Safety first as restrictions on church gatherings eased

“Archbishop Glenn Davies has welcomed the lifting of numbers allowed for church gatherings, weddings and funerals saying a return to public worship will bring ‘relief, joy and comfort’ to many people. …”

– Story from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Archbishop Davies’ full statement, courtesy of SydneyAnglicans.net, is below. Note his remarks about singing, Bibles and hymn books:

“I recognise the challenges that the Government faces in loosening restrictions while maintaining a COVIDsafe environment. This has been a delicate balancing act and I appreciate the level of consultation and the careful yet flexible approach of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and health officials.

Our first concern is public safety and where risk cannot be minimised, then some churches will not be able to re-open their buildings.

But I was able to assure the Premier that Anglican churches are well prepared to return to normal services, within the limits of the 50 person maximum, appropriately distanced. Hand sanitisers will be available at each entrance, along with signage indicating that anyone with symptoms such as fever or cough, should not attend. Church premises will be thoroughly cleaned between services and designated ushers will record the contact details of each person who attends.

We realise that this is not the normality we enjoyed in 2019, as congregational singing will not be possible, the greeting of peace and the distribution of Bibles, hymn books and paper service sheets will not resume. However, we are grateful for the relief, joy and comfort that many parishioners will feel in meeting again in public Christian worship. Some congregations, of course, will be too large to return to public worship but will continue to provide church online until it is safe for the whole congregation to gather as one.

We continue to pray for our Federal and State Governments as they navigate the terrain of a coronavirus world and provide us with wise advice and prudent measures to protect the safety of all.

Archbishop Glenn Davies
29 May 2020.”

Preparing and praying for return


“Archbishop Glenn Davies and diocesan bishops have held talks with the NSW government about re-opening churches for up to 50 people as June is set to begin with pubs, clubs and restaurants allowed to have 50 seated patrons. …

Dr Davies said until there was an official lifting of numbers for churches, ‘We should all be prepared to continue, as we have successfully been doing for the past two months, with our online services.’…

Dr Davies recommended that, ‘Until there is clear medical evidence that it is safe to do so, no congregational singing should be allowed, as a precautionary measure.’…”

– SydneyAnglicans.net has the latest.

SRE at Learning at Home now available

Writing on the GAFCON website, Youthworks CEO Craig Roberts writes,

“…the COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools to go online. Youthworks has modified some of its SRE lessons for parents to use at home with their children AND the government has put a link to our resources on every school website.”

– Read his report here – and you can also access the SRE material here.

‘Every person counts’

“The Sydney Anglican Diocese and Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT have strongly recommended churches stay closed. …

Anglican bishop for Western Sydney Gary Koo who chairs the Sydney diocese COVID-19 taskforce, said churches had become more accessible to the community ‘than ever before’. He said people with chronic illnesses and those who felt self conscious about walking into church felt comfortable with anonymous attendance. …”

– Story from The Sydney Morning Herald.

Public Statement from the Bishops of NSW and ACT, 12 May 2020

“The Diocesan Bishops of the Province of NSW meet regularly for prayer and fellowship throughout the year, but have been in greater contact by email and zoom meetings these past few months. The outcome of these meetings was our Public Statement on 18 March 2020 which announced the closure of our church buildings and the suspension of normal church services in early March, in the interests of public health and safety.

We met again this week to discuss the Prime Minister’s release of the three Step Roadmap for a COVIDsafe Community. While we acknowledge the lifting of restrictions on public gatherings, allowing up to ten persons at a religious gathering, we believe that Step 1 is not the time to recommence meeting in person for Sunday public worship.

There are various reasons for this decision which will be communicated to each diocese by their Bishop. We are grateful for the patience of our congregations as they endure the continuation of church online, rather than in their familiar church surroundings, but we believe the health and safety of our own community, as well as others, should be paramount.

Yet we welcome the increased flexibility for gatherings in private homes and would therefore recommend that small groups of people take advantage of this liberty, perhaps gathering for prayer and Bible study or meeting together to join in watching online church. However, in such cases social distancing and hand hygiene must be observed, as we should remain vigilant in preventing the spread of COVID-19, acknowledging the health guidelines that our State and Territory Governments have issued.

