‘LGBTQIA+ Anglicans [in Melbourne] standing proud amid same-sex marriage debate’

Posted on February 3, 2023 
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“LGBTQIA+ Anglicans in Melbourne are celebrating during the city’s annual Midsumma Festival amid news Church of England bishops have continued to prohibit same-sex marriages within the church.

The Midsumma Festival, which runs in January and February each year, is a month-long event showcasing LGBTQIA+ arts and culture. The festival was first held in 1988.

Churches and religious organisations have been involved with the festival for years. …”

– Story from The Melbourne Anglican.

(Photo: St. Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne as the backdrop for an evangelist’s sign on Princes Bridge.)

How do I pray for central west NSW?

Posted on February 3, 2023 
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Here’s a brief video from The Bush Church Aid Society’s National Director, the Rev Greg Harris.

Freedom for Faith NSW Election Candidate Forums

Posted on February 2, 2023 
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From Freedom for Faith:

“Freedom for Faith is collaborating with churches across NSW to help them host forums for major candidates of the NSW Election on March 25.

At each event, some set questions will be asked about religious freedom and other issues of concern to most Christians, and questions will be taken from the floor.

The following events are in the process of being planned in electorates across NSW. With over 50 events planned, most electorates have an event, or have one nearby. …”

– See the details here.

See also:

Faith, democracy and the election – Bishop Michael Stead at SydneyAnglicans.net.

“The NSW state election will be held on March 25. This provides an opportunity for Christians to exercise their democratic rights as citizens of this state to engage with those we elect to govern us for the next four years. …”

St. Helen’s Bishopsgate Letter to the Bishop of London

Posted on February 1, 2023 
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St. Helen’s Bishopsgate has sent this letter to the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally –

“In light of St Helen’s prior letters and discussions, it will not surprise you that we regard both the House of Bishops’ Report and the Draft Worship Resources as unbiblical, contrary to the doctrine and teaching of the Church of England, and therefore entirely inappropriate.”

Here is the full text:

Monday 30 January 2023
The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE
The Old Deanery
Dean’s Court
London EC4V 5AA

By email and post

Dear Bishop Sarah,

Bishops’ response to Living in Love and Faith

As the members of the PCC’s standing committee, we are writing on behalf of the St Helen Bishopsgate PCC, and our various congregations, to express our grave disappointment and concern at the House of Bishops’ response to Living in Love and Faith.

In light of St Helen’s prior letters and discussions, it will not surprise you that we regard both the House of Bishops’ Report and the Draft Worship Resources as unbiblical, contrary to the doctrine and teaching of the Church of England, and therefore entirely inappropriate.

Three aspects cause us particular concern.

First, as you know, for many years the St Helen’s Church family has been a safe place for a significant number who live with same sex attraction, but who seek to live a celibate life in accordance with God’s commands. They are greatly encouraged by knowing that they are loved and included within the body of Christ at St Helen’s. The pastoral damage from the House of Bishops decisions for these members of Christ’s flock is very significant. We have been hearing since the announcement about how they are being affected personally by it.

Secondly, we find the House of Bishops’ Report to be disingenuous. It pays lip service to the Church of England’s doctrine of marriage, while commending a means by which, in practical terms, the doctrine of marriage may be circumvented and undermined. It is a pretence to suggest that these prayers neither equate with the blessing of same sex marriage, nor contravene the Church of England’s doctrine of marriage. Even within the press conference last Friday, the bishops on the panel, including yourself, contradicted many of the claims made in the Report.

Thirdly, the autocratic nature of the process appears to have bypassed the elected clergy and laity of the General Synod.

We find it deeply disturbing that, as the diocesan bishop, you made clear in your answers to questions that you expect that same sex, sexual, relationships will be blessed by clergy in the Church of England.

