Preview of the ‘Heart of Gafcon’ live broadcast — Starting Monday 17th April
Posted on April 15, 2023
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON Comments Off on Preview of the ‘Heart of Gafcon’ live broadcast — Starting Monday 17th April
GAFCON IV begins in Kigali, Rwanda, on Monday. Here’s a brief preview.
We’ll have a link on our website to the broadcast for each day. Stay tuned!
60 Days of Prayer for the Church
Posted on April 14, 2023
Filed under Anglican Communion, Church of England, GAFCON, Resources Comments Off on 60 Days of Prayer for the Church
Church Society in the UK has been promoting “Sixty Days of Prayer for the Church“.
“Church Society is calling us to 60 days of prayer for the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion. The Church of England is teetering on the precipice of grave doctrinal error and pastoral disaster. The potential implications will be felt across the Anglican Communion, with many provinces having already made it clear that they cannot continue in fellowship with the Church of England. The situation is extremely serious, and what we most need is to call on the Lord.
For several years, at Church Society, we have made weekday posts throughout Lent on a number of theological, biblical and pastoral themes.
This year, however, it seemed appropriate to use this time to call the church to prayer. The collects of the Anglican church are intended to gather up the thoughts of the people into short, clear prayers, and so we will be using these as the basis for our prayers.
Each day we will be posting a selected collect along with some thoughts about its significance for the contemporary church, and we hope that these will prompt your own prayers.
The sixty days begin on Ash Wednesday, February 22nd, and finish at the end of the GAFCON meeting in Kigali, on April 21st.
Please join us for this important season of prayer.”
It’s not too late to join in prayer. You can see each of the daily posts at the Church Society website.
Today’s post: Withstand the world, the flesh and the devil, by Sandy Grant, is a reflection on the collect for the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity –
“Almighty God,
grant your people grace
to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”
and Stephen Tong wrote this post on the collect for the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Canowindra partnership opportunity
Posted on April 13, 2023
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on Canowindra partnership opportunity
From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page.
“To minister full-time, some of our ministers rely on the generosity of others.
At the moment, Jono Williams in Canowindra, would so appreciate your support. The parish can only afford 3 days a week stipend. Jono is working full time.
Click this link (not the photo), hit ‘Give’ and then find Jono from the drop down menu to give regularly (or a one-off).”
A matter for prayer – and perhaps for action.
Click the image for a larger version.
ACR Journal Autumn 2023 now available
Posted on April 12, 2023
Filed under Encouragement, History, Resources Comments Off on ACR Journal Autumn 2023 now available
There’s much worthwhile reading in the just-released copy of the Autumn 2023 ACR Journal –
Editorial: Taste and see that the Lord is good – Mike Leite
The law of the Lord is perfect – Andrew Leslie
Created male and female: Reflections on Genesis 1-3 – Gav Perkins
God’s goodness in 1 Timothy – Lionel Windsor
Interview: William Taylor – Micky Mantle
How to preach truth yet teach falsely – Mike Leite
A God worth trembling before: Isaiah 66 – Craig Schafer
Preaching a good and powerful word – Paul Grimmond
Will we be teachers who tremble at His Word? – Phil Colgan
Reflections: An interview with Phillip Jensen – Ben George
Displaying God’s love daily: School chaplain interviews – Stephen Tong
This is the Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God – Mark Earngey
You are enough, and other lies we like to swallow – Jocelyn Loane
Richard Johnson: Chaplain under fire – Stephen Tong
From the vault: The evangelical heritage – Archbishop Howard Mowll
From the vault: The cross and the resurrection – John Stott
Book review: Eager to serve by Ray Galea – Ben Pfahlert
Book review: The Doctrine of Scripture: An Introduction by Mark Thompson – Andrew Leslie
Book review: The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine by Peter Jensen – Sandy Grant
Book review: Biblical critical theory by Christopher Watkin – Rory Shiner.
Download your copy from The Australian Church Record.
Where did all this Expository Preaching come from?
Posted on April 11, 2023
Filed under History, People Comments Off on Where did all this Expository Preaching come from?
“There’s no doubt that, at least within Reformed churches, this is an age of expository preaching – of preaching sequentially through books of the Bible while always ensuring that the point of the text is the point of the sermon.
Yet you do not need to look far into history to find that it was not always so and that in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries such preaching was rare.
I was intrigued by Bob Fyall’s explanation of how expository preaching became not only accepted but expected. …”
– Tim Challies writes of key figures who promoted expository preaching in England and Scotland. Let us never take such preaching for granted.
Related: Sydney Church History – David Cook.
CofE & King Charles at odds over ‘other’ faiths at Coronation
Posted on April 10, 2023
Filed under Church of England Comments Off on CofE & King Charles at odds over ‘other’ faiths at Coronation
“In an article printed [in] Daily Mail, King Charles has reportedly been in a dispute with Church leaders over the extent to which non-Christian faiths should participate in his upcoming Coronation ceremony. …”
– Kevin Kallsen reports at Anglican.Ink.
From barefoot refugee to leader in Global Anglicanism – with Archbishop Laurent Mbanda
Posted on April 9, 2023
Filed under GAFCON, People Comments Off on From barefoot refugee to leader in Global Anglicanism – with Archbishop Laurent Mbanda
In the lead up to the big GAFCON gathering in Kigali next week (17 – 21 April 2023), Dominic Steele has this fascinating interview with the Primate of Rwanda, Archbishop Dr Laurent Mbanda.
– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.
THAT’S EASTER — Life to Death – and Death to Life
Posted on April 8, 2023
Filed under Good News, Resources Comments Off on THAT’S EASTER — Life to Death – and Death to Life
Back in 2010, St. Helen’s Bishopsgate released this video.
Good to share (again).
See also THAT’S EASTER Death to Life:
Do you know death?
Posted on April 8, 2023
Filed under Good News, Theology Comments Off on Do you know death?
“Over the past three years, it’s been sobering as the world confronts its mortality. Covid’s death toll overwhelmed hospitals, filled the morgues, converted paddocks into mass graves. The words of Hamilton have felt prophetic: ‘Death doesn’t discriminate between the sinner and the saint, it takes, and it takes, and it takes…’
In the wake of Covid, we awoke to the reality of death. Suddenly, the false hopes of medicine, exercise, healthy diets to fix everything were exposed as fake, phonies, flimsy bandaids that offered only temporary solutions. And suddenly the desire for pretty things, faster internet, on-trend fashion, tastier coffee faded in comparison to the desire for life and love and longevity.
But death shouldn’t surprise us. …”
– At The Australian Church Record, Jeanette Chin shares something of her story, our story, and the sure hope we have in Jesus.
New Principal for Oak Hill College
Posted on April 7, 2023
Filed under Church of England Comments Off on New Principal for Oak Hill College
The Rev. Dr James Robson has been announced as the next Principal of Oak Hill College in London after the news, last month, that Johnny Juckes had decided to step down from the position.
Announcement from Oak Hill College – photo from Keswick Ministries.
Easter message from Bishop Mark Calder
Posted on April 7, 2023
Filed under Good News Comments Off on Easter message from Bishop Mark Calder
Here’s an Easter message from Bishop Mark Calder, Bishop of Bathurst.
The Resurrection is Real — The Archbishop’s Easter message 2023
Posted on April 5, 2023
Filed under Good News, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on The Resurrection is Real — The Archbishop’s Easter message 2023
“Have you experienced the true meaning of Easter? … Jesus’ resurrection changes everything!”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released this 90 second Easter message.
Great to share / show in church / put on your church website.
Download the text from SydneyAnglicans.net (PDF).
Report by Russell Powell –
“Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has used his Easter message, to appeal for people to consider the true message of Easter and the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. …”
Book launch – Peter Jensen’s The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine
Posted on April 4, 2023
Filed under Encouragement, Resources, Theology Comments Off on Book launch – Peter Jensen’s The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine
Moore College has now uploaded the video of the launch of Peter Jensen’s new book, The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine.
Do watch the full video – Peter speaks about his purpose in the book, and explains his use in the lecture room of some of the books he brought along. Very encouraging.
Get your copy of The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine from Matthias Media.
Correlations between leadership behaviours and ministry burnout
Posted on April 3, 2023
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Correlations between leadership behaviours and ministry burnout
This week from The Pastor’s Heart:
“What is the relationship between clergy leadership behaviors and burnout?
How does destructive leadership behaviour relate to burnout?
What about conflict at church? How does a minister being the target of personal violence correlate to thoughts of quitting? “
Valerie Ling leads the Sydney’s Center for Effective Living and Center for Effective Serving.”
Seize the Day — Mothers Union Sydney seminar 2023
Posted on April 3, 2023
Filed under Encouragement, Resources, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Seize the Day — Mothers Union Sydney seminar 2023
Mothers Union Sydney’s Annual Seminar for 2023 was held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral on Friday 24th February.
The theme was “Seize the Day – Work and Rest in the light of Eternity”.
A recording of the full livestream is now available on the Mothers Union website.
Speakers and topics on the day were:
- The God of All Our Days – Ruth Schroeter
- Days Well Spent – Paul and Cathy Grimmond
- Parenting for the Days to Come – Ruth Baker
The accompanying booklet is available at this link.