The how and why of Bible reading – and why we should do it more
“According to the recent National Church Life Survey, 47 per cent of Sydney Anglicans say they read their Bible every day and 75 per cent of them a few times a week. This is a very encouraging statistic!
During the pandemic, newspapers reported something of a revival in personal “spiritual practices”, including reading “holy texts”, prayer and meditation. No doubt many Christians also found that being forced to stay at home lent itself to reviving personal Bible reading and time with God in a more disciplined way.
The Scriptures emphasise both the importance and also the sheer joy and privilege of meeting God in his word …”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel encourages us to continue to hear and respond to God’s word. He writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Resources to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
From SydneyAnglicans.net:
“Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has commended the work of Anglicare as the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on November 25. …”
Image: Anglicare resources website.
Meet the late starter taking up Chappo’s flag
“In Christian terms, Dave Jensen could be considered a late starter. When the figures tell us that 78 per cent of Christians turn to faith in the years up to age 19, conversion in his late twenties has made him a determined spreader of the good news. …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell writes of Dave Jensen’s new role.
Related:
What is a Christian? — book by Dave Jensen.
Southern Cross magazine November – December 2023
The latest issue of the Diocese of Sydney’s Southern Cross magazine for November – December 2023 is online. Download it here.
Printed copies will also be available in churches.
Howard Guinness and the beginnings of evangelical university ministry in Australia
At an event at Moore College on 1st November, Dr Ruth Lukabyo spoke on the legacy of Dr Howard Guinness –
“Dr Howard Guinness, of the well-known Irish brewing family, was sent to Australia in 1930 by Inter-Varsity Fellowship to develop Christian student groups on university campuses. His visit was the catalyst for the establishment of Sydney University and Melbourne University Evangelical Unions on the basis of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During his later parish ministry in Broadway and Vaucluse, his ongoing involvement in EU missions has left a lasting legacy in university campus ministry.”
– The video is now available to watch. (At time of posting, the event begins 37 minutes and 30 seconds into the video, though the video might later be edited.)
At the end of Dr Lukabyo’s presentation, Mary Jones, Howard’s daughter, shares recollections of her father.
Related:
Howard and Dorothy Mowll – Global Anglican Pioneers
Published recently by Latimer Publications in the UK, “Howard and Dorothy Mowll – Global Anglican Pioneers” is sure to be of interest to many.
From the Latimer Trust website:
“God’s blessing upon the Diocese of Sydney in the election of Howard Mowll as its sixth Diocesan Bishop in 1933 is clearly evident in these pages.
Despite the inadvertent loss of his personal papers, the authors of this fine anthology provide an insightful and informative account of the ministry of Archbishop Mowll across four continents. These scholarly chapters provide a rich tapestry of the outstanding leadership of Mowll not only in the Diocese of Sydney but throughout Australia and beyond. His zeal for a robust theological education, energetic evangelism and a vision for youth ministry made a formidable impact on Evangelical Anglicanism in Sydney.
This book is long overdue in celebrating the legacy of Howard Mowll, arguably the most significant and effective Archbishop of Sydney of the twentieth century.
Glenn N Davies, Archbishop of Sydney 2013-2021.”
The book has its origin in the 2021 Moore College Library Day and is edited by Erin Mollenhauer, Senior Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Moore College’s Donald Robinson Library.
It’s available direct from Latimer Trust – and also via these booksellers.
“Jesus has come to invade the realm of darkness”
“Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has visited the Diocese’s newest Anglican building, Leppington Anglican Church, celebrating ministry to what has become known as the ‘new southwest’. …
The church’s opening was disrupted by COVID and the service was the first opportunity to mark the event. …”
– Leppington opens as ‘new SouthWest’ emerges.
Russell Powell writes of Hope Anglican Church at Leppington.
Embedded in the article is the video of the service, including an interview with the Archbishop, and his sermon. The Archbishop reminds us, “Jesus has come to invade the realm of darkness”.
“To know and love the indigenous people of this land”
In his response to the Voice Referendum result, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel says there should be renewed effort towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ministry.
“The people of Australia have now spoken on the Voice to Parliament,” the Archbishop said in a statement. “Whatever your reaction to the outcome it is timely to remember what the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee affirmed this year – it is God’s voice that is sovereign over all peoples and lands.”…
– Read Russell Powell’s report at SydneyAnglicans.net – complete with a brief video message from the Archbishop.
Full statement below:
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Public Statement
The people of Australia have now spoken on the Voice to Parliament.
Whatever your reaction to the outcome it is timely to remember what the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee affirmed this year – it is God’s voice that is sovereign over all peoples and lands.
The conversation around the referendum highlights the need for reconciliation with the indigenous people of this land and should spur us on to the true work of reconciliation through Jesus.
Our ministries of care and education for and by indigenous people, through Anglicare and our schools, are an important part of this.
I was encouraged by our last Synod warmly welcoming and listening to the voices of our indigenous brothers and sisters. I recall the words of the Rev Michael Duckett who challenged us to spend as much time as we have spent talking about the Voice, talking about the spread of the gospel among first nations people.
“Put your efforts and your prayers,” he said “into the spread of the gospel among my people here so the Sydney Diocese can showcase to the world what it means to be reconciled to the First Nations peoples through Christ Jesus.”
What a wonderful and humbling vision! To know and love the indigenous people of this land. To direct our prayers and our efforts into helping to raise up the next generation of ministry leaders. To pray for First Nations people, young and old, to know the Lord.
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us, so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. PS 67:1,2
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
15 October 2023.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s statement on antisemitism
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement
In recent days we have witnessed repugnant expressions of antisemitism in Sydney which have appalled most Australians and heightened fears among the Jewish community.
