Archbishop Peter Jensen’s statement on Pope Francis
The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen today joined other Christian leaders in welcoming the election of the new Pope, saying “The papacy continues to have huge global significance in testing times for humanity. We join those who pray that Pope Francis will use the office to further the gospel of Jesus Christ for the sake of all humanity.”
Other statements – via The Bible Society.
Moore College Graduation 2013 — Report
“Last night 92 graduates received their awards from the college. City Recital Hall was packed with over 600 guests who were family, friends of the graduates and supporters of the college…”
– story from the Moore College website.
Also on the website: An Invitation to the Commissioning of Dr Mark Thompson as the 13th Principal of the College, on Thursday 6th June, 7:00pm at St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
Chappo’s preaching
“From the day that Jesus saved John, there was no-one more impressive or wonderful for John than Jesus. Did he ever get tired of telling people about Jesus in the gospels, or of stringing together the things Jesus did so you could see his greatness?”
– Another reminder that remembering John Chapman means pointing to Jesus. Simon Manchester writes in The Briefing. (Photo: St Thomas’ North Sydney.)
St. Helen’s Thanksgiving service for Chappo
The video from the Thanksgiving service for John Chapman, held at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London a week ago (1st March 2013), is now available on Vimeo.
Participants include William Taylor, Dick Lucas, Richard Bewes and Hugh Palmer.
Dick Lucas remembered the first time he met Chappo – and Hugh Palmer preached from Romans 1.
The video runs for 51 minutes and is most edifying.
Moore College Graduation 2013
Moore College 2013 Graduation Tuesday 12th March –
“Moore encourages you to extend this invitation to others in your church, lay members, clergy and staff.”
In a little while – thanking God for Chappo
“My generation missed Chappo. I think I heard him preach once, maybe twice. By the time I went through Moore Theological College he was no longer the one giving sermon feedback. Others were the regular evangelists up at the Katoomba conventions when I attended them.
I heard a number of his jokes — even I knew of his encouragement of younger Christians with words along the lines of ‘Don’t worry, the first 40 years are the hardest’ — but I heard most of these stories from others who knew him better, or had heard him more often.”
– Coinciding with the day of a special Thanksgiving service in London, Sam Freeney explains why The Briefing (March/April 2013) will carry some special appreciations of our dear brother John Chapman.
The ACL commits to Prayer for the election of the next Archbishop of Sydney
The Election Synod to choose a new Archbishop of Sydney is set for August 5th – 9th 2013.
The ACL is planning Prayer Meetings in June to pray for the election.
The February meeting of the Council of the Anglican Church League passed this Resolution, which was proposed by ACL President The Rev. Gav Poole –
“The ACL confirms its longstanding practice of not promoting a preferred candidate for the Archbishop’s election.
It is noted that all members, councillors and executive are free to participate in the election on a personal basis.
And the ACL commits itself to organise prayer meetings around the diocese calling upon God for a new Archbishop who will uphold the Evangelical character of our diocese.”
Please stay tuned for details of the forthcoming Prayer meetings, and please commit to seeking the Lord in prayer on this matter.
Call for prayer after tragedy hits Youthworks team
“A member of the Youthworks Shoalhaven team has been killed in a motor bike accident on the way to work…”
– More at SydneyAnglicans.net.
2013 Priscilla & Aquila Centre conference talks online
Video and audio files from the 2013 Priscilla & Aquila Centre conference at Moore College have now been posted online – at the Priscilla & Aquila website.
Guarding the Gospel
Moore College Principal-elect Dr Mark Thompson –
“On one occasion I heard [Archbishop Marcus Loane] remark with concern that a new generation of clergy had no idea at what great cost the diocese of Sydney had been won for the evangelical cause or how easily it could all be lost…”
Read it all here:
I did not know Archbishop Marcus Loane well. I did know, of course, that he was one of the truly great Archbishops of Sydney (there have been a few — Frederic Barker comes to mind, though he was never actually styled ‘Archbishop’, as do Howard Mowll, Donald Robinson and Peter Jensen). Nevertheless, he had retired the year before I entered Moore College as a student and, though over the next twenty years or so I heard loads of Marcus Loane stories (and even more impersonations of his unique voice and speaking style), I had very few opportunities to meet with him. When those opportunities came, though, they always left a deep impression. Read more
Archbishop Jensen on the 225th Anniversary of Australia’s first Christian service
Here’s Archbishop Peter Jensen’s sermon given at St. Philip’s York Street on February 3rd 2013. It was the 225th Anniversary of the first sermon preached in the Colony of New South Wales, by the Rev Richard Johnson.
“Today we have little concept of the difficulties and dangers through which the First Fleet passed in order to deliver its cargo to these shores. Its arrival here was a masterpiece of organisation, skill and courage.
Given the ubiquity of modern communications, we can scarcely imagine what it was like to travel so far with little chance of report or cry for help. We forget how rarely European ships had passed this way and how uncharted the sea was. We can scarcely conceive how frail their ships were, how powerful the forces of nature that imperilled them, how lacking in the technical instruments by which the path may be found and the course traversed in safety.
I think we may say that in truth the voyage of the First Fleet was one of the greatest feats of seamanship in recorded history. …”
– Read it all at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Sydney Ordinations 2013
Thirty four candidates have been ordained to various ministries at a service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Russell Powell has the encouraging story at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Launch of ‘Common Prayer’ — February 6th
The Archbishop of Sydney’s Liturgical Panel and Anglican Press Australia are launching new Common Prayer: Resources for gospel-shaped gatherings on Wednesday February 6 at 4:00 pm.
The venue is the Chapter House at St Andrew’s Cathedral and an invitation has gone to all Rectors and members of ministry teams. RSVP Friday February 1 to Andrew Eisenhauer on 8268 3316.
(Copies of Common Prayer will be available for purchase on the day.)
Moore College ‘Big Day In’ — Sat 2nd Feb
“Moore College is holding its annual Big Day In on February 2 to welcome and orient new students to the college. …
Starting at Moore College you no doubt have a lot of questions and uncertainties, and the Big Day In is designed specifically to familarise you with the campus and culture.”
The Best Christmas Ever
“Christmas 2012 turned out to be the best Christmas ever! Who would have thought that we would have such a large congregation on Christmas night itself! Nearly all our initiatives worked better than anybody expected. In terms of congregational members’ involvement, evangelistic outreach, follow up contact cards, and conducting different gatherings, a whole new way of programming Christmas has been created for 2013.
To call it “the best Christmas ever” is a great claim that is of course slightly ridiculous…”
– Dean of Sydney, Phillip Jensen, looks back at Christmas 2012 at the Cathedral.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…