Nungalinya College vacancies
Nungalinya College in Darwin is seeking to fill three vacancies. Perhaps you know (or are) the right person for one of them.
Either way, we are sure the College would be glad of your prayers. Details here.
Funeral of Bishop John Reid — 14th January
The funeral of Bishop John Reid, who died on Saturday, will be held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, at 10:00am on Thursday 14th January 2016. Burial at St. Jude’s Randwick, at 2:00pm.
Details at The Sydney Morning Herald.
1977 photo of Bishop Reid courtesy Ramon Williams, Worldwide Photos.
With thanksgiving for Bishop John Reid
It has been announced that Bishop John Reid, Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Sydney, 1972–1993, has fallen asleep in Christ at the age of 87.
In a tribute posted at SydneyAnglicans.net, Archbishop Glenn Davies said that Bishop Reid,
“will be remembered for being an accomplished Bible teacher, an able administrator and a passionate evangelist. His abilities were internationally recognised through his involvement with the Lausanne Movement as chairman, as well as the missionary organisation Interserve.”
John Reid was ordained in Sydney in 1955, served as Curate at St. Matthew’s Manly (1955-56) and as Rector of Christ Church Gladesville (1956–1969). He was collated as Archdeacon of Cumberland in 1969, and in 1972 was consecrated as Assistant Bishop of Sydney. He was responsible for the South Sydney area of the diocese until his retirement in 1993.
Bishop Reid was passionately concerned to see men and women come to faith in Christ. Many will be unaware, for example, of his behind-the-scenes work to support pastors in Communist Eastern Europe, before the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Bishop Reid is survived by his wife Alison. We will post funeral details here when they become available.
(Top photo: Bishop John Reid visiting St. George’s Hurstville in 1986.
Second photo: Bishop Reid in 1981, courtesy Ramon Williams, Worldwide Photos.)
Ministry on the Air on Norfolk Island
“Ministry on Norfolk Island is forging ahead with its eye on the long term, according to the island’s current Anglican chaplain…”
– SydneyAnglicans.net has this story on ministry on Norfolk Island. (And a good reminder to pray for David Fell and the congregation there.)
Bishop of Bathurst ‘reflects on a year of challenges and opportunities’
“By any measure we might regard 2015 as a challenging year for our Diocese.
It began with terminating the employment of four people in order that we might meet our budget. I then moved to Dubbo becoming a part-time Bishop and part-time Rector, as the Endowment of the See could no longer afford to pay me.
In April the matters relating to the Diocesan loans and the CBA began to be heard in the Supreme Court, a hearing that lasted 36 days! Then the Judgement was handed down early in December.
Pour into the mix my heart attack and significant dental surgery later in the year, and we might be forgiven for wanting the year to close!…”
– Bishop of Bathurst Ian Palmer reflects on a difficult year. It’s a good reminder to pray for Christian witness in the Central West.
Archbishop Glenn Davies’ Christmas message 2015
Archbishop Glenn Davies has released his Christmas message for 2015.
Watch it on Vimeo.
As Australians, we love to celebrate Christmas with lights. On Christmas trees, in shopping centres and in suburban houses, we see lights everywhere—nativity scenes aglow and twinkling lights in rhythmic patterns. Even though we are in the height of summer, lights are very much a part of Christmas. It is a wonderful time.
But this year, the world we live in has been overshadowed by darkness. We are appalled at the dark acts committed in Paris, Beirut, San Bernardino and elsewhere. We long for light to dispel the darkness. Yet that is exactly the message of Christmas, when God’s light shone into the world and the darkness did not overcome it.
Just as the Creator declared “Let there be light” and there was light, so God sent Jesus to shine into our darkness. Nothing can compare to the brightness of his star nor outshine his brilliance, no matter how many lights we might create.
Though we see these dark acts and cry out to God, remember this – he has answered with the words of Jesus – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Download it as a PDF file from SydneyAnglicans.net (will download to your computer).
Larger image. Audio file here.
Bishop Greg Anderson’s Christmas message
Bishop of The Northern Territory, Greg Anderson, has released his Christmas message – read it on the NT website.
Archbishop of Melbourne’s Christmas message 2015
Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier’s Christmas message for 2015 has been released. His focus is on the ‘humanness’ of Christ’s incarnation, and ‘Jesus’ way of peace’.
You can watch it here.
Moore College — New Building rising
The new building at Moore College (on the old Master Builders’ site) is continuing to rise.
This 30 second clip, posted on the College’s Vimeo account, shows progress as at November 23.
From the College: “Our fundraising is well on track to our target, but we still have a way to go.”
Hearing both Sides of the Argument
“In a nation where all things in politics seem possible, some things still amaze me – or perhaps the word should be ‘stagger’ me.
It is always dangerous for a man of the cloth to make political comment. While I appreciate the separation of church and state, that does not exclude the church and the sum of its members from entering national debate. So as a citizen of this great country, who happens to be a Bishop of the Anglican Church, I write.
Occasionally, the foolish thoughts of politicians expressed in emotive and seemingly protective and manipulative rhetoric should be exposed. …”
– Bishop of Armidale, Rick Lewers, responds to reported comments by the Leader of the Opposition about a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
Sydney’s Bishopscourt sold
“The neo-gothic residence ‘Bishopscourt’ in Darling Point has been sold.
‘Bishopscourt’ (formerly Greenoaks) was built in the mid 1840s by prominent colonial businessman Thomas Sutcliffe Mort. It was not the original Archiepiscopal residence, but has housed Archbishops of Sydney since 1911. …
The buyer has requested anonymity, but it is known he is intending to live at Bishopscourt and refurbish the property and gardens to their former glory.”
– Report by Russell Powell. Read it all here.
And from Domain: “A local buyer exchanged on $18 million on Wednesday for the official residence of Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies.”
Christmas message: Canberra & Goulburn
The Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, has released his Christmas message.
“Christmas can appear fragile or even shallow in a world filled with hatred, violence and ideology. The tinsel, trees and tinned puddings of Christmas can seem like weak and trifling distractions in a world filled with pain, hopelessness and despair…”
– Read it here.
I. Howard Marshall (1934-2015)
New Testament scholar I. Howard Marshall died yesterday, at the age of 81, after a short illness.
Darrell Bock has a tribute at The Gospel Coalition.
Campus Crusade for Christ Australia to change name
From an e-mail from Campus Crusade for Christ Australia:
“On the 1st of February 2016, the name of our organisation will become to Power to Change. …
Around the globe Campus Crusade for Christ national ministries have been going through their own name changes. Nowadays Campus Crusade for Christ is known as ‘Cru’ in the USA, ‘Agape’ in Europe and ‘Tandem’ in New Zealand. Campus Crusade for Christ is also known as ‘Power to Change’ in Canada…
While we are changing our name, we are not changing our purposes. …”
You can read about their decision to change their name –
“While coming with a rich heritage, our old corporate name of ‘Campus Crusade for Christ Australia’ has long been recognised as unhelpful. It has varying problems with our audiences (through the words ‘crusade’ and ‘campus’)…”
December 2015 Northwest Network
The December 2015 edition of Northwest Network – from the Diocese of North West Australia – is now out.
Download your copy (850kb PDF) and use it to prompt you to pray for the people of the North West, that Christ might be glorified.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…