A Service of Prayer for those affected by the Bushfires

St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney is holding a service of prayer for all affected by the Bushfires.

It’s this coming Sunday, 19th January 2020 at 10:30am.

(The Cathedral is located at the corner of George and Bathurst Streets in Sydney.)

The Recruitment Problem

“While I was training at Moore Theological College (2012- 2015) the constant rhetoric was that the Sydney Anglican Diocese was oversupplied with full-time gospel workers. We were warned from the very beginning of the need to be creative in funding our own Sydney Anglican positions if we were to stay in Sydney.

From one perspective, this was a great win for the Kingdom! It forced many people to consider full-time gospel ministry outside Sydney and caused those who wanted to stay in Sydney to consider the cost of staying. …”

– The Australian Church Record has republished this article by Mike Leite in the ACR’s Journal for Summer 2019.

Photo: Moore College, 1956.

Anglican Aid NSW Bushfire Appeal

“The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has launched an appeal to allow immediate response to the devastating bushfires raging in NSW.”

Image: worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/

Church leaders use Christmas message to spread hope for the new year

“Millions of Australians have today celebrated the spirit of Christmas with family and friends.”

– Report and Image from Seven News Sydney (on Facebook).

‘God is with us’: Anglican Archbishop’s Christmas message to us

“The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has told Mark Levy no trouble, bushfire or any other event can separate people from the love and comfort of God in Jesus.”

– Archbishop Glenn Davies was interviewed on Sydney’s 2GB this morning.

Gary Koo consecrated as Bishop of Western Sydney

“A warm smile and a ready handshake was everywhere as the new Bishop of Western Sydney was consecrated at St John’s Cathedral in Parramatta on Friday night, 20th December.

The Reverend Gary Siew Leong Koo was one of their own and many western Sydney clergy and congregation members came out to see him consecrated at the regional Cathedral. …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net has the story and some photos.

Jesus is God with us

Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies has released his Christmas Message for 2019 – in both text and video formats.

It would be ideal to play at services on Christmas Day – and to feature it on your church website.

Diocese of Sydney Response to Second Exposure Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill

Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney

Media Statement

The Release of the Second Exposure Draft of the Religious Discrimination Bill

We appreciate the thorough way in which the government has approached this issue and takes seriously the deeply-held views of people of faith.

In particular, I am encouraged by a number of changes in the second exposure draft. The respect given to faith charities is an important model for the future harmony of Australian society.

Personal faith and the activities of religious communities touch so many areas of our lives. As the Prime Minister has pointed out, we have laws preventing discrimination on race, sex, age or disabilities and faith should likewise be protected.

We look forward to providing further feedback on the updated Bill.

Glenn N Davies,

Archbishop of Sydney

10 December 2019.

Source: SydneyAnglicans.net

The massive impact Moore College is having worldwide

“Moore College’s Preliminary Theological Certificate is used to train people for ministry across the world, and the Diocese’s new Bishop for International Relations, Malcolm Richards, gave Synod members a snapshot of some of the impact it is having across the globe. …”

– Here’s cause for great thanksgiving – and prayer – from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Attending to the National Soul: Book launch Thursday 12 December

Here’s an invitation to all ACL members and others interested in Australian history:

Attending to the National Soul – Evangelical Christians in Australian History 1914 – 2014 by Stuart Piggin and Robert D. Linder follows the highly awarded book The Fountain of Public Prosperity – Evangelical Christians in Australian History 1740–1914, which was published in 2018.

Both volumes are the result of thirty years’ research and writing. Read more

The Rev Gary Koo announced as next Bishop of Western Sydney

“The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has announced he has appointed the Rev Gary Koo to be the next Bishop of Western Sydney.

Currently the Senior Minister at St Paul’s, Carlingford & North Rocks, Bishop-designate Koo has extensive experience in multi-congregational churches and in Chinese ministry in the west of Sydney.

The son of Malaysian migrants, Mr Koo was raised an atheist until he decided to follow Jesus while studying medicine at the University of New South Wales. …”

– Read the full media release at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Archbishop calls for compassion for bushfire victims

In a tweet today, Archbishop Glenn Davies has urged all Christians to continue to show compassion for bushfire victims, and to pray for the threat to ease.

