Care for Beirut

Anglican Aid has launched an appeal –

“Anglican Aid is working closely with Christian partners in the Middle East to care for people affected by yesterday’s explosion in Beirut, Lebanon.

We are providing relief and aid funds through the Baptist Association of Lebanon, to enable them to support their neighbours and be a light in the darkness at this critical time.”

Update:

“Our brothers and sisters in Lebanon were already battling a health and economic crisis due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This tragic explosion has compounded their suffering,” said Canon Tim Swan, the CEO of Anglican Aid. “We ask our supporters to pray for Beirut, and to show the love of Christ for them by giving to this appeal.” – SydneyAnglicans.net.

A chat with Bishop Gary Koo

Recently, Tom Harricks (Rector of Penrith Anglican Church, and also Secretary of the ACL) chatted with Gary Koo, Bishop of Western Sydney.

Gary shares something of his background, how he became a Christian, and what it’s like to be a new bishop in the era of COVID.

An interesting and very encouraging video.

Archbishop of Sydney Public Statement on the Beirut Disaster

“Our hearts are breaking as we watch the devastation in Beirut. We cry out to God for many to be found alive, healing for the injured and comfort for the bereaved.

#PrayForLebanon that it may be as strong as a cedar amid the unprecedented turmoil of COVID-19 and now this disaster.

Archbishop Glenn Davies

August 5, 2020.”

– from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Masks

“I don’t understand why people would have a problem being asked to wear a mask. It might not be popular to say it out loud, but we all put on masks.

So what’s the problem? Long before COVID came along we were masked and long after it will disappear we will continue to be masked. So what’s the problem?…”

– A gospel slant on masks from the Bishop of Armidale, Rick Lewers.

“We must do better” — Simon Manchester to Sydney Anglicans

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy,” says Proverbs 27:6 – or to put it another way, we often benefit more from being rebuked than praised.

The Rev Canon Simon Manchester has delivered a firm rebuke in this month’s Southern Cross and, although he risks upsetting some, he observes that “the stakes couldn’t be bigger”. …

– Sometimes being blunt is very helpful if we are to desire ‘The things that are excellent” (Philippians 1:10). Along with the loving rebuke, there is much that is encouraging in the linked video as well as the article in Southern Cross (page 33).

Photo: EMA, 2016.

Sydney Synod off, double for 2021

“Archbishop Glenn Davies, after consultation with the Standing Committee, has decided not to call Synod in October.

Synod is, in effect, the parliament of the Diocese, with more than 600 members – mostly lay and clergy representatives – called together from each parish.

A special Synod in August to elect the next Archbishop had already been cancelled and Archbishop Davies, originally due to retire in July, will now stay on until next March. …”

— The latest from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Church restrictions tighten in COVID snapback


“The COVID emergency in Victoria as well as several outbreaks in Sydney, including in a Maronite congregation, has led to tighter controls on churches, including a requirement to register as COVID-safe businesses.

In a public health order issued on Thursday 23 July, church meetings are now capped at 100, regardless of the size of the building. Previously, there was no cap and the numbers were constrained only by how many could fit with 4m2 distancing. Weddings and funerals also have caps, with funerals at the general 100 person limit and weddings permitted to have 150 people. …

All places of worship must register with NSW Health as a COVID Safe business. They must also have their plan available for inspection.”

– Russell Powell has the latest – including relevant links – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

See also:

COVID-19 Safety Plan for places of worship.

Peter Grice elected Bishop of Rockhampton

Peter Grice, Dean of Geraldton Cathedral in the Diocese of North West Australia, has been elected Bishop of the Diocese of Rockhampton:

“With much joy and gratitude to Almighty God, I announce the successful election of the Very Reverend Peter John Grice as the thirteenth Bishop of the Diocese of Rockhampton. The Episcopal Announcement was made at a Special Session of Synod, via Zoom, that was also livestreamed today.

Peter currently serves as the Dean of the Cathedral in Geraldton, Western Australia. As a family, Peter, Virginia and their five children, have ministered previously in the Dioceses of Armidale and North West Australia.

Peter was born in Newcastle, NSW and completed High School in Wollongong, NSW. He studied a Bachelor of Commerce/Law at the University of NSW before working as a solicitor in Sydney.

