Perseverance of gospel hearts
“It is always encouraging to be a part of College reunions, but even more so whilst being stuck at home during Covid lockdown.
Sitting at my kitchen bench, I was able to listen, absorb and learn from the accumulated wisdom of a lifetime of ministry experiences. The common denominator of all who were able to share online, was the perseverance of their gospel hearts.”
– At the Moore College website, Paula Darwin shares some stories from a recent online 50 year alumni reunion.
New ANiC Bishop Co-Adjutor Elect Announced
“The Anglican Network in Canada is pleased to announce the election at Synod 2021 of the Venerable Daniel Gifford as our Co-Adjutor Bishop.
Archdeacon Dan was elected by our Diocesan Synod on Thursday, November 18, 2021. …
Dan is currently the vicar of St John’s Vancouver Anglican church, serving with David Short who is rector of that parish.”
– From the Anglican Church in North America.
Now a different kind of pilot
“It’s been a different kind of journey in service.
From 2005, Flight Lieutenant Stephen Gibbins served in the Royal Australian Air Force as a C-17A Globemaster III pilot. Now Stephen has taken the final step to become a Chaplain. …”
– Great news from Defence Anglicans, and fuel for prayer.
Galeas off to Dubai
“It might have begun as a small group and grown into a multisite, disciple-making, church-planting parish, but one thing has never changed about Multicultural Bible Ministry – the desire to see lives transformed through Jesus Christ to the glory of God.
From March 1991 in a Blacktown loungeroom until now, in a purpose-built church at Rooty Hill, MBM has been led by the Rev Ray Galea and his wife Sandy. But almost 31 years to the day after they started the (then) Maltese Bible Ministry, the Galeas will leave the church they began …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Judy Adamson has news of a significant change for Ray and Sandy Galea.
(Image: Ray and Sandy share the news with their church last weekend.)
Peter Jensen gives thanks for Melvin Tinker
From GAFCON:
After learning of the death of Melvin Tinker, who went to be with his Lord on 23 November 2021, Archbishop Peter Jensen paid tribute to Melvin saying,
“Melvin spoke powerfully at Gafcon 2018 in Jerusalem. He had a gift for analysing the culture from the perspective of the gospel and calling on his listeners to live for Christ alone. He was very courageous and made it clear that loyalty to Jesus was the chief commitment we should all make, even if it means leaving our denomination. For him, the word of God was the light by which we should live. His testimony remains to inspire us.”
Melvin contributed to the Lift Up Your Hearts series of devotions in April this year and an interview ahead of that series can be heard here: Melvin Tinker Everyday Global Anglicans Interview.
Continue to uphold Melvin’s family at this time.
Melvin Tinker
Unwelcome news from Anglican Mainstream in the UK –
“We are sorry to report the death of Melvin Tinker early this morning, from a particularly virulent form of cancer.
Melvin was Vicar of St John’s Newland, Hull, for many years, and known more widely as a speaker and author.
In recent years he developed a unique prophetic analysis of Western secularism, saw its influence on the church, and expressed the urgent need for renewed faithfulness and commitment to biblical truth. This led to him leading his congregation out of the Church of England, into a new Anglican jurisdiction under Gafcon.
I also knew him as a warm hearted friend with a great sense of humour. He will be sadly missed, especially by his wife Heather and his children and grandchildren.
Further tributes will follow shortly.”
Melvin contributed the Lift Up Your Hearts devotions for GAFCON in April 2021.
His book That Hideous Strength: A Deeper Look at How the West was Lost has been a great help to many.
Update: Julian Mann at Christian Today has more.
Ordained for far and wide
“It’s a very great joy to be settting aside these men and women for this ministry,” said Archbishop Kanishka Raffel as he took his first ordination service as Archbishop. “I am reminded of my own deaconing service in St Andrew’s cathedral and I’m so grateful to God for his faithfulness.”
The Archbishop spoke as ordinands prepared to embark to ministries as wide afield as suburban Sydney to Darwin, Norfolk Island and the Seychelles. …
– Encouraging story from Russell Powell about the latest ordinations at St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
New CEO for Anglicare Sydney announced
“This morning the chairman of Anglicare Sydney’s board, Greg Hammond, announced that the organisation’s new CEO is business consultant Simon Miller.
Mr Miller is managing director and senior partner at the Boston Consulting Group, and has many years’ experience advising company boards, executives and CEOs on everything from strategy to artificial intelligence. …
In addition, Mr Miller has been executive officer for the Sydney Diocese’s Social Issues Committee.”
– News from Judy Adamson at SydneyAnglicans.net.
How I came to know Jesus – Annabel Nixey
“When my parents bought a house in Sydney in the early 80s, in God’s kindness, it was down the road from a church which loved Jesus and taught the Bible. It meant that I got to grow up hearing about Jesus the King.
My mum, in particular, modelled to me how to follow Jesus and the significance of prayer and Bible study. Even as a child I knew that her ‘quiet time’, reading the Bible in our front sitting room, was a treasured and protected time in her day.…”
– At The Australian Church Record, Annabel Nixey shares how she came to know the Lord Jesus.
Get to know Kara Hartley — Archdeacon for Women
“By God’s grace a neighbour invited me to youth group when I was in late high school.
Arriving at that youth group I encountered people I already had connections with from primary school. That kept me there. Over the course of two years, I think God slowly warmed my heart to the gospel. …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Simon Manchester shares an encouraging interview with Archdeacon Kara Hartley. (Also in the October 2021 Southern Cross.)
How I came to know Jesus – Jane Tooher
“A friend of mine named Helene became a Christian the year before I met her. Her sister took her to a Billy Graham Crusade, and she responded to the gospel. I met Helene at the beginning of high school, and she invited me to the lunchtime Christian group, ISCF. …”
– At The Australian Church Record, Jane Tooher shares how she came to know Jesus.
Statement from the GAFCON Chairman on Michael Nazir-Ali
Gafcon Chairman Archbishop Foley Beach has released this statement –
“To the Gafcon faithful,
I am writing to you today to share the news that Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has joined The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. We are deeply grateful for Bishop Michael’s ministry over the years on behalf of the Gafcon movement. He is a stalwart defender of Christian orthodoxy, and my own faith has been enriched and encouraged by his witness and teaching.
Michael is a gift to the global Church, and he has shared with me his willingness to continue to assist the Gafcon movement in any way that might be suitable. While we are still exploring what this might look like, in the near term we look forward to continuing to partner with him in support of the suffering church. Please continue to keep Gafcon, the Nazir-Alis, and the whole Church in your prayers.
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach
Chairman, Global Anglican Future Conference
Archbishop and Primate, Anglican Church in North America.”
Source: GAFCON.
Michael Nazir-Ali converts to Roman Catholicism
“Michael Nazir-Ali, the former Bishop of Rochester and one of the best-known Anglican clerics, could be ordained as a Catholic priest as early as next month.
The conversion of such a high-profile intellectual would be an enormous boost for the Catholic Ordinariate, set up by Pope Benedict XVI to receive Anglicans into the Roman church. …”
– via Damian Thompson at The Spectator.
More:
“Bishop Nazir Ali was received into the Catholic faith on September 29, the feast of St Michael and All Angels by Monsignor Keith Newton, the former Anglican who now leads the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham…”
Michael Nazir Ali received into the full communion of the Catholic Church – Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.
Heroes of the Faith: Apolo Kivebulaya
“Some heroes of the faith are forgotten and deserve rediscovery. One of these being Apolo Kivebulaya, a remarkable church worker in Africa for 40 years and a reminder of the way so many African Christians have spread Christianity on that continent.
Apolo was born into a peasant family in 1864 in Kampala in what is now Uganda…”
– Canon J. John writes of Apolo Kivebulaya in his series on Heroes of the Faith.
Many in Uganda and DR Congo still give thanks for Apolo Kivebulaya.
Also published at Christian Today. (Photo: via J. John.)
Iron sharpening iron
“One of the real privileges of studying at Moore College is the theological formation that takes place as you live and learn in a community. Studying with other men and women of different ages, from different backgrounds, and with experience in different ministries is invaluable to a robust preparation for ministry. Of course, learning takes place in classroom discussions, the reading of Scripture, and various other theological writings. However, the development and constructive critiquing of lived behaviour and ministry conduct is honed by going through the ebbs and flows of the mundane. …”
– Ben George at Moore College writes about the importance of living in community – and provides some links if you are able to assist the College in that aim.
Also at the College website is the sad news that Dr Will Timmins has resigned due to ill health. (Prayer point.)