50 years on: Santa never made it into Darwin, but Christian journo Ramon Williams did

Fifty years ago, in the early hours of Christmas morning 1974, the city of Darwin was devastated by Cyclone Tracy.

At John Sandeman’s The Other Cheek, Jon Guyer at Panania Anglican Church shares some recollections from Ramon Williams, the grandmaster of Christian journalism, on his lightning trip to Darwin, a city ravaged by Cyclone Tracy.

Also see Ramon’s account of his trip to Darwin in this 2018 interview with The Rev Keith Garner at the Wesley Mission:

Top photo with thanks to Anglican Media Sydney.

Ramon has generously shared many of his photographs with us over the years and we are immensely grateful. See some of them in these posts.

The Astronaut who left NASA to help support healthy churches

“In spring 2021, Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC) in Washington, DC, had nine pastoral interns. Eight were 40 years old and under. Seven were coming out of—or would head into—seminary.

And one was NASA’s former head astronaut. Pat Forrester was 63 years old. …”

– Sarah Zylstra has this encouraging story at The Gospel Coalition.

Interview with Richard Chin

Moore College has published this video interview by Archie Poulos with Richard Chin.

Most encouraging and challenging. Runs for 19 minutes.

Related:

The Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

An interview with Jocelyn Loane

At The Australian Church Record, Kirsten McKinlay catches up with Jocelyn Loane to find out about her new book Motherhood — How the gospel shapes our purpose and priorities.

Rico Tice comments on the Makin Report

“My heart aches for all the victims of John Smyth, some of whom I know personally. I remember them as people who were enormously kind to me as a schoolboy, at a difficult time in my life. It’s devastating to discover that people who showed me such compassion were victims of Smyth’s cruel abuse.

These victims have a right to the truth about what happened. I also know that media attention on this issue will be intensely painful to some, and that in speaking about it I have a responsibility to consider both of these things. I hope that in sharing what I know with The Times earlier this week, and again here, I am honouring them. That is certainly my intention. …”

– Rico Tice writes at Honest Evangelism.

See also:

‘I didn’t leave the Church of England. It left me’ – Premier Christianity.

(Thanks to Anglican Mainstream for the links.)

Dr Veronica Hoyt joins the Moore College Faculty

“On Friday evening the Governing Board approved the Principal’s nomination of Dr Veronica Hoyt to become a member of the Moore College Faculty. Veronica will take up the post of Lecturer in Ministry and Director of the Priscilla and Aquila Centre.

Veronica and her husband Berwyn are members of St Thomas’ North Sydney where she has been the Women’s Minister. …”

– News from Moore College.

The Anglicans Behind the Bonhoeffer Movie

“When Gafcon emerged to ignite the global Anglican realignment, Emmanuel and Camille Kampouris enthusiastically joined. Recognizing the unique courage of leaders like Peter Akinola, Bob Duncan, and Peter Jensen, they supported the movement every way they could, with Emmanuel taking on a key leadership role.

Around the same time, they also began working on a second passion project, an idea for a movie on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. …”

– From The Anglican Church in North America.

Eternity: The Power of a Word

“Arthur Malcolm Stace (1885-1967) was a returned Australian soldier who served in in World War I and later became known as ‘Mr Eternity’.

Stace grew up in an impoverished and broken family. His mother handed him over to foster care at the age of seven, and his sisters would end up working as prostitutes.

By the age of 14, Stace was an alcoholic. He would turn to booze to escape his pain and misery. However, all it did was increase the sorrow of his heart. …”

– In this brief sketch at AP, James Jeffery reminds us of the wonderful discovery made by Arthur Stace – and calls us all to live in the light of eternity.

Image: at left, Photo of Arthur Stace by Les Nixon. at right, The Eternity memorial at the waterfall in Sydney Arcade between Town Hall and St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

BBC Daily service – giving thanks for Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith

On BBC Radio 4’s Daily Service for 4th November 2024, Pam Rhodes from BBC TV’s Songs of Praise gives thanks for her dear friend Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith, who was called home in August.

The 15 minute programme is available until the end of November.

(Image from a 2020 message from Bishop Dudley-Smith to the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.)

AP interview with Tim Chester on ‘Enjoying Jesus’

In the latest podcast from AP, the Australian Presbyterian journal, Mark Powell speaks with Tim Chester about his latest book – Enjoying Jesus.

– Watch here.

Archbishop Steve Wood — A Primate of Prayer

From GAFCON:

“Meet Archbishop Steve Wood, who will be invested this week as Primate of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), a province established and celebrated by Gafcon.

In this extended interview, Archbishop Steve shares intimate insights into his daily devotional life, his emotional journey through his near-fatal COVID-19 illness, and his personal experience of leaving The Episcopal Church to join the ACNA.

General Secretary Paul Donison speaks with Archbishop Steve, as he candidly describes his deep fellowship within Gafcon, and his personal experiences of becoming Primate.”

– Listen here – or direct link to Spotify.

Very encouraging – and a reminder of what a belessing the Gafcon movement has been to so many.

Related:

One of Archbishop Foley Beach’s Christmas messages (this one from December 2022).

Archbishop Steve Wood on where the ACNA has been, and where it’s headed

“Before he was elected as the third archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Steve Wood was one of the earliest COVID-19 patients in the United States, placed on a ventilator for 10 days in March 2020.

Two years earlier, as bishop of the Carolinas and rector of St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Wood watched as his church building was engulfed in a fire.

‘I wouldn’t trade any of those experiences for where I am right now, because God has been so extraordinarily gracious to me through every one of them,’ said Wood. …”

– Religion News Service speaks with ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood.

Photo: ACNA.

North Sydney Rector speaks about meeting the King and Queen

St. Thomas’ North Sydney Rector Mickey Mantle was interviewed by Matthew Pantelis on 5AA Adelaide earlier this week. He took the opportunity to share the good news.

Related:

Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace, launched in Sydney – November 2017.

Link thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net.
Image: Mickey Mantle at St. Thomas’ on 20 October 2024.

Guess who’s coming to church

“The congregation of St Thomas’ North Sydney was told only the day before that they would have the King and Queen as special guests for the Sunday morning family service.

Strict security had to be in place for the opening official engagement of King Charles’ first visit to Australia as King.

‘We really hope and pray that he recovers well and what he hears in the service will be of great encouragement and meaning to him,’ said the rector, the Rev Micky Mantle, as he prepared for the service. …”

– Russell Powell has the story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

You can read the text of Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s sermon here. (PDF file.)

Video of the full service can be seen here (link to the arrival of the King and Queen).

Cannon Phil Ashey elected Bishop of Diocese of Western Anglicans

“On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the Synod of the Diocese of Western Anglicans elected the Rev. Canon Phil Ashey to be the next bishop of the diocese.

Canon Phil Ashey is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Anglican Council (AAC). Phil grew up in a Christian family and gave his life to Christ in 1968. A graduate of Stanford and Loyola Law School, he served as a Deputy DA in Orange County California. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1988 and spent twenty years leading Episcopal and Anglican congregations of all sizes in California, Virginia, and Pittsburgh—thirteen as a Rector and Church planter, and seven as a Senior Associate. Phil’s focus and passion is to develop biblically-faithful leaders at all levels of the Church—both here in North America and across the Anglican Communion. …”

– News from The American Anglican Council.

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