We continue to pray for the leadership of our Prime Minister, Premier and Chief Minister of the ACT as they lead the nation in these challenging times. We also pray for our health workers as they care for those affected, and for those seeking to develop a vaccine. We continue to urge all Christians to pray that our heavenly Father may be gracious to us in stemming the spread of this disease in our land and throughout the world.

The Rt Rev. Mark Calder (Bishop of Bathurst)
The Most Rev. Dr Glenn Davies (Archbishop of Sydney)
The Rt Rev. Dr Murray Harvey (Bishop of Grafton)
The Rt Rev. Donald Kirk (Bishop of Riverina)
The Rt Rev. Rick Lewers (Bishop of Armidale)
The Rt Rev. Dr Mark Short (Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn)
The Rt Rev. Dr Peter Stuart (Bishop of Newcastle).”

– Via the Diocese of Armidale.

Too soon to open doors again — Archbishop Glenn Davies

“While it is legally possible to have a service for a maximum of ten persons, our strong advice is that Step One is not the time to re-introduce Sunday public worship, especially for senior members of our community who are among the most vulnerable…”

– Archbishop Glenn Davies – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The article also includes a link to a framework for church re-opening.

 

How are you going with COVID-19? — Bishop Rick Lewers

“I keep being asked how we are going with the COVID-19 lockdown.

Like most people, I am watching the news, I have, with some discomfort, downloaded the app and sought to be a good citizen of the nation following Government requests. Although I’m a bit of a rebel, this has not been a time for rebellion but a time to make whatever contribution we can. …”

– Bishop of Armidale Rick Lewers shares some experiences from lockdown.

Diocese of Bathurst 150th anniversary statement from Bishop Mark Calder

Bishop Mark Calder has released this video statement on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Diocese of Bathurst.

It’s also available in written form as this 240kb PDF file.

COVID-19 has been devastating for our community – and our church

“In Berala, a mid-west suburb of Sydney, the toll of coronavirus measures is high and widespread: job losses, evictions, sleeping in cars and no money to make ends meet.

‘COVID may be the greatest challenge our church has ever faced – certainly it’s the greatest challenge our church has faced in the five years that I’ve been here,’ says Mike Doyle, pastor of the local Anglican church in Berala. …”

– Plenty for your prayers – for Berala and other parishes.

May 2020 Southern Cross now online

Anglican Media Sydney has released the May 2020 issue of Southern Cross – only available online – to read in your browser or as a PDF download.

Lots of encouraging articles.

For your prayers, there’s also a report (pages 9 and 10) on the coronavirus outbreak at Newmarch House at Caddens.

[Anglicare CEO Grant Millard] said the COVID-19 outbreak was “unprecedented and traumatic”. “Nothing actually prepares you for the trauma that our staff and residents and families are dealing with,” he said. “Please keep our residents and their families in your thoughts and prayers, especially those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones.”

North West Network May 2020

The May 2020 edition of North West Network is now available at this link. (3.3MB PDF file.)

Fuel for your prayers for the Diocese and people of North West Australia.

Gospel Presentation by Bishop Rick Lewers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjS0eLlv5ys&feature=emb_logo

Bishop of Armidale Rick Lewers shares the heart of the Christian faith.

Give thanks for bishops who know and tell the gospel!

A man for such a time as this

“In his Easter sermon, the new Anglican Bishop of Bathurst, Mark Calder, spoke about his grief over what had been lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and how he yearned for the restoration of normality.

And yet at the same time, he can see how God has gone before him, preparing him for just such a time as this when churches across the nation are closed.

Before entering ministry, Calder’s professional background was as a video editor. …”

– Eternity News has this profile of Bishop Mark Calder.

It’s a good reminder to pray him and also for the people of the diocese of Bathurst.

Mike Baird named as new HammondCare CEO

“HammondCare has today announced that Mike Baird has been appointed as incoming Chief Executive Officer and will replace Dr Stephen Judd who is stepping down on August 31, after more than 25 years in the role.

HammondCare Board Chair, John Kightley, said that Mr Baird had been selected after a rigorous search for the critical appointment, that commenced when Dr Judd announced in July 2019 his intention to stand down in 2020. …”

– Read the full news item at HammondCare.

Moore College Open Night – Online!

11 May 2020, 7:30pm – 9pm

A night to meet online, get an insight into Moore’s in-depth theological training, plus have your questions answered by faculty and students. A live Q&A session is available.

RSVP here.

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