He refers to Luke 13:1-5, where Jesus warns against ascribing a particular tragedy as a direct judgment of God.

Related:

Media Release from The Australian Christian Lobby:

The Australian Christian Lobby is responding to requests from the media to comment on Israel Folau’s recent sermon.

“Sermons don’t lend themselves to quick soundbites, and the media’s attempts to paraphrase a sermon has caused some unnecessary angst,” said ACL Managing Director, Martyn Iles, “For one thing, Israel did not claim to know that the current bushfires are God’s direct judgement for same-sex marriage.”

“Nobody knows God’s mind, nor do they understand ultimately why bad things happen,” Mr Iles added, “We do know that the Bible says God is sovereign over everything, and He is ‘our ever-present help in times of trouble.’ (Ps 46:1)”

“A call to turn our minds and hearts to God in challenging days such as these is supported by all Christians,” Mr Iles confirmed, “Churches across Australia are not only offering practical support to victims, firefighters, and communities, but are also praying for rain, for repentance, and for God’s plan in people’s lives to be strengthened even through difficulty.”

“Not all Australians will resonate with these beliefs, but the many who do shouldn’t be threatened or lose their freedoms,” Mr Iles urged.

The Australian Christian Lobby calls on Australians to pray for our nation, and to help those who are doing it tough, including victims, firefighters and their communities.

ENDS.

Moore College End of Academic Year Community Chapel 2019


Moore College held its End of the Academic Year Community Chapel this morning.

For your edification, you can watch it here.

2019 Sydney Synod Summary

The Sydney Diocesan Secretary, Daniel Glynn, has sent Rectors, Synod representatives, wardens and parish councillors a very helpful summary of what happened at Sydney Synod in 2019.

The Summary is available as a PDF file from the Sydney Diocesan Services website.

Urgent prayer for our country

The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has announced the opening of a bushfire appeal as one million hectares of land has been burned already this fire season. Tuesday, Nov 12, has been declared a day of catastrophic fire danger.

Archbishop Davies has appealed for Anglicans and other Christians to pray fervently in light of the danger facing New South Wales, Queensland and other parts of the country.

Dr Davies has written a prayer, which reads:

A prayer for Our Country, in drought and fire.

Our heavenly Father, creator of all things and especially the creator of this land and its original peoples, we call out to you in these desperate times as we see the first catastrophic fire warnings for New South Wales, as fires have already swept across several parts of our land.

Our hearts cry out to you in desperation for those whose properties are affected by ravaging fires and whose very lives are in danger.

Father we pray, in your mercy, restrain the forces of nature from creating catastrophic damage; in your mercy protect human life.

Guard those who selflessly step into the breach to fight these fires. Guide police and authorities who help evacuate and shelter those who are displaced.  Bring comfort and healing to all who suffer loss.

Remembering that long ago you extended your hand through your servant Moses to stop the waters and then to return the waters to their normal course, so we pray for rain. 

In your mercy, we pray for drenching rain. 

We pray that despite the forecasts, in your miraculous power you would bring forth rain to quench these fires and to bring life back into the earth, so that crops may grow and farmers may bring forth the harvest of the land again.

We bring these requests before your throne, in the name of your Son, who died and rose again for our deliverance,

Amen.

The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid appeal page can be found here.

– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.

Further, the Archbishop has written to all Rectors, Assistant Ministers and Chaplains:

“I have announced a special appeal by the Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid to raise tax-deductible funds for those affected.

Funds raised from this appeal will help those who miss out on NSW government emergency assistance. I encourage you to circulate the details of the appeal and encourage your congregation to support it https://www.anglicanaid.org.au/nsw-bushfire-appeal or please telephone (02) 9284 1406.  More importantly, funds from this appeal will come with prayer and human connection. Our donations are a tangible symbol of God’s grace to us all.  Donations for this appeal are tax deductible.

Sadly, there are fires burning right now in the Anglican Dioceses of Grafton, Armidale, Newcastle, Bathurst, Brisbane and Sydney, but we can rejoice that there are established churches on the ground in the places most seriously affected, providing an existing network of prayer and the delivery of financial assistance.

All funds donated to the Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid appeal will go to Anglican churches in the affected areas, so that specific distributions can be made to those most affected within their communities.”

← Previous Page — Next Page →