A creative approach to reaching people

“Mission happens wherever Christians find themselves. Pilgrim Hill is an example of a very creative approach to reaching people with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pilgrim Hill, which is not yet opened, will be a family-run hostel for travellers in Tasmania’s Huon Valley…”

– The Mission Partners website reports on this innovative venture to help pilgrims lose their burdens. (HD version of the opening video here.)

Scottish government ‘forgets’ Christmas

“The Scottish Government has come under fire for completely failing to mention Christmas in its ‘Winter Festivals’ programme. In an official news release the Government mentions St Andrew’s Day eleven times, Hogmanay five times and Burns Night several times. But Christmas is not mentioned at all. …” – More political correctness, as reported by The Christian Institute.

Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane — in photos

See the photo gallery here.

South Carolina Bishop and Clergy meet to discuss ‘serious charges’

From the Diocese of South Carolina:

“the Episcopal Church is in a constitutional crisis in which its own polity is being radically altered in violation of its history and founding documents”

“In an atmosphere of prayerful solemnity, the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina gathered at Saint James Church, James Island, S.C. for more than two hours on Tuesday, October 12. In focus were the “serious charges” that have been made against Bishop Mark Lawrence and the diocese under the new Title IV canons. Read more

Sydney Synod opposes adoption of Anglican Communion Covenant

As had been widely expected, the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney today moved to oppose the adoption of the Anglican Communion Covenant.

The text of the motion was as follows –

“Synod, noting the report on the Anglican Communion Covenant provided in response to resolution 19/10 –

(a) opposes the adoption of the Anglican Communion Covenant by the Anglican Church of Australia, and

(b) adopts the report and requests that a suitable form of the report be sent to the Standing Committee of the General Synod.”

For background reading, see –

Sydney Synod Report 19/10 – a report from the Standing Committee. (PDF)
The Faith Once for All Delivered – An Australian Evangelical Response to the Windsor Report. (2005)
The Anglican Debacle: Roots and Patterns – Dr Mark Thompson.
GAFCON.

From the report 19/10 – Comments on five theological objections to the Covenant:
Read more

Abp Peter Jensen Presidential Address Synod 2011

This afternoon, Archbishop Peter Jensen delivered his Presidential Address to the 2011 meeting of Sydney Synod.

“The Word which has been given to us to defend and proclaim is powerful. In saving sinners and creating churches, it confronts the social and spiritual problems of our day with God’s vision for the good life as well as his promises for eternal life. We have a Word which in blessing individuals has the capacity to renew, revive and restore human community in an age corrupted by selfish materialism and individualism…”

You can download the full text of his address as a PDF file from SydneyAnglicans.net.

(Here’s a report from The Sydney Morning Herald.)

October 2011 Church Record online

The latest issue of The Australian Church Record is now online.

Includes:
Welcome to the 49th Synod – editorial
Knox/Robinson for Today – Mark Thompson
Meet the Secretariat’s CEO
What Kind of Bishop? – Gerald Bray

UV Festival

Looking for a school holiday activity with Good News for the children? Check out the UV Festival at Chapter House on Wednesday 28th September – at Kidzlink.

‘Anglican Church of Canada worship returns to St. John’s Shaughnessy’

“The Venerable John Stephens, Archdeacon of Vancouver has arranged a rota of clergy to conduct Sunday services and musicians to lead the music in worship beginning Sunday, September 25th at 11am with a Celebration of Holy Communion. …”

– from the Diocese of New Westminister website.

And from the St. John’s Vancouver website:

“We will pray that He will continue to use this space for His glory, and that many may come to know Him in it in the future.”

“On September 18, we will have regular services at 8am, 10am, and 6:30pm. The 10am service will finish differently. Near the end of the 10am service we will thank God for his grace at giving us our home at St. John’s Shaughnessy for the better part of the last century. We will pray that He will continue to use this space for His glory, and that many may come to know Him in it in the future. We will then depart the building together and drive to our new location at 5350 Baillie, arriving together. We will thank God for his grace and provision and sing . After this, at approximately noon, a light lunch will be served at our new location and there will be an opportunity to explore where ministries will be happening and enjoy our new home.”

Quiz Worx appeal

During September, the Quiz Worx team, who do terrific gospel ministry with kids, are seeking to raise funds to support their work.
(Check out their resources.)

Summer School 2012

CMS NSW has now opened registration for the 2012 Summer School.

Defence Sunday 2011 — 6th November

The Anglican Defence Force Chaplains are encouraging the observance of Defence Sunday on 6th November (the Sunday before Remembrance Day).

There are around 100 Anglican clergy serving in Afghanistan, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Australia and elsewhere.

There are a number of Defence Chaplains in the Sydney area. Archdeacon to the Air Force, Kevin Russell (e-mail Kevin.russell@defence.gov.au) would be delighted to field enquiries about having one of them come to your church – to open the Scriptures and to share about pastoral needs and gospel ministry in the Defence Force.

(The new under-development website is at defenceanglicans.org.au.)

Christian Doctors oppose South Australian ‘End of Life’ bill

Here’s a press release from the Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship of Australia, relating to a bill (Herald Sun story) before the South Australian parliament –

“Christian Doctors Oppose Keys ‘End of Life’ Bill

The South Australian branch of the Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship of Australia (CMDFA) joins with many individuals and groups throughout South Australia, including the AMA South Australian branch and the Law Society (SA branch) to oppose the proposed amendments that would increase the vulnerability of patients by making it easier for doctors to provide treatment that shortened a person’s life. Read more

‘The PC brigade kills off Jesus Christ’

“A Decision to use politically correct terms – which do not mention Jesus Christ – for dates BC and AD in the new national history curriculum was an act of Christian cleansing, church leaders said yesterday. …

Removing BC and AD from the curriculum was an “intellectually absurd attempt to write Christ out of human history”, Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen said yesterday…”

– story from The Daily Telegraph.