Moore College: Challenging Domestic Violence

“In light of recent reminders in the news about domestic violence among ministry families, Moore College wishes once again to affirm our strong commitment to tackling domestic violence and doing all in our power to ensure that all of our students and their spouses are both safe and equipped to deal with the issue.

For several years now we have been working to address the issue in multiple ways, including …”

– Moore College has outlined the ways the college has been challenging domestic violence.

Gospel Ministry and the “Nowhere” Generation

John Chapman said, “the first 50 years are the hardest” – Phillip Jensen has been at it for more than 50 years!

Now, with Two Ways Ministries and focussing on young adults, his fresh vision connects the permanent gospel with the changing social dynamics of Sydney’s growing “Nowhere Generation”. Few people have such experience or freshness of vision for today and the future.

If you want to be involved in reaching the coming generations with the gospel of Jesus, this is an evening not to be missed.

Moore College, Thursday 30th November 7:00pm – 9:30pm. Book here.

Archbishop Glenn Davies on the same-sex marriage vote

Archbishop Glenn Davies has released this video statement on the same-sex marriage vote.

Watch and share.

A transcript has now been released.

Marriage vote returns Yes majority

Archbishop Glenn Davies –

“the way in which we have seen in other Western Democracies, the coercive effect of changing the definition of marriage has been to restrict people’s ability to hold a different point of view…”

Full story:

“Archbishop Glenn Davies says he accepts the outcome of the postal plebiscite delivered this morning but warns there must be freedom of speech, conscience and belief for Christians and others who disagree.

The national vote has been returned, with 61.6% in favour and 38.4% against. In New South Wales, the vote was 57.8% yes and 42.2% voting no.

‘Now that the outcome is that the yes vote is the majority vote on behalf of the Australian people – as I said to the Prime Minister 18 months ago on behalf of other religious leaders that if that’s what the Australian people want then we live in a democracy and I recognise and acknowledge that outcome. Therefore it is quite proper for the parliament to legislate for same-sex marriage in accordance with the will of the people – notwithstanding that it wasn’t a referendum which was compulsory voting, but almost 80 percent of people voting is a very high threshold and I accept that. That doesn’t mean I will change my views. I will still continue to teach that marriage is, in God’s plan, between a man and a woman. But I acknowledge that once the parliament passes those laws, that will no longer be the law of the land.’ Dr Davies said.

‘The consequences then are – what happens to people who want to hold to that truth. It is one thing to say, for example, we don’t have laws against adultery in this country, but I still want to say adultery is wrong – it is immoral. I want to be able to uphold that teaching without the law saying to me – no, it is not illegal, so you can’t say that. At the moment that’s not the case, but the way in which we have seen in other Western Democracies, the coercive effect of changing the definition of marriage has been to restrict people’s ability to hold a different point of view. And one of the outstanding points of democracy and human dignity – is the freedom of speech, the freedom of faith and the freedom of conscience. Therefore what the parliament needs to do now, in legislating for same-sex marriage, is to do so in a way which protects people’s liberties.’”

– Published at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Anglican Diocese of Sydney Media Statement — Manus Island

“Most Australians recognise the evil of unscrupulous people taking advantage of vulnerable people by offering to smuggle them into neighbouring countries. We now have a bipartisan policy on this issue. Yet for the vulnerable, dislocated victims of people smugglers, especially the hundreds of men who continue in limbo at the decommissioned Manus Island Centre, our hearts cry out. They have now been threatened with heavy-handed action if they do not leave. This is not the approach that should be taken for such defenceless people. We call upon our Government to act humanely in this situation and with the Government of PNG to find ways whereby these asylum seekers might find refuge and safety.”

Archbishop Glenn Davies,

13 November 2017.

Source, SydneyAnglicans.net.

Purposefully porn-free

“The Archbishop’s Taskforce for Resisting Pornography is preparing an information website for those in the Diocese and further afield who need tools to help support the rejection of porn.

“Many Christian leaders today are declaring that pornography is the single greatest issue confronting the church,” the Rev Marshall Ballantine-Jones (pictured) told members of Synod. …”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Sydney Synod support for Archbishop Davies in the Consecration of Bishop Andy Lines

Last night, the closing night of Sydney Synod for 2017, strong support was shown for Archbishop of Sydney Dr Glenn Davies, Bishop of Tasmania Richard Condie and Bishop of North West Australia Gary Nelson, who travelled to Wheaton in June to participate in the consecration of Bishop Andy Lines.

This motion was passed, and was followed by a standing ovation for Archbishop Davies, who had left the Synod chamber while the motion was debated and put.

“Synod gives thanks to God for the leadership of our Archbishop in representing our Diocese and participating in the consecration of Bishop Andy Lines as the Anglican Church in North America (“ACNC”) Missionary Bishop to Europe in Chicago on 30 June 2017.

The announcement of Bishop Lines’ consecration, within hours of the Scottish Episcopal Church announcing its amendment of canon law on marriage in order to allow same sex marriages on 8 June, was a message of hope to Scottish Episcopalians and others who have been left without faithful episcopal oversight for these stranded Christians and we rejoice that three Australian bishops (Archbishop Davies, Bishop Richard Condie and Bishop Gary Nelson) were among the consecrators.

