Pakistan court grants bail to chief suspect in oven killings of Christian couple
“A Pakistani court has granted bail to the lead suspect in the brutal 2014 killings of a young Christian couple, burned alive in a brick kiln where they worked as bonded labourers, itself illegal in Pakistan…”
– This report from World Watch Monitor.
Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans New Zealand launched with two conferences
“Nearly 500 Anglicans from around New Zealand, including the Vicars of many larger churches, have met together this week at two conferences in Auckland and Christchurch to launch the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans NZ (FCANZ). FCANZ is a local expression of the Gafcon movement, and a message of support was read out at the conferences from Most Rev Dr Eliud Wabukala, Chair of the Gafcon Primates.
Video greetings were also received from Most Rev Foley Beach (Primate of ACNA) and the Rt Rev Richard Condie (Bishop of Tasmania and Chair of FCA Australia).
Rev Canon Vaughan Roberts (St Ebbe’s, Oxford) gave 4 talks on True Gospel, True Sex, True Love and True Unity, and was joined by Rev Canon David Short (Vancouver), Dr Peter Adam (Melbourne), Rev. Dr. Sarah Harris (Auckland) and others.
The formation of FCANZ has been in response to the passing of Motion 30 in 2014 and the subsequent release of the ‘A Way Forward’ Report, due to be presented to the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia next month. The report proposes the blessing of same-sex civil marriages thereby rendering them as “rightly-ordered” relationships opening up the possibility for those in them to be accepted as candidates for ordination.
Rev Jay Behan, Chair of FCANZ, said ‘This week has been a hugely significant moment for orthodox Anglicans in New Zealand. FCANZ is committed to promoting faithfulness and providing fellowship, and orthodox Anglicans now know that through the FCANZ there is a place for all orthodox Anglicans in New Zealand, whether they are inside or outside the current Anglican structures.
We continue to pray that General Synod will pull back from making a decision which will tear the fabric of the communion, undermining the allegiance to General Synod for many Anglicans in New Zealand.’
– Media release from FCANZ, via Anglican Mainstream.
Northwest Network April 2016
The latest issue of Northwest Network has been released by the Diocese of North West Australia.
Download your copy (PDF file) to help you pray for the people of North West Australia.
All Saints’ College on market to pay diocese’s bank debt
“All Saints’ College is to be sold to help the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst repay a multi-million dollar debt to the Commonwealth Bank.
Plans to sell the school were confirmed on Saturday during the first day of a local synod meeting. Nine other unidentified church properties across the diocese have also been earmarked for sale to repay the debt…”
– Story from The Western Advocate. (Photo: Bishop Ian Palmer.)
Archbishop of Adelaide announces intention to retire
“Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide Jeffrey Driver is to retire after almost 11 years in the pivotal role.
In an unexpected move, Archbishop Driver, 65, advised parishioners at this morning’s services of his intention to step down as the spiritual leader of SA’s Anglican community in August…”
– Report from The Adelaide Advertiser. (Photo: Diocese of Adelaide.)
Two new bishops for Melbourne
“Archbishop Philip Freier has announced the appointment of the Revd Dr Paul Anthony Barker and the Revd Dr Bradly Scott Billings as Assistant Bishops in the Diocese of Melbourne…”
– Story at The Melbourne Anglican.
Sydney appeal opens for Lahore bomb victims
“The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has opened an appeal for the victims of the Easter Sunday attack on Christians in Pakistan…”
– Details of how you can help at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Christopher Ash at the Moore College Graduation 2016
Christopher Ash gave the Occasional Address at the 2016 Moore College Graduation.
Watch the encouraging, but challenging, video at the link.
Earlier related story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
Moore Graduates called to die to self
“This year’s 102 graduates from Moore Theological College have been called upon to “die to self” in their ministries, so that their work will produce more fruit for the gospel.
The address, focussing on John 12:24 and delivered by former Director of the UK Cornhill Training Course the Rev Christopher Ash, directed people to the pattern of Christ…”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net. Please be encouraged to pray for those who are now seeking to serve Christ in various spheres of ministry.
Praying for Belgium
“On Good Friday night, a performance of the Messiah at St Andrew’s Cathedral was dedicated to the people of Belgium.
Here is a transcript of the introduction by the Dean of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel…”
– read it at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Archbishop Glenn Davies interviewed on Sydney Radio for Good Friday
Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, was interviewed by Chris Smith on Sydney’s 2GB this morning, Good Friday 2016.
Listen here. 15 minutes.
Messiah ‘dedicated to the people of Belgium’
“Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Media Alert
Good Friday, 2016
A performance of Handel’s Messiah tonight at St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney is to be dedicated to the people of Belgium…”
– From SydneyAnglicans.net.
Because the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, crucified, risen and reigning, is the only hope for men and women everywhere.
‘Bathurst Anglican church forced to sell property to meet contested CBA debt’
“The Anglican diocese of Bathurst is being forced to sell church property following a NSW Supreme Court order to settle an outstanding debt of up to $25 million to Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
The diocese, which covers one-third of the area of NSW, is likely next month to approve the first sale of properties at a synod, or governing council, after losing a lengthy battle in which it argued it did not have the authority to sell property it held under trust structures…”
– Report from The Australian Financial Review.
Archbishop Glenn Davies’ Easter Message 2016
Archbishop Glenn Davies has released his 2016 Easter message.
Watch the 90 second video on Vimeo.
And here is a story and summary from SydneyAnglicans.net –
The leader of Australia’s largest Anglican Diocese, the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has spoken of the power of the Christian symbol, the cross, and the threat to religious freedom, in his Easter Message.
“The most universal symbol of all is the cross. Even that is being targeted now in China, where authorities are removing crosses from churches. In fact, religious freedom is under threat around the world.” Dr Davies said in his annual Easter message.
“It is strange that the cross should be feared for its power, because in Jesus’ time a cross meant execution – it meant failure and death. But the great power in the symbol of the cross for us is that is is empty. Yes, Jesus died on the cross but he was raised from the dead.”
Archbishop Davies will preach at the Cathedral on Easter Day (Sunday).
In his Easter Message, Archbishop Davies stressed the resurrection of Jesus which he said “was not merely a resuscitation, because he rose not to die again but to inaugurate a new era beyond this age of death, disease and decay.”
“The resurrection of Jesus means a second chance for all of us, if we will accept it — a chance for new life, eternal life, as our sins are nailed to the cross so that we too shall rise with him.”
Dr Davies also commented on plans for a fixed date for Easter. Dr Davies spoke with the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, about the issue in Cairo last year. Anglican Primates are close to agreeing on a fixed Sunday for Easter. Dr Davies said “I believe it will be of significant witness to the world if all Christians could unite together with a common date to celebrate this ‘empty’ cross and the inauguration of the new aeon when Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death once and for all.”
Bishop Greg Anderson’s Easter Message 2016
“Political commentator Mungo MacCallum recently described Malcolm Turnbull’s performance in the top job as ‘a hugely disappointing resurrection’. Maybe it is good that the word resurrection still has some place in today’s media. But the first resurrection sets the benchmark. All other so-called resurrections, including the PM’s, are inevitably hugely disappointing. They all, in the end, run out…”
– Bishop of the Northern Territory, Greg Anderson, shares his Easter message for 2016.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…