miller is managing director and senior partner at the Boston Consulting Group, and has many years’ experience advising company boards, executives and CEOs on everything from strategy to artificial intelligence. …

In addition, Mr Miller has been executive officer for the Sydney Diocese’s Social Issues Committee.”

– News from Judy Adamson at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Bishop Grant Dibden on Defence Sunday

From Defence Anglicans – and a great reminder to pray.

Running a Remembrance Day service on Thursday?

Here are some resources.

Christmas comes early!

“Density limits have been lowered to 2m² and singing is back for churches from Sunday November 14, according to an easing of restrictions announced by Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Freedoms for the fully vaccinated in New South Wales that were to be introduced on Dec 1 have been brought forward to Monday, Nov 8. But freedoms for the unvaccinated will now not be introduced until Dec 15. …

Singing will return but masks are still mandatory indoors until December 15. From the intial government information, it appears that those not yet vaccinated, although they can attend church, will not be allowed to sing. See the government timeline here.”

– Read the latest at SydneyAnglicans.net.