He has completed Theological Studies through the Australian College of Theology, studying at Sydney Missionary and Bible College. He holds further Post Graduate qualifications from Moore Theological College and Trinity Theological College. After completing his initial theological training, Peter responded to the call of Parish ministry in the Diocese of Armidale, where he was deaconed and priested in 2001 and 2002 respectively. He served as the Assistant Minister and then Incumbent of St Augustine’s Inverell for 14 years, before accepting his current position as Dean and Minister-in-Charge of the Holy Cross Cathedral Geraldton in January 2015. He is also licensed as the Vicar General of the North West Australia Diocese.”

– See the full announcement by the Administrator of the diocese, Tom Henderson-Brooks. (PDF file)

Photo: Peter and Virginia Grice.

How the COVID outbreak is affecting southwestern Sydney parishes

“The morning service at Hoxton Park Anglican was all set to start up again this Sunday. The kids’ program was ready to go, and the congregation was looking forward to meeting together in person. That was until the COVID cluster from the Crossroads Hotel in Casula came to light. …”

– The latest from SydneyAnglicans.net. Photo: Civic Australia.

See also:

“NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced COVID-19 restrictions introduced to pubs will be extended to restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs. …

Funerals and places of worship will be limited to 100 people.

The restrictions will be in place from July 24.” – ABC News.

The minister drought and what to do about it? – with Phillip Jensen

From Dominic Steele:

“The minister drought and what to do about it? – with Phillip Jensen

There’s been an across the board drop in people stepping up to serve in full time ministry roles whether as senior pastors, assistant pastors or people putting themselves forward to study at theological college.

We had the Principal of Moore Theological College, Mark Thompson on The Pastor’s Heart a few months ago and he said that enrolments are down for theological colleges across the western world. 

It’s very different to twenty years ago, when all the talk at Moore College was of continued growth.

Humanly speaking Phillip Jensen was the person in Sydney used by God most significantly to prompt the explosion in gospel workers.

We ask Phillip what are the factors that have contributed to the slump, and what needs to be done?”

– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.

Related:

Where are all the senior ministers? – Bishop Peter Lin.

Are we there yet?


“The latest changes to the Public Health Orders for Places of Worship have plunged churches into a further round of calculation and cleaning as the COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease.

The changes are being brought in amid continuing concern about the situation in Victoria where another wave of community transmission is emerging. …”

– The latest COVID-19 update from the Diocese of Sydney includes videos from Bishop Gary Koo (Chair of the diocesan COVID taskforce) and Youthworks’ Ed Springer.

Where are all the senior ministers?

“Currently there are around 30 vacant parishes in the Sydney Diocese.

Generally vacancies last longer now, because there are fewer people putting their hands up for rector roles. That is seen across the Diocese. As Bishop of the Georges River, I certainly have had parishes that have taken more than two years to fill. …”

– Bishop raises some important matters for prayer – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Re-gathering in the Northern Territory: the new normal for St Peter’s Nightcliff

“For 11 weeks our church gathered virtually for live-streamed services filmed in our church building. When the Northern Territory announced its ‘Roadmap to the new normal’, we realised we couldn’t allow as many people into our church space as before lockdown …”

– at The Australian Church Record, Joshua Kuswadi shares the news from Darwin.

Dr Bruce Harris honoured with Order of Australia

“A World War II veteran, history professor and valued Sydney evangelical has been honoured with an AM in the Queen’s birthday honours list. Dr Bruce Harris was made a Member of the Order of Australia ‘for significant service to higher education, to veterans and to the community’…”

– Good news from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Restrictions ease quickly but July is key

“The Head of the COVID-19 Task Force for the Sydney Diocese, Bishop Gary Koo, says churches should continue to be ‘good citizens’ during the return to in-person services, which he says is happening quicker than most people expected. …

‘While we are delighted by the lifting of restrictions, things are moving so fast that I wonder if churches should just pause for a moment, analyse where we are at and wait for a couple of more weeks to see what happens as we approach July 1. We can then make more meaningful plans when we get to that point.’ Bishop Koo cautioned.”

– Russell Powell has the latest at SydneyAnglicans.net.

(Emphasis added.)

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