We note with gratitude that the Archbishop took this step with the unanimous support of the Standing Committee.

We commit to continuing in prayer for Bishop Lines and all faithful Anglicans who stand for biblical truth and faithful Christian discipleship.”

Sydney Synod on the Scottish Episcopal Church decision

At the last night of Sydney Synod this motion, proposed by the Dean of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, was passed with strong support. It is the same motion he brought to the General Synod. It was passed there with some amendments.

Here is the text passed by Sydney Synod on 17 October 2017:

Synod –

a. notes with regret that the Scottish Episcopal Church has amended their Canon on Marriage to change the definition that marriage is between a man and a woman by adding a new section that allows clergy to solemnise marriage between same-sex couples as well as couples of the opposite sex,

b. declares that this step is contrary to the doctrine of Christ and the doctrine of our Church, and therefore inconsistent with the Fundamental Declarations of our Churches,

c. notes with sadness that the Scottish Episcopal Church has thereby put itself out of fellowship with the wider Anglican Communion,

d. expresses our support for those Anglicans who have left or will need to leave the Scottish Episcopal Church because of its redefinition of marriage, or who struggle to remain in good conscience, and

e. prays that the Scottish Episcopal Church will return to the doctrine of Christ in this matter and be restored to communion with faithful Anglicans around the world.

Sydney Synod 2017

Resources and news relating to Sydney Synod 2017:

Archbishop of Sydney’s Letter to churches

The Diocese of Sydney has published the text of the letter (dated Wednesday October 11, 2017) from Archbishop Glenn Davies to Sydney Anglican Churches. It was also read at Synod.

We reproduce it here for your convenience. It is also available from SydneyAnglicans.net, and as a PDF download.   Read more

Policy on responding to Domestic abuse passed by Sydney Synod

“A policy on responding to domestic abuse in churches has been passed overwhelmingly by Synod, following years of work by a Diocesan task force.

However, the chair of the taskforce, Canon Sandy Grant, has asked that it be passed provisionally, to allow for feedback on the policy, guidelines and resources from churches and abuse victims. …”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

(Photo: Archdeacon Kara Hartley, Deputy Chair of the Task Force.)

Sydney diocese donates $1m to no campaign

“The Sydney Anglican diocese has made a $1m donation to the no campaign in Australia’s postal survey on same-sex marriage.

Archbishop Glenn Davies announced the donation on Monday in his address to the 51st synod of the diocese of Sydney, telling the church that ‘removing gender from the marriage construct’ would have ‘irreparable consequences’ for society.

‘Brothers and sisters, the stakes are high and the cost is high,’ Davies said. …”

– Story from The Guardian.

(Archbishop Davies’ Presidential Address can be read via this link – PDF file.)

ACL Synod Dinner 2017 report

Each year the ACL hosts a dinner for Synod members on the first night of Synod.

This year the speaker was Paul Harrington, Rector at Trinity City, Adelaide. He spoke to a full house on the topic: ‘Being hated for the right reasons’. Speaking from his perspective of being an evangelical in the Adelaide Diocese, and being hated, by some, for his gospel conviction, he challenged us not to seek the approval of men.

He encouraged us from the words of Paul in Philippians 1: “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I will rejoice.”

–  ACL Council member Kate Haggar reports on last night’s ACL Synod Dinner at the Chapter House of St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

Timeless gospel meets changing world

“Archbishop Glenn Davies has used his Presidential Address, delivered within days of the 500 year anniversary of the start of the Reformation, as a rallying call to stand firm in proclaiming the gospel. (download full address in PDF) …”

– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.

From the Archbishop’s address:

“Brothers and sisters, as the penetration of the gospel diminishes in our society, we find ourselves being moved in a more libertarian direction under the influence of those who want to abandon the mores of the past. Yet at the same time these permissive forces who espouse the virtue of ‘tolerance’ are seeking to impose restrictions upon those who wish to maintain the values on which our nation has been founded.

This has become nowhere more apparent than in the current debate surrounding the postal survey on same-sex marriage.

While the advocates of the ‘Yes’ campaign have been unrelenting in their attempts to redefine marriage, they have also been virulent in their opposition to those who hold a contrary view.

The innocent inclusion of drinking Coopers beer in the Bible Society’s promotion of an informed and civilised debate between two politicians, each holding opposing views on same-sex marriage, is a case in point. It resulted in an uncivilised, unwarranted and malicious campaign through social media to boycott Coopers Breweries.

Similarly, a Christian doctor who appeared in an advertisement opposing same-sex marriage was subject to a campaign to have her medical registration withdrawn.

Witness also the ludicrous attempt to rename Margaret Court Arena, merely because Margaret Court, one of our greatest Australian athletes, went public on her opposition to same-sex marriage. …”

Read it all.

Christ amongst the crayons – reaching out through a multicultural, multigenerational kids ministry

“In September 2016 my husband and I planted a new multicultural service at Chester Hill Anglican. We started with 8 kids under 4 (not all ours!). Now we regularly have 30-40 kids on Sunday and many more at mid-week activities. Our kids come from very diverse ethnic backgrounds, many are refugees. My role in the church plant was to establish and grow this kids ministry. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Beth Webb shares from encouraging news from the parish of Chester Hill.

← Previous Page — Next Page →