We wrote to you prior to the completion of this process to indicate that steps such as you have taken will inevitably further affect our already broken partnership with the House of Bishops. We shall await the conclusion of the General Synod in February before seeking a conversation about the provision which will be necessary for those forced by your decision into having no acceptable episcopal oversight.

Whilst we await developments and give prayerful consideration to our response, the PCC has asked us to pause our current contributions to Common Fund.

Yours sincerely,

Revd William Taylor, pp Jeremy Anderson CBE, pp Andrew Ross, pp Paul Simpkin, pp Andrew Wales.

Source: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

Photo of Bishop Sarah Mullally: Bishop of London’s website.

Archie Poulos’ 2023 reading recommendations for pastors

Posted on February 1, 2023 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Archie Poulos has given us a list of books that he’s read in the last 12 months that have stimulated him to think about different ministry areas.

Archie’s recommendations include …”

– Watch or listen here.

For your convenience, The Wandering Bookseller has compiled a page of Archie’s favourites.

Please pray for 2023 Sydney ordinands

Posted on January 31, 2023 
Filed under People, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Please pray for 2023 Sydney ordinands

From SydneyAnglicans.net:

Please pray for these candidates as they prepare for ordination on February 18, 2023 and for taking up positions at the following parishes:

Brian Barker,              Hurstville Grove
Kingsley Box,              Yagoona & Condell Park
Brodie Cutmore,         Engadine
Cathy Dell,                  Lalor Park
Russell Denten,          St Luke’s Miranda
Joshua Goscombe,    Gladesville
Ed Hannah,                St Luke’s Liverpool
Alex Hitchcock,          Annandale
Jaison Jacob,             St John’s Paramatta
Sarah Kinstead,         Anglicare Hospital Chaplain
Benjamin Ko,             Northmead Anglican
Braydon Lucas,         Gladesville
Andrew Marrett,        St James, Turramurra
Lachlan Orr,               Naremburn/ Cammeray
Matt Shannon,           Wollongong Cathedral
Netane Siuhengalu,   West Ryde
Jeremy Smith,            Stanhope Gardens
Miles Stepniewski,     Riverstone
Ned Teuben,              Artarmon
Simon Wang,             St John’s Campsie
Scott Williams,           Picton/Wilton
Nick Wood,                Kirribilli and Neutral Bay.

Photo: SydneyAnglicans.net

You can watch the service live at 10:00am on Saturday 18th February (or afterwards) on YouTube.

Don’t take CMS Summer School for granted!

Posted on January 31, 2023 
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“I reflect on the 2023 CMS Summer School as someone who could only make it for one day.

I wish I could have attended more, but I was overseas. Yet, having landed in Sydney on the Monday of Summer School, I drove up to the Blue Mountains on Tuesday to attend for the day. It was definitely an experience; a combination of jet lag and the increased heart rate from walking up and down that hill – twice – after ten days of overeating over the holidays! And yet it was also an experience of being profoundly joyful and energised amongst fellow Christians.

As I drove back home late on Tuesday night, I remember thinking multiple times that we just can’t take CMS Summer School for granted. …”

– Ben George writes with encouragement at The Australian Church Record.

“We Cannot Bless what is contrary to God’s revealed will”: Former Bishop of Maidstone

Posted on January 30, 2023 
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“January 27, 2023

Dear brothers and sisters,

I thought I should follow up last week’s letter about the post-LLF proposals from the House of Bishops because of all that has been written since, and in the light of a recent residential meeting of the CEEC Council. First, I am conscious of the question put by my good friend Lee Gatiss in a recent blog about the position of evangelical bishops. I want to start therefore by reassuring you that in the College of Bishops I voted against the draft material on which the views of General Synod are now being sought, and I remain opposed to it.

After the College meeting ended, I felt both grief and shame. My firm desire is that all who treasure the Church’s existing position on marriage, including bishops, will vote against the motion which the House of Bishops is putting to Synod.

