The Good Book Company to launch in US

“The Good Book Company is a Christian resourcing agency that began in the UK and grew out of the need for attractive, quality, practical materials for gospel work, which don’t compromise on the essentials of the Christian faith. It has a particular focus on daily devotional reading, small group Bible study, outreach, discipleship and resources for youth and children.

From the 2nd February 2009, The Good Book Company will make available its full range of resources to churches and individuals in North America from its new US-based website.”

– This should be of interest to our North American readers. Their website will be online from Monday.

New England churches hear about ‘Jesus. All about life’

News from The Bible Society of NSW –

At the invitation of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Brain, Bishop of the Armidale Anglican Diocese, Karl Faase and Martin Johnson spoke this week at four meetings across the Diocese to promote interest in a regional ‘Jesus. All about life’ (JAAL) campaign. Read more

Connect09 public website online

Connect09’s public website is now online.

Please be encouraged to check it out and consider how you could use it to point others to the Lord Jesus.

Sovereign Grace sale

Bob Kauflin announces a sale at Sovereign Grace.

“Well, we figure that most of us have been affected by the present economic crisis. We want to do whatever we can to make it easier for people to benefit from what we produce. We want to serve churches and individuals by providing biblically informed, gospel-centered resources at a low cost.”

– with reduced international shipping as well, this may be of interest. (h/t BTW.)

Welsh Primate says new Province is ‘total nonsense’

The Primate of the Church in Wales will oppose any attempt to form a parallel Anglican jurisdiction when the primates of the Anglican Communion meet next week in Alexandria, Egypt. …

On Jan. 24, Archbishop Barry Morgan of Wales told delegates attending the annual council meeting of the Diocese of Virginia he would oppose the creation of the ACNA with “every fibre of his body.”

– Report from The Living Church. (Photo: The Church in Wales.)

New chair of CEEC: Interview

From the UK:

“For Anglican Evangelicals, 2008 ended badly. After a divisive consultation in November, the Church of England’s Evangelical Council (CEEC) chairman, Dr Richard Turnbull, quit, and an appropriate successor seemed hard to find. Now, after a unanimous vote by the CEEC, a new leader has been appointed to begin 2009 on a more promising note. The Venerable Michael Lawson is the Archdeacon of Hampstead. …”

– Interview with the new CEEC Chairman, Archdeacon Michael Lawson, from Religious Intelligence.

Episcopal church starting from scratch

“The mission parish was created by the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York following last month’s departure of most members of the former St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, a large, conservative congregation that had been at odds for years with the direction of the national church. …

Now Gordy has the job of trying to pick up the pieces for the Episcopal Diocese. She begins with a parish of four people and a determination to get past the past. …

Sunday, Gordy said goodbye to her current congregation, Trinity Church on Delaware Avenue, perhaps the diocese’s most theologically progressive parish…”

– Report from The Buffalo News. (See this earlier post from Oct 2008 for context.)

Canberra consecration on Saturday

Stuart Robinson will be consecrated as Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn at a service at 11:00am on Saturday 31st January 2009 in St. Saviour’s Cathedral, Goulburn.

North Hobart church building preserved

“The Anglican Church has agreed to pass ownership of the Holy Trinity Church building, in Hobart, to the Greek Orthodox Church thus protecting its future and ensuring the site remains used for Christian worship. …

In March of 2007 the Holy Trinity Parish Council… petitioned Bishop Harrower to close the Holy Trinity building. This was in response to a comprehensive report from an expert heritage architect which put the cost of restoration and upkeep of Holy Trinity at around $4million.”

– Press release from the Diocese of Tasmania.

Virginia goes over the brink

“This is not California, or El Camino Real, or even North Carolina. Virginia has long defined the ‘moderate middle’ of the Episcopal Church, and for that reason among others I believe the passage of this resolution will send shockwaves through the entire church. I also have to believe that if this is what has happened in Virginia in January, we’re in for a real circus come July in Anaheim.”

– Greg Griffith at Stand Firm writes about the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia’s Annual Council meeting held in Reston, Virginia, on January 23 & 24.

(h/t Anglican Mainstream.) Photo of Bishop Peter Lee: Diocese of Virginia.

Abortion and Obama’s first few days

Here was President Obama’s statement on abortion yesterday, released late in the day:

“On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose. …”

– Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds provides the text of the President’s statement as well as some reflections.

Fort Worth Asst Bp Wantland ‘removed and released’ by TEC Presiding Bishop

“Dr. Schori:

This will acknowledge electronic receipt on this date of a letter apparently not mailed to me, but dated January 15, 2009, purporting to ‘accept’ my letter to you dated November 15, 2008 as a Renunciation of my Orders.

As you must know, my letter specifically declared that ‘I am not resigning my Orders’. …”

– Assistant Bishop William C. Wantland of the Diocese of Fort Worth responds to a letter from the TEC Presiding Bishop. Read it on the Fort Worth website. (And here’s the Episcopal Life version.)

‘Magic’ goat arrested for armed robbery

“Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.

Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323. …”

– Report at ABC News. (image adapted from Google maps.)

Episcopal diocese funds frozen

Financial services firm Morgan Stanley has frozen the accounts of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh because it is unsure who should be allowed to access them. …

In October, a group that represents about 60 percent of the local parishes voted to join the more theologically conservative Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. …

On Nov. 20, the group that voted against leaving the diocese wrote to Morgan Stanley about the assets. Its leaders claim they have not been able to use any of the $20 million in diocesan assets or personnel files since the split. …

– Read the full report from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pittsburgh Anglican website. Pittsburgh Episcopal website.