A Call to Prayer from the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America
From Archbishop Steve Wood [after the assassination attempt on former President Trump]:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In the midst of this time of uncertainty, social tensions, and violence, please join Jacqui and me as we pray for peace in the United States tonight:
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, pg 654).
– Source.
And 1 Timothy 2:1-4:
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – ESV.
I think we need to mention the war
“By ‘the war’, I mean world war II, of Basil Fawlty fame. The war during which the Holocaust happened.
Since the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel by Hamas, there’s been an alarming upswing in antisemitism in Australia. What is antisemitism? A useful definition is:
a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.
– Theologian and ACL Council member Dr. Lionel Windsor reports on today’s ‘Never Again is Now’ rally in Sydney.
Related:
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s statement on antisemitism – 13 October 2023.
Why is Christian persecution often met with indifference?
“It has never been more dangerous to be a Christian than today.
According to the newly released 2024 World Watch List – an authoritative survey by Open Doors, an organisation that supports persecuted Christians – 365 million Christians, or one in seven, are at high or extreme risk of persecution every day because of their faith. …”
– Barney Zwartz contributes this piece at The Sydney Morning Herald.
See also:
Nigeria – Christian Christmas massacre continues
“Attacks against Christian communities in Nigeria have continued into the new year, following a coordinated massacre of civilians over Christmas.
Partners of Release International, which serves the persecuted Church around the world, say 238 people were killed in attacks by Fulani militants between the 23rd of December and December 30. More have been killed since.
The governor of Plateau State has declared a week of prayer and mourning and there have been international calls to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern…”
– Anglican.ink has this report from Andrew Boyd.
(Boyd also wrote the book Neither Bomb nor Bullet on Archbishop Ben Kwashi.)
Nigeria Christmas massacre — death toll nears 200, attacks continue
“The death toll in the Nigeria Christmas massacre has now risen to almost 200. And more bodies are still being discovered, according to partners of Release International, which supports persecuted Christians around the world.
Even as attempts continue to recover the bodies, Release International has been told of another attack by Fulani militia on the same area on December 28, and has received intelligence of plans for further attacks in Plateau State, central Nigeria. …
According to the Nigerian NGO Intersociety, 52,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed by jihadists since 2009, and 18,000 churches destroyed.”
– You might not have heard much about this in the legacy media.
Kel Richards calls on Australians to ‘refuse to walk backwards’ in the fight against the evils of anti-Semitism
“A new expression was coined at the recent Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (or ARC for short) conference in London: ‘civilisational moment’.
The 1,500 delegates were warned that Australia, Britain the United States and all of the western world is facing a ‘civilisational moment’ – a tipping point in which we could lose the civilised values that have guided us for well over than a thousand years, and which have given us the freedoms we enjoy. …
The warning sign of our ‘civilisational moment’ is the epidemic of anti-Semitism sweeping the western world – what we thought was the civilised world. …”
– Kel Richards writes this opinion-piece at Sky News Australia.
Related:
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s statement on antisemitism — 13 October 2023.
Image: ABC.
GAFCON Australia prayer request
“From GAFCON Australia: Eugenie Harris is one of a number of Gafcon supporters who are part of an Israel study tour. From the relative safety of Jerusalem, she has asked that we join in prayer …”
– Read it at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Photo: Jerusalem, GAFCON 2008.
Prayer for Israel — Diocese of Sydney Media release
Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement from Archbishop Raffel
Sydney Anglicans have been shocked and distressed to hear of the attacks on the Jewish people and the State of Israel that have taken place over the last 24 hours. We express our deep sympathy for the families of those who have suffered the loss of loved ones through these indiscriminate attacks, and also for those in Gaza suffering through no fault of their own. We assure the Jewish community in Sydney of our prayers for those injured or in danger and for the establishment of lasting peace and security. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and long for the day when swords will be beaten into ploughshares. (Is 2:4)
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
October 8, 2023
– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net
Pakistan church attacks: The Anglican Communion calls for justice and prayers
“In the wake of the violent attacks on churches and Christians in Pakistan, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Anthony Poggo, has called for justice to be served. …”
– News from the Anglican Communion News Service.
China boosts religious repression, arresting clergymen, removing crosses
“China has intensified its crackdown on the activities of religious groups in recent weeks, from pastoral outreach to religious services.
As part of this, crosses have been removed, members of the clergy arrested or held in administrative detention solely for practising their faith, and places of worship have been forced to support the campaign of ‘sinicisation’ in accordance with the ideology of President Xi Jinping. …”
– Report via Anglican.ink.
Image: Autograph book entry for September 2nd 1938 is a reminder that “China [still] needs our prayers!”
Nigeria’s Archbishop demands security for Christians (and everyone else)
“The Most Rev. Dr. Henry C. Ndukuba, in a lengthy address August 2 to other leaders of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, has renewed the church’s demand that the nation’s government protect the security of Christians.
‘The Church demands that [the] government put high priority on the security of lives and property of citizens by providing adequate security for all citizens,’ Ndukuba said. ‘The present state of insecurity and attacks on Christian churches, communities, and indeed the citizens of this country, is worrisome.’…”
– Report from The Living Church.
The new Chinese Measures for Religious Activity Venues come into force on September 1
“Last April, ‘Bitter Winter’ revealed that a draft of new ‘Administrative Measures for Religious Activity Venues,’ intended to replace those of 2005, was being ‘circulated for comments.’ Normally, this is a cosmetic exercise of pseudo-democracy, comments are ignored, and drafts become laws.
In this case, however, it appears that some comments came from official agencies and were taken into account. The final text of the Measures, which will come into force on September 1, is even worse than the draft. …”
– Report from Anglican Ink, and a cause for continued prayer.
“Article 3
Places of religious activity shall uphold the leadership of the CCP and the socialist system, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping’s ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, abide by the Constitution, laws, rules and regulations and relevant provisions on the management of religious affairs, practice core socialist values, adhere to the direction of Sinicization of China’s religions…”
Image: Autograph book entry for September 2nd 1938 is a reminder that “China [still] needs our prayers!”
Chinese Christians forced to register for church
“There is concern about tracking and persecution in China’s Henan province, where a phone app must be used by worshippers in order to attend church. …”
– Report at SydneyAnglicans.net.
“Deep Grief” for Sri Lanka
“Amid a crisis unparalleled in the history of Sri Lanka, millions of people are suffering the effects of the complete collapse of the nation’s economy.
With less than 30 million dollars in reserves, Sri Lanka does not have enough money to buy what it needs from the outside world. Many essential items are not available, while sky-rocketing inflation means that even when they are available, they are unaffordable for most people. …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net Russell Powell has details of appeals for the people of Sri Lanka and a special prayer gathering at Auburn Anglican on Thursday night (20th June).
Head of Nigeria’s Methodist Church freed by kidnappers
“The head of the Methodist Church in Nigeria, the Most Rev Dr Samuel Kanu Uche, has been released after being abducted on Sunday 29 May. …”
– Report from Barnabas Fund.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…