Mothers Union Sydney Annual Seminar — For Such a Time as This

Mothers Union Sydney is holding its Annual Seminar on Friday 25th February.

The theme: For Such a Time as This.

Topics:

The God We Know – Jo Gibbs

Have I the right to be who I am? – Rob Smith

When Dreams are Broken in the family – Jenny Brown, author of Growing Yourself Up.

Details at the MU Sydney website.

Questions Women Asked — reviewed by Claire Smith

“Simonetta Carr’s new book, Questions Women Asked: Historical Issues, Timeless Answers covers a topic close to my heart: the contribution of women to the history of the church.

Even better, she seeks to do so using the women’s own voices—their letters, their books, their poems, their hymns, and their prayers. …“

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Dr Claire Smith takes a look at an encouraging new book.

The Global Anglican — Vol 135, issue 4

From Church Society:

“The latest edition of The Global Anglican, our quarterly theological journal, is now published. Issue 135/4 includes Peter Jensen’s editorial, ‘Where is the True Church?’ in which he examines the relationship between local churches, denominations and the true church of Christ.”

Discipled by Algorithms — Where is ‘Big Tech’ Leading You?

“My wife and I ask each other a routine question about technology — and it may not be what you expect. Yes, we ask if the other heard us, and we ask to put down the phone for a while during family time. We, like most families in the digital age, have a ways to go to instill better technology habits in our homes. But the most frequent question we ask each other is, Did you see this online?

While that may seem like an odd question to ask, it reveals a much deeper issue with technology, one we often fail to consider amid concerns about screen time, app limits, and Internet filters. …”

– At Desiring God, Jason Thacker raises some important questions.

Related:

12 Ways your Phone is Changing You.

Growing My Faith in the Face of Death

“I have spent a good part of my life talking with people about the role of faith in the face of imminent death. Since I became an ordained Presbyterian minister in 1975, I have sat at countless bedsides, and occasionally even watched someone take their final breath.

I recently wrote a small book, On Death, relating a lot of what I say to people in such times. But when, a little more than a month after that book was published, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I was still caught unprepared. …”

– Tim Keller, who in December shared that his cancer has progressed to ‘stage IV’, recently relinked to this article which he wrote for The Atlantic in March 2021.

And please do uphold Tim and his family in prayer.

See also:

Pastoring the city – Tim Keller on coming to Christ and learning to love the city – Part 1 of a December 2021 Q&A with Tim Keller by World Magazine.

“To make a long story very short, reading C.S. Lewis on pride helped me finally understand the depth of my sin as something that was not simply a matter of wrong behavior, but something profoundly wrong with my heart, identity, and outlook—and most of all, it was alienation from God. Underneath all the religiosity, I saw I was actually hostile to God. For the first time, I recognized the need for salvation by sheer grace. …”

Handling a hostile culture – Assessing how the Church is responding to shifting cultural pressures – Part 2 of December 2021 Q&A with Tim Keller by World Magazine.

“Every Sunday I preached, every meeting I taught, I took unpopular stands that went against the grain of center-city dwellers. I faced weekly—sometimes daily—opposition and hostility.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church is a conservative, evangelical church in secular, liberal Manhattan. Every single week I was telling people things that most considered absolutely outrageous, if not dangerous—Jesus is the only way to salvation; without believing in Him you are lost and going to hell; the Bible is true in every word and you must submit to it whether it fits your opinions or not; sex is only for a man and a woman in marriage; you should be radically generous with your money, and, if you are prosperous, you should adopt a modest lifestyle. And so on! …”

Rico Tice preaches at the St. Helen’s Insurance carol service

Yes, Christmas is over, but it is always wonderful to hear Christ preached.

Rico Tice spoke from Matthew 2:1-12 at the St. Helen’s Bishopsgate Insurance Carol Service in December 2021.

Be encouraged to likewise share the news of Christ.

Preserving preaching Christ – with Michael Stead

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The whole concept of a tolerant society is being spun around.

Sydney Anglican Bishop Michael Stead says there are moves afoot to block Christians from being able to say that ‘Christ is the only way to heaven.’

It’s also being claimed by Equality Australia that to say ‘marriage is between a man and woman’ is an offensive statement.

Bishop Stead says he wants to protect moderately expressed statements of religious belief. …”

– This is a very big issue. Watch or listen here.

Priscilla & Aquila Conference 2022 — The one another commands

Peter Orr is the keynote speaker at the 2022 P&A Conference at Moore College on 31 January. (Also via livestream.)

Recently, The Australian Church Record asked P&A Director Jane Tooher what to expect. There’s a lot planned, including ten afternoon electives.

Christmas morning encouragement

With thanks to Emu Music.

The easiest conspiracy theory to debunk this Christmas

“Are you feeling a bit apprehensive about your conversations with family and friends this Christmas?

The restrictions and lockdowns of the last few years have helped to keep us safe physically, but they’ve also played a role in dividing us socially. The combination of physical isolation, fears for safety, and the overwhelming stream of digital information at our fingertips have opened us up to all sorts of problems…”

– Dreading talking about COVID or US politics over Christmas lunch?

Lionel and Bronwyn Windsor have a suggestion for you. At The Australian Church Record.

Submission to Parliamentary committee on the Religious Discrimination Bill

From Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia:

“The submission of Freedom for Faith to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry into the Religious Discrimination Bill is now available for download here. I prepared the submission with input from other board members.

Submissions to this committee can be made at their website here, but only until 5 pm Tuesday 21 December.

There is also a short survey that the Committee have released which it would be good for anyone concerned with religious freedom in Australia to fill in before that same deadline.”

Image: Diocese of Sydney. (Emphasis added.)

Sunday Morning Encouragement

With thanks to Emu Music.

Does God Care? — from Quiz Worx

“Christmas is meant to be a time of fun, excitement and parties. But sometimes there is also sadness, uncertainty and worry.

In our mixed up world, do you ever wonder ‘Where is God when sad and bad things happen? Why doesn’t he do something?’

This Christmas, the Quiz Worx team are excited to bring you a brand new Christmas show called Does God Care?.

Using fun, animations and puppets we unpack the Christmas story from the Bible to show that ‘YES – God Does Care! …”

– If you haven’t already seen it, check out this Christmas resource from the wonderful Quiz Worx.

What to measure in church life

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“It’s time to review what’s happened this year and have robust informed conversations about what we will do next year. What won’t we do again? How we will do things differently? And why?

To make realistic decisions, we need to know what’s helpful to measure. And what isn’t.

Not everything that’s measurable matters. And not everything that matters is measurable.

Mike Hastie has been serving on the team at Newtown Erskineville Anglican Church, and is about to become the senior pastor of Toongabbie Anglican Church.”

– Watch or listen here.

Devotionals I recommend for a New Year

Tim Challies writes:

“With 2021 quickly waning, many of us are beginning to think about a devotional approach for the year ahead. Some are looking for a resource that will serve as the main component of their devotions and others for something that will be merely supplementary.

Either way, I’ve collected some of the resources I most recommend and hope you find something here that will serve you as you devote yourself to reading the Word of God in 2022.”

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