Thanks from Bathurst

From the Diocese of Bathurst –

“This afternoon Bishop Mark addressed Sydney Synod to say ‘thank you’.

Reflecting on what Christ has accomplished across the Diocese over the past seven years — new gospel workers, growing attendance and Bible study groups, and a significant increase in children’s and youth ministry — he warmly thanked Archbishop Kanishka and members of Synod for their extraordinary partnership:

‘Without your vision and generosity, none of this would have been possible. Thank you for believing that gospel ministry in regional and rural New South Wales, matters. To God be the glory!’ ”

– Text and photo from the Bathurst diocese Facebook page.

“A glimpse of what God is doing among us”

Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net reports on Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s 2026 Presidential Address to Synod on Monday 15th September –

“A Mandarin-speaking woman who first encountered church through AI translation and two young men who decided to read the Bible together before seeking baptism were among the stories highlighted by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel in his Presidential Address to Synod.

Weaving together statistics and personal testimonies, the Archbishop pointed Synod members to evidence of God’s work across the diocese.

Referring to Synod’s goal of 5 per cent growth through conversion, Archbishop Raffel said churches were increasingly reaching people from overseas backgrounds, who make up 31 per cent of the population. …”

– Read his report.

You can also read the full text of the Archbishop’s address or  see the full video.

Thanks, as always, to SydneyAnglicans.net.

Anglican Church’s first female Aboriginal priest and prolific Arnhem Land artist dies — “Her constant focus was on the work of the gospel”

From ABC News –

“A pioneer within the Anglican church has been remembered by her family as a ‘strong cultural woman’, after she passed away this week in the Northern Territory. …

Reverend Y. Nunggumajbarr was ordained as an Anglican priest in 2009 at a ceremony in her home community of Numbulwar, on the Gulf coast in south-east Arnhem Land. …

In an email sent to members of the Anglican Dioceses, Bishop Greg Anderson said Reverend Y. Nunggumajbarr had ministered services in nearby Angurugu and Numbulwar for more than a decade, prior to her retirement from the ministry in 2023.

‘Her constant focus was on the work of the gospel, and what needed to happen to make it spread,’ Bishop Anderson wrote. …”

– Story here.

A faith shared across generations

“At the National Grandparent Conference, Moore College celebrated the vital ministry of grandparents and encouraged older Christians to keep growing in their knowledge of God’s word through the Moore PTC.

What does faithful ministry look like across a lifetime and across generations?

This was at the heart of the 2026 National Grandparent Conference, where Moore Theological College joined hundreds of grandparents and ministry leaders seeking to leave a living legacy of faith. …

The value of faith shared across generations can be seen in the Ramsay family where three generations have been trained at Moore in order to be equipped to serve God’s church.

Nathan, first year student at Moore, speaks warmly of the wisdom he has received from his parents and grandparents …”

– Moore College has this encouragement for older Christians, including those who are grandparents.

Elizabeth Foord — A woman of “irrepressible joy” in the Lord

From Judy Adamson at SydneyAnglicans.net –

“Small in stature but mighty in faith, Mrs Elizabeth Foord died on July 25 at the age of 97.

A servant of God wherever he placed her, Mrs Foord was known and loved throughout the Diocese and other nations for her love of the Bible, her willingness to talk to anyone about Jesus, her sharp mind and her teaching – both of women, and of groups in partnership with her husband of 55 years, Bishop Dudley Foord. …”

– Read the full tribute here.

Related:

With much thanks for Dudley Foord – September 2013.

William Tyndale: The most important Englishman in history?

“William Tyndale was the first person to translate the New Testament into English from Greek, and this was the first NT printed in English. It had an immense impact on the English-speaking world, which reverberates down into our own time. …”

– Tony Watkins at Tyndale House in Cambridge has this sketch of the life and importance of William Tyndale.

“In 2026, Tyndale House [celebrates] the 500th anniversary of the Tyndale New Testament (1526).

This anniversary marks a turning point in the history of the English Bible and an enduring reminder of why William Tyndale matters today: he placed the word of God into the hands of ordinary people, doing so with attention to the original languages and giving his life for this mission.”

Click this link for more.

St Barnabas’ Orange East at 100

The parish of St Barnabas’ Orange East celebrated the centenary of the parish and Christian ministry in this key central west city on Sunday.

Photo: Cutting the celebration cake. The Rev’d Bob Cameron, immediate past Rector, Bishop the Rt Rev’d Mark Calder, and the Rev’d Ben Mackay, current Rector.

Via the Bathurst Diocese Facebook page.

The First Evangelical Minister

Thanks to Moore Theological College for producing this graphic to remind us of John Newton and how he came on the First Fleet.

Mission in mind with housing purchase

“So, why did [CMS Australia] invest millions to buy and renovate a block of apartments?

Those who serve with CMS give up leases, sell furniture, cars and more before heading on to the mission field. So, in many ways, they don’t have a home to return to for the six months in every three years they live locally to visit partner churches, spend time among family and friends, and – hopefully – get some rest. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Judy Adamson shares the thinking behind a strategic move by CMS.

Learn more at the CMS website.

New appointments in the Diocese of Bathurst

Wonderful news from Bishop Mark Calder in Bathurst –

“I am writing with great thanksgiving to God to share several significant developments in ministry across our Diocese. These appointments represent a remarkable time of God’s provision, and I hope you will join me in praising him for the way he is raising up gospel workers for the diocese. …

These appointments represent truly extraordinary answers to prayer. In a short space of time, the Lord has provided gifted women and men for ministry across the Diocese—people eager to serve, care for his people, strengthen local churches and share Jesus for life.”

– Do read the details here – and please continue to uphold the churches of the Diocese of Bathurst in your prayers.