Archbishop of Sydney’s statement on Sydney church stabbing

Here’s a statement issued this afternoon by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel –

“Anglican Diocese of Sydney

Archbishop’s statement on Sydney church attack

All of Sydney will be shocked by the attack on Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and members of his congregation at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Wakeley, Western Sydney. We deplore all acts of violence wherever they take place and whatever their motivation.

I have written to the church community to assure them of our prayers for the recovery of the Bishop and others who were injured, as well as our prayers for the man who committed the attack.

At the same time, we also deplore the violent acts of those who took to the streets and endangered members of the Police and Ambulance services who were seeking to bring relief and safety to those in need. This is unacceptable.

The NSW Police have declared last night’s attack as religiously motivated. Jesus urges his followers to ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’, nor should a whole community be blamed for the acts of a young individual about whom we know very little at this time.

I call on all people of faith and goodwill to maintain respect for our Police and other services, as well as to prayerfully uphold the harmonious, good relations between different communities which has been carefully nurtured in our city over many years.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel,

April 16, 2024.”

– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Prayer for Bondi


“A service of solemn prayer for those affected by the tragedy at Bondi Junction will be held at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney on Tuesday, April 16 at 6pm.

The Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, will attend. …”

— Read more at SydneyAnglicans.net.

A prayer for victims of violence

After this afternoon’s tragic and distressing scenes at Bondi, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has published this prayer at SydneyAnglicans.net.

It’s a prayer you may choose to use yourself – and it would be appropriate to use in church tomorrow.

The post also notes:

Praying for the victims and their families at Bondi Church, Sunday April 14th, 2024.

Explainer: NSW Conversion Practices Ban

Anglican Media Sydney has published a helpful explanatory post on the newly passed NSW “Conversion Practices Ban Act”.

See it out for an outline of what the law means, and how church leaders have responded.

Responses to a new book about the recent history of the Diocese of Armidale

Today saw the launch of a new book – Darkness: The Conversion of Anglican Armidale, 1960-2019 by Thomas A. Fudge, Professor of History at the University of New England.

You can get a feel for the likely tone of the book from a report by John Sandeman in July 2023 (link via our website). And the University of New England website has an interview with Professor Fudge.

Today the Diocese of Armdale has published two responses to the new book –

One by Bishop of Armidale Rod Chiswell –

“‘Darkness – the conversion of Anglican Armidale 1960-2019’ is a book that seeks to bring to light hitherto unheard voices responding to the transition of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale from a middle church diocese to a lower church evangelical diocese. …”

However Bishop Chiswell challenges two of Professor Fudge’s key presuppositions as well as his conclusions.

The other is a Review of the book by Dr. Mark Earngey, Head of Church History and Lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore College –

“Professor Fudge has produced a weighty tome on some of the recent history of the Anglican diocese of Armidale. … While conversion is normally associated with light (e.g. 1 Peter 2:9: ‘that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’), Fudge interprets the growth of evangelical Anglicanism in the Armidale diocese in terms of darkness.”

In his Review, Dr Earngey provides very helpful historical and theological perspective.

Read both responses at the Diocese of Armidale website.

‘Indefinitely mothballed’: Quake-hit cathedral’s dire future unless $30m found by August

“The Christ Church Cathedral rebuild has a funding gap of $114 million – and if $30m isn’t secured by August this year, the project will be indefinitely mothballed, it has been announced.

And the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited said a ‘mothballed scenario’ would ‘be hidden from view, and people will not be able to visit it, or preserve it, because it will remain a construction site in suspension’.

The iconic building had lain in ruin for many years after the Canterbury earthquakes. …”

– Report from NewstalkZB, New Zealand.

Photo: Christ Church Cathedral in 1978.

Armidale Diocese gives thanks for Barraba Bash ’24

“This year’s Bash was a brilliant day!

On March 23rd, 220 youth from right across the Diocese gathered together to praise God in song, listen to his Word preached faithfully and have a whole lot of fun.

Over the day we did a deep dive into Hebrews chapter 12 as we considered big questions like ‘What does it mean to endure as Christians?’, ‘How can we carry on living for Jesus when our friends live so differently?’ …”

– Give thanks with the churches in the Diocese of Armidale for this key youth event.

Food, glorious food for the soul

“We live in a busy age where the temptation is more and more to be disconnected as we live our lives. Look around eating establishments outside the home and it is very common to see headphones cutting off conversation, and to see eyes glued to screens even among people seated at the same table.

The same kind of thing can creep into the family mealtime. What’s more, with the kind of schedules many of us have, the mealtime can be inconvenient, rushed and detached. Many spend their meal times around screens (common or individual) with very little opportunity for the kind of fellowship that sharing a meal can and should provide. …”

– The latest Ministry Matters newsletter from CCAANZ (the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa/New Zealand) is all about food.

Bishop Jay Behan (pictured) writes on “Breaking bread together – The power of the family table”.

There’s also an article on how CCAANZ churches are using food to share the gospel.

Making the most of an “extensive job description”

“There are no doubt many anniversaries to be celebrated in 2024, but the one I am personally thankful for is the 30th anniversary of the appointment of the Archdeacon for Women’s Ministry.

I’m reflecting, with thanks to God, about all that has been done, who did it, and how we can continue building on this vital work.  …”

– Archdeacon Kara Hartley reflects – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Bathurst Easter Newsletter 2024

For your prayers and encouragement. (PDF file.)

On Good Friday, we get a glimpse into hell and heaven

“At the centre of the Christian faith are the great Easter events – Jesus’ death on a cross, and on the third day his bodily rising to new life, victorious over sin and death and the devil.

Australians embrace these events as a holiday but most regard them with sentimentality. For Christians, however, the days could not be more weighty, for in Good Friday and Easter Day we glimpse hell and heaven.  …”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Passion play with puppetry

“When Epping rector Bishop Ross Nicholson first raised the idea of a Good Friday passion play centred on a large puppet of Jesus, the response was sceptical. Could this really work?

Given that his previous church in Tasmania had done the play for years, he was able to reply with an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’…”

– Judy Adamson has the story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: Ross Nicholson.

Find Joy, Love and Hope in Jesus — Easter 2024 message from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released this Easter message.

Great to play in church – and to share with your friends.

Also, see this report from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net – and download the video – or the text (PDF file).

Bathurst Diocese: Two more Ordinations coming up in April

“Dear brothers and sisters across our diocese,

It is with gratitude to God that I announce today that Mr Joshua Taylor and Mr Stuart Border are to be ordained as Deacons at All Saints Anglican Cathedral on Saturday 20 April at 11am.

This follows the unanimous recommendation of the diocesan ordination discernment panel, following their recent final discernment interviews with Josh and Stuart, both candidates having been prayerfully and carefully discerned for these orders over the past 12 months. …”

– More encouraging news from the Diocese of Bathurst, and a cause for thanksgiving. The Bishop’s Commissary, Dean of Bathurst James Hodson shares the news. (PDF file).

Easter 2024 at the Cathedral

Easter Services at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney – as well as Handel’s Messiah (ticketed event) on Good Friday.

Details at the Cathedral website.

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