Finance industry leader to head Sydney Anglican Services

From SydneyAnglicans.net –

“Andrew Macey, an experienced banking executive, has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Sydney Anglican Services (SAS), the key support organisation for the Sydney Diocese.

Mr Macey has held senior roles for Westpac for more than 20 years, including in specialist finance, human resources and, since 2024, as CEO of the Westpac subsidiary RAMS Financial Group. …”

– Read the full story by Russell Powell.

Appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury — Response from Sydney

Appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury

We acknowledge the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury with a spirit of prayerful reflection and gospel-centred concern.

We commend Dame Sarah’s distinguished record of public service in healthcare and recognise her achievements in administrative leadership.

However, we also recognise that this appointment comes at a time of profound theological tension within the Anglican Communion. The recent trajectory of the English Church–particularly regarding issues of human sexuality, biblical authority, and unity–has caused deep concern among those who hold to the historic and reformed teachings of Scripture.

Her public comments show she has strayed from the clear teaching of scripture and promoted serious error that will neither advance unity nor the mission of the church.

The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury once held a symbolic leadership role in the global Anglican Communion. However, due to a tragic failure to uphold biblical teaching, successive Archbishops have forfeited the trust of orthodox Anglicans, who now look to other leaders.

The Church of England and its new leadership must urgently return to the message of faith, hope, and love entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bishop Peter Hayward
Commissary for the Archbishop of Sydney (on leave) 4 October 2025

– Public Statement from The Diocese of Sydney.

Lawyers Task Force Leader Honoured

From Gafcon:

“We give thanks to God for the ministry of Dr Robert Tong AM, who continues to serve as the Leader of our Gafcon Lawyers Task Force.

Dr Tong was honoured this week at the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia, as he retires from his formal ministry in their Synod after 55 years of service.

Join us in thanking God for his strategic mind, theological wisdom, extensive knowledge of church law, and the personal example of faith and integrity he has provided throughout his years of service.

We continue to pray for the important ministry of The Gafcon Lawyers Network, as they provide legal and canonical counsel and resources to the Primates, bishops, clergy and other leaders of Gafcon as we seek to live out the Jerusalem Declaration and its implications for our life and ministry together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the supremacy of the Holy Scriptures.”

– From Gafcon.

ACL members continue to be thankful for Robert’s long term commitment to advancing the reformed and evangelical character of the Anglican Church of Australia, particularly in the Diocese of Sydney, through Anglican Church League, including his continued service as Chairman.

What Sydney means to us – and what we mean to Sydney

“The relationship between Uganda and the Sydney Diocese goes back to 1959, and the first visit by Bishop Festo Kivengere.

The strong bonds established then continue to this day. Bishop Alfred Olwa of Lango Diocese, who is also chairman of Uganda Christian University, spoke at Synod to the Rev Dr Simon Gillham. …”

– Encouragement from SydneyAnglicans.net.

ACL Synod Dinner 2025 audio

If you missed the panel discussion at the ACL Synod Dinner on 15ht September, with the topic of Hope from the Coal Face, the audio recording is available here:

 

Our panel speakers:

The Rev Canon Bruce Morrison has been the Senior Minister at St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Parramatta for over twenty years.

The Rev Jason McPhail is the Assistant Minister at St John’s, Keiraville International Church.

Mrs Wendy Potts is the Anglicare Sydney Learning Consultant – Evangelism.

Jason McPhail and Wendy Potts contributed to the recent Hope for the Illawarra Mission.

Thanksgiving in Sydney Synod as Bathurst Diocese shares what God has been doing

On Tuesday of this week, three representatives of the Diocese of Bathurst were welcomed to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney – Bishop Mark Calder, Dr Warwick Baines (Registrar) and Adrian Ahern (Chancellor).

As shared with the Diocese of Bathurst via their Facebook page –

“Bishop Mark reported on all that God has been doing among us for his glory as we prioritise Sharing Jesus for Life.

He also thanked the Diocese of Sydney for their generous financial and prayerful support, which makes such a significant difference to the ministry here.

Finally, he shared the great need for more gospel workers, noting this would wonderfully maximise Sydney’s financial investment.”

 

These slides were used by Bishop Calder in his presentation –

The summary and further images can be seen at the Bathurst Facebook page.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, travelled to Bathurst Cathedral to speak at their Synod service tonight.

It’s all a great reminder to pray for the eternal welfare of the men and women of this huge area of NSW, and for the churches of the diocese as they are committed to Sharing Jesus for Life.

Thanks to the Diocese of Bathurst for the images.

“We will obey God”

From SydneyAnglicans.net –

“The Act purports to give churches, schools and parents permission to teach about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual activity and religion. But, respectfully, we do not need the permission of the government to teach about such things,” said Archbishop Kanishka Raffel, drawing a line in the sand in his opening address to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney.

“I want to state clearly and publicly to you all – that ‘I will stand by any clergyperson or church worker who finds themselves brought before a tribunal or court because of this poorly conceived law. We must not be silenced or intimidated from teaching God’s good plan for human sexuality and relationships. We will insist on the freedom to do so, respectfully but without fear.’ We will obey God”

The act being referred to was the NSW Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 which Premier Chris Minns promised would not restrict churches in prayer or preaching. That pledge has now been undercut by Anti-Discrimination New South Wales (ADNSW). …

– Russell Powell reports.

Kanishka Raffel and the Sydney Anglican Synod promise to stand with Christians over conversion practices laws

John Sandeman reports on Monday night’s gathering of the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney –

“Clergy, church workers, and any Christian taken before a tribunal when accused of breaching the Conversion Practices Ban Act in NSW have been assured by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel and the Sydney Anglican Synod that they will be supported. ‘I concluded by saying, and I want to say this clearly and publicly to you all, that I will stand by any clergy person or church worker who finds themselves brought before a tribunal or court because of this poorly conceived law,’ the Archbishop declared in his presidential address to the Synod, repeating an assurance he had sent to his clergy as the new law began to operate.

‘We must not be silenced’, he added. ‘We must not be silenced or intimidated from teaching God’s good plan for human sexuality and relationships. We will insist on the freedom to do so respectfully, but without fear, we will obey God. We can do nothing less.’ During the debate, Raffel made it clear his support extended to lay people caught up in tribunal hearings as well. …”

– Do read it all on this important issue.

Related:

Living Faith website.
“Living Faith is a Sydney Anglican ministry to Christian persons who experience attraction to the same sex and/or gender incongruence.”

Image: Archbishop Raffel during his Presidential Address.

Sydney Synod greenlights a five-year focus on raising church attendance – and disciples

“In yesterday’s afternoon session, Synod approved a motion encouraging parishes in the Diocese to focus on increasing church attendance by 5 per cent each year until 2030.

This grew from a report prepared in response to attendance decline in diocesan churches between 2013 and 2023, and a motion at last year’s Synod expressing repentance for where ‘we have fallen short in not giving sufficient priority, attention, reflection and resources to seeing the lost throughout the Diocese of Sydney saved by Jesus’. …”

– Judy Adamson has this report at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Keeping the main thing the main thing

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel delivered his Presidential Address at Sydney Synod tonight.

Russell Powell reports –

“I believe in conversion” was the first thing Archbishop Kanishka Raffel said to the crowd of more than 700 delegates gathered for the Sydney Anglican Synod.

“I believe in conversion because the first recorded words of Jesus’ public ministry are words that call on his hearers to be converted,” the Archbishop said. “Mark records: ‘… Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.”’ ’ (Mark 1:14) For the first time in Mark’s narrative Jesus speaks, ‘Repent and believe the gospel’.”

Recalling his own conversion from Buddhism forty years ago, the Archbishop described “Reading the Gospel alone in my room, not because I was on a search for God, but because God was on a search for me. Not knowing, despite having been told, that another friend who had been converted by the Lord when we were fourteen, had started to pray for the conversion of his Buddhist friend, and hadn’t stopped.” …

– Read it all here.

And take the time to watch the Archbishop’s full address:

Southern Cross September-October 2025

The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine – for September-October 2025 – is now available for your encouragement.

Grab a copy at your church – or see it online here.

Australian Church Record Journal — 2025 Synod edition

In time for this year’s gathering of the Sydney Synod, The Australian Church Record has released their Synod edition of the ACR Journal.

The theme of this issue: Be Careful How You Build.

“As leaders in Sydney gather for Synod and consider the future shape of our churches, we must ask: are we building with gospel wisdom?

Inside this issue:

– from The Australian Church Record. (Direct link to PDF file.)

Hear the ACL Synod Briefing Podcast

A Bounceback in Attendance – and a clear mission goal

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“Twelve months ago we heard the sobering news of a significant attendance drop in Sydney Anglican Churches. Over the decade from 2013 to 2023, weekly attendance fell by 7% – and when you factor in population growth, attendance was 14% behind.

At last year’s Sydney Anglican Synod, the mood was serious. A resolution was passed calling for confession and humble repentance – acknowledging that their hadn’t been sufficient priority, attention, reflection, or resources to seeing the lost saved by Jesus. Synod called for a five-year focus to reverse the decline – putting prayer, evangelism, church health, and leadership development at the very centre of priorities.

Ahead of this year’s Synod, there is a response. The Standing Committee appointed a subcommittee, led by the Archbishop, to bring forward concrete proposals. And what they have come back with is significant:

• A galvanising target – to pursue 5% annual growth through conversion for the next five years.
• A range of initiatives and actions designed to support churches, leaders, and congregations in this mission.

Our guests are Pete Stedman, senior minister at Norwest Anglican Church, and a member of the Archbishop’s subcommittee that has proposed the new goal, Jon Kwan, lead pastor at St. David’s Forestville and Jo Gibbs, senior consultant with Reach Australia.”

– Watch or listen here.

Evangelism and Ministry Partnerships moves to next stage

“A move to bring together the ministries of Evangelism and New Churches, Ministry Training and Development, and Anglican Media has taken a step forward with the announcement of an interim director.

The provisional board of the new Evangelism and Ministry Partnerships (EMP) group has announced that the rector of St George North, the Rev Canon Phil Colgan (pictured above), will begin as its interim head on September 1. …”

– Report and photo from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

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