The conduct of some individuals in our city including flag burnings and aggressive verbal incitements to violence against Jewish people have shocked and repulsed our city. It deserves the strongest condemnation and must not be tolerated.
I have joined other faith leaders in calling for national unity and harmony so that our multi-cultural, multi-faith community may continue to thrive without hate or violence.
I urge all people, whether they adhere to a faith or not, to reject antisemitism in all its forms. I call on all community leaders to deplore the vilification which we have seen recently and pursue harmony, mutual respect and peace.
Anglicans in Sydney, including my predecessors as Archbishop, have had a history of warm and constructive relations with the Jewish community. In Psalm 23 King David, whom Jews and Christians both honour, wrote of walking through the valley of the shadow of death, comforted by the goodness of God. So we pray that those who mourn will be comforted, strengthened and protected in these times of darkness and sorrow.
The sin of antisemitism has a long and shameful history. It must be repudiated in the strongest terms. My prayer is that all Australians offer to our Jewish fellow citizens every assurance of support and love.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
13 October 2023
Source: SydneyAnglicans.net
Prayer for Israel — Diocese of Sydney Media release
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement from Archbishop Raffel
Sydney Anglicans have been shocked and distressed to hear of the attacks on the Jewish people and the State of Israel that have taken place over the last 24 hours. We express our deep sympathy for the families of those who have suffered the loss of loved ones through these indiscriminate attacks, and also for those in Gaza suffering through no fault of their own. We assure the Jewish community in Sydney of our prayers for those injured or in danger and for the establishment of lasting peace and security. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and long for the day when swords will be beaten into ploughshares. (Is 2:4)
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
October 8, 2023
– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net
Howard Guinness and the beginnings of evangelical university ministry in Australia
Coming up at Moore College on Wednesday 1st November –
“Dr Howard Guinness, of the well-known Irish brewing family, was sent to Australia in 1930 by Inter-Varsity Fellowship to develop Christian student groups on university campuses. His visit was the catalyst for the establishment of Sydney University and Melbourne University Evangelical Unions on the basis of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During his later parish ministry in Broadway and Vaucluse, his ongoing involvement in EU missions has left a lasting legacy in university campus ministry.
Dr Ruth Lukabyo will examine Dr Guinness’ work and legacy in this free event.”
– Details and booking from the College.
For more background see:
Remembering Howard Guinness – including Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane’s sermon at the funeral of Dr. Guinness in 1979.
Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane remembers the beginnings of the SUEU – audio recording from 1980.
Bishop Glenn Davies speaks about the ACL
ACL Council Member Michael Latten reports on last week’s visit to Moore College of Bishop Dr Glenn Davies:
On 21 September, 42 students and faculty members came to an Anglican Church League lunchtime talk at Moore College.
Former Archbishop of Sydney and Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Cross, Glenn Davies, with his characteristic wit and humour, outlined the impact of the ACL over the last 100 years in establishing and sustaining the Protestant, Reformed, and evangelical character of the Sydney Diocese and in supporting evangelicals in Australia and beyond.
While Bishop Davies noted the strong influence of the ACL in Sydney on diocesan elections today, he warned that we must never take for granted the evangelical character of the diocese. Like those who came before us, we too must contend for the gospel in Sydney and beyond.
Southern Cross magazine Sept-Oct 2023
The latest copy of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is now out and will be available in parishes.
You can also read it online, or download your PDF copy.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral Community Garden
Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant writes in the Cathedral newsletter about plans for a new ministry space at the Cathedral:
“Friends in Christ, it was a pleasure to show the site and plans for the Cathedral Community Garden to many in-person attenders last Sunday. It was obvious that seeing it ‘from the inside’ as it were is really helpful to imagining what an excellent outdoor ministry space it could be for the Cathedral and for the community.
For example, you could easily imagine a BarBQ there in the summer shade, and how much easier it will be to welcome people into the Chapter House, as well as improved wheelchair access to the Cathedral proper.
To remind you, the project will provide a community garden that will
- adorn one of the city’s premier civic and heritage precincts,
- provide rare and valuable deep-soil CBD green-space,
- be often open to the public,
- add valuable outdoor ministry space to the Cathedral ministries, such as Cathedral Kids, ESL and community chaplaincy for the needy,
- and be available as an educational space to SACS and Gawura (Indigenous) School as desired.
Completing the Garden will also remove the eye-sore of a building rubble site that has stood unusable behind hoardings next to our beautiful Cathedral for well over two decades.
Let me put all that into a bit of historical context…”
– Read about the plans at the Cathedral website.
Now, where and how for Sydney Anglicans – with Raj Gupta and Zac Veron
From the Pastor’s Heart, an important episode on the future of the Anglican Church in Sydney –
“We engage in a ‘Stockdale Paradox’ discussion, confronting the brutal facts about attendance, finances and National Church Life Survey data about mission, newcomers and maturity.
Plus we review the recent Sydney Anglican Synod debate where leader after leader poured out their heart.
The gap is widening between the diocese’s declining attendance and Sydney’s growing population.
- While there are COVID factors, the National Church Life Survey trends are clearly observable and are worrying.
- There’s a difference between having a heart for evangelism and knowing how to engage effectively.
- While gross giving has increased, real giving (adjusted for inflation) seems to be down.
- There’s a clear difficulty with strategic planning and implementation.
- What to do about the accelerating trend of people moving to larger churches.
We look at the hard facts and attempt to chart a way forward.
Zac Veron is the senior minister of Bayside Anglican Church, Sydney.
Raj Gupta is the senior minister of Carlingford Anglican Church, Sydney.”
– Watch or listen here (though it’s recommended you watch so you can see the charts).
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…