ACL Emeritus Vice-president Dr Paul Barnett recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

“Among many worthy recipients of honours in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list is the Right Reverend Dr Paul Barnett, New Testament scholar and former Bishop of North Sydney.

The ACL joins with Christians across denominations and around the world in congratulating Paul and giving thanks to God for his many years of faithful ministry.

Paul has published extensively in the area of New Testament history. His confidence in the gospel, his careful attention to historical detail, and his clear and winsome writing style have been a great encouragement to many. His years of teaching at Moore College and his pastoral work as the Rector of Broadway, Rector of Holy Trinity Adelaide, Master of Robert Menzies College and Bishop of North Sydney have been a rich gift to many of us.

The AM he has been given is a recognition that his long service within an Anglican setting has made a significant contribution to wider community. We are grateful that his faithful ministry has been exercised among us.”

— Moore College Principal, and former President of the Anglican Church League, Dr. Mark Thompson, has written on behalf of the ACL’s Council.

Frances Whitehead, John Stott’s ‘right hand’, ‘promoted to glory’

“On Saturday 1 June Frances Whitehead, John Stott’s secretary of nearly 60 years, died peacefully at home at the age of 94.

Frances served John Stott throughout his whole ministry, as Rector of All Souls, Langham Place, and then in his wider global ministry. …”

– from The Langham Partnership.

See also: The incomparable Frances Whitehead:

“Despite the relative freedom that singleness brought him, John Stott would never have achieved everything he achieved in his 90-year life were it not for one person: Frances Whitehead. Her legacy is truly unique…”

Sydney theologian and author among Queen’s Honours

“The former Bishop of North Sydney, theologian and author Dr Paul Barnett is among Sydney Anglicans on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. … He was made a Member in the General Division of the order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the Anglican Church of Australia.”

– Full story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

How Anglicans in Canada found New Life after their Eviction

“You’d be hard pressed to find anyone more Anglican than David Short – which just made everything worse.

The 61-year-old is a fourth-generation Anglican minister, born in Africa while his parents were missionaries. He can even top that – his father was also born in Africa to missionary parents.

Home was Sydney, Australia…”

– This article from The Gospel Coalition tells the story of David Short and other faithful men and women in Canada.

Related: Many earlier posts mentioning Vancouver.

Sydney Rector elected Bishop of The Murray

Announced in churches across the Diocese of The Murray today, this news from Dr Robert Tong AM, Chair of the  Bishop Election Committee and Chancellor:

“Following the retirement of Bishop John Ford, the Bishop Election Committee of the Diocese of The Murray is pleased to announce the election on 25 May 2019, of the Reverend Keith William Dalby to be the 5th Bishop of The Murray.

The bishop-elect is the Rector of St John’s Gordon in the Diocese of Sydney. He served his curacy at Mitcham (Adelaide Diocese) and then ministered in the Diocese of Ballarat as Rector of Timboon and then Rector of Warracknabeal before moving to Sydney.

Prior to ordination Keith spent 12 years as a submariner in the Royal Australian Navy. His theological training was at St Barnabas Theological College (BTh) and during his time in Gordon he completed the requirements for the award of MA in Theology from Moore Theological College. Keith is married to Alice and they have five children.

Arrangements for Consecration and Installation will be advised later.”

From The Murray diocesan website:

“The Anglican Diocese of The Murray is located in the south-eastern region of South Australia, taking in the Fleurieu Peninsula, Riverland, Adelaide Hills, Murraylands and the southern suburbs of Adelaide. The Diocese has 16 parishes or pastoral districts. The cathedral church of the Diocese is the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Murray Bridge.

The Diocese is one of three in the Province of South Australia.”

(Photo via Twitter.)

“Cancer is a personal test of faith”

“Bishop Ivan Lee comes into his office, chatting non-stop, a mug of tea in one hand and a cream biscuit in the other. He’s cheery, engaged and looks as healthy as a horse – which seems ironic given the conversation we’re about to have will focus on the cancer he knows is shortening his life. …”

– SydneyAnglicans.net has published this feature on ACL Vice-President Bishop Ivan Lee. (Read it to inform your prayers for Ivan and his family.)

Thanksgiving for Richard Bewes 1934-2019

The Rev. Richard Bewes, OBE, former Rector of All Souls Church, Langham Place, in London, has received his homeward call at the age of 84.

All Souls Church has posted several tributes here – as has GAFCON, of which Richard had served as a member of their Board of Trustees.

Canon Chris Sugden has published this tribute in the Church of England Newspaper (via Anglican Mainstream):

“Christian leaders from across the world responded with warm tributes to the news of Prebendary Richard Bewes’ peaceful release from months of suffering from cancer at 6.25pm on Friday 10 May at his home in Virginia Water, surrounded by Timothy, Wendy, Stephen and his wife Pam.

A child of the East African Revival in the 1930s, he treasured his African roots and was the UK chairman of African Enterprise for 32 years. The son of missionary parents, Canon Cecil and Mrs Sylvia Bewes, he was born in 1934 in Nairobi…”

Dapto mourns Senior Minister

Members of the parish of Dapto are mourning today after their Senior Minister, the Rev. Stephen Semenchuk, was called home to be with Christ after a short illness, on Sunday 12th May.

There will be a funeral and public celebration of Stephen’s life on Thursday 16th May.

All can give thanks for Stephen’s love for Jesus, and his desire for all to be saved (which included his work in the wider diocese).

Please uphold Stephen’s family and the entire congregation in prayer in these days.

SMBC Principal Stuart Coulton to retire

“Geoff Deane, SMBC Chairman has announced the retirement from SMBC of Rev. Stuart Coulton, Principal, effective January 2020, following over 30 years of service at SMBC with the last eight years as Principal. …”

– Announcement from the Sydney Missionary and Bible College. (PDF file.)

Greg Clarke announces resignation as CEO of Bible Society Australia

“It is with a mix of gratitude, sadness and faith for the future, that the Board of Bible Society Australia accepts the resignation of Dr Greg Clarke from the position of CEO.

Over the last 9 years, Greg has served the Society with absolute distinction – leading us through the amalgamation of the six States into one national body, and the acquisition of Eternity news service, the media company Centre for Public Christianity (which Greg co-founded), the retail book chain Koorong, and two publishing businesses (Acorn Press and Morning Star Publishing). …”

– Read the complete press release from Bible Society Australia Chairman Anne Robinson.

Launching UniChurch Belfast: An interview with Dave Jensen

“Ministry here has some strong similarities with Sydney, and some distinct differences. The gospel is the gospel, sin is sin, and the solution to sin is the gospel no matter where you are! So whether in evangelism or general church ministry, we have that same mission to see lives transformed through Christ.

Although on a surface level Australia and Northern Ireland are culturally similar, beneath the surface they are completely different. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Dave Jensen shares what’s happening with UniChurch in Belfast.

Archbishop Foley Beach, Easter 2019

The Anglican Church in North America has published this Easter Conversation with Archbishop Foley Beach, incoming Chairman of GAFCON.

(Hear Archbishops Foley Beach and Ben Kwashi in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth in early May 2019 – details here.)

I’m a Sinner too – Israel Folau

“People’s lives are not for me to judge. Only God can do that.

I have sinned many times in my life. I take responsibility for those sins and ask for forgiveness through repentance daily.

I understand a lot of people won’t agree with some of the things I’m about to write.

That’s absolutely fine. In life, you are allowed to agree to disagree.

But I would like to explain to you what I believe in, how I arrived at these beliefs and why I will not compromise my faith in Jesus Christ, which is the cornerstone of every single thing in my life.

I hope this will provide some context to the discussion that started with my reply to a question asked of me on Instagram two weeks ago. …”

– Last year, Israel Folau shared his story at PlayersVoice. (Photo: PlayersVoice.)

Malcolm Richards named as new Bishop for International Relations

“The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has named Canon Malcolm Richards as the new Bishop for International Relations.

Canon Richards will take over from Bishop Peter Tasker who has held the position since its inauguration ten years ago. Bishop Tasker has represented the Archbishop at consecrations, conferences, and made pastoral visits across the globe since 2009. …

As well … Moore College has announced Canon Richards will take up a parallel appointment as the Director of the Centre for Global Mission.”

– Read the full story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The Bible is a wilderness, not a garden: Lessons from Donald Robinson

“In 2001, a young West Australian skipped Hebrew class to listen to a slight elderly man dressed in bishop’s purple and a clerical collar teach on the Epistle of James.

The class stood as he entered the room and remained standing while he prayed. They addressed him neither by his name (Donald) nor by the title of his most recent posting (Archbishop), but by the clerical order he occupied through the laying on of hands: ‘Bishop Robinson’.

The whole spectacle struck the young West Australian as otherworldly and exotic, though not inauthentic. Its effect was to lull students into a false sense of security – a security quickly removed as this unassuming figure treated the class to an exegetical tour de force, with original and daring insights thrown at the unsuspecting class with a velocity for which none were prepared. …”

– Rory Shiner writes at GoThereFor.com.

(1982 photo via Ramon Williams.)

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