The reasons for this are threefold …”

– Bishop Rod Thomas, recently-retired Bishop of Maidstone, shares his stance on the proposals from the Church of England’s House of Bishops.

See also:

Church Society podcast recorded at last week’s CEEC residential gathering.

Glen Scrivener on the ‘Secular Sermon to Archbishop Justin Welby‘

Posted on January 30, 2023 
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Glen Scrivener at Speak Life responds to ‘a secular sermon’ open letter directed to the Archbishop of Canterbury by high profile UK TV presenter Sandi Toksvig.

Can we love people and disagree? Very helpful in thinking about how to respond to those with whom we disagree.

Watch here.

Removing fences: the ALRC Consultation Paper on Religious Educational Institutions and Discrimination Laws

Posted on January 30, 2023 
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“The Australian Law Reform Commission has now released a Consultation Paper for its current reference on “Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws”.

The paper, while formally acknowledging the importance of religious freedom and parental rights, will be a serious disappointment to those involved in religious schools and colleges.

It effectively recommends the removal of protections enjoyed by religious educational institutions which have been designed to safeguard the ability of these organisations to operate in accordance with their religious beliefs.

The “fences” protecting these bodies from being forced to conform to majority views on sexual behaviour and identity (and hence losing their distinctiveness as religious bodies) are to be knocked down, the ALRC says. But the paper offers no convincing reasons for this wholesale demolition of a structure which has served the diversity and plurality of the Australian community for many years.

Rather than supporting “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”, the paper’s recommendations would require a compulsory uniformity which would undermine the reasons for the existence of faith-based educational institutions. …”

– Assoc Prof Neil Foster shares his thoughts about an important religious freedom paper.

The Gospel in the Gospels — Two Ways Ministries Forum 2023

Posted on January 29, 2023 
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From Two Ways Ministries:

Want to wrestle with God’s Word and develop a great network of other Young Adults who want to live single-mindedly for Christ?

Thursday Forum is the backbone of what we do – hear Phillip Jensen teach the Bible, ask your questions, discuss the implications in small groups with others in the 18-30 age group and pray together.

The topic for this year’s forums will equip us to read the gospel with a non-Christian friend (one of the best ways to evangelise), but what is the gospel in the gospels?

Location: Marcus Loane Hall, Moore College, Newtown

Time: Thursdays 7-9pm (BYO dinner to share from 6pm)

– See the website for dates and links for further details.

Commissioning in Cowra

Posted on January 28, 2023 
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From the Bathurst Diocese Facebook page:

“A great afternoon commissioning Ben (with Alissa) Connelly for ministry in Cowra with great thanks to BCA for their partnership. In the photos you’ll see the Rev’d Greg Harris, national director of BCA and various Bathurst clergy and spouses of who gathered for today.”

– A cause for thanksgiving and prayer. See also the BCA website.

CEEC formally responds to House of Bishops’ proposals and subsequent public communications

Posted on January 28, 2023 
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The Church of England Evangelical Council has issued a formal response to the Church of England’s House of Bishops.

“CEEC calls for action and offers the Church of England a better way forward

CEEC is grieved and dismayed by the House of Bishops’ response to Living in Love & Faith, and subsequent public communications, believing them to be contrary to the doctrine and teaching of the Church of England. If pursued, we believe these proposals will create further division and broken fellowship within the Church of England and a greater tearing of the fabric of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

We wish to alert the House of Bishops to the depth, breadth and strength of opposition to their proposals among members of CEEC, which represents lay and ordained, charismatic and conservative and open, egalitarian and complementarian evangelicals. The Council is drawn from numerous networks including Diocesan Evangelical Fellowships, EGGS, The Junia Network, ReNew, New Wine, Living Out, Latimer Trust, JAEC, Fulcrum, Fellowship of Word and Spirit, Crosslinks, CPAS, Count Everyone In, CMS, Christianity Explored, Church Society and evangelical College Principals.” (emphasis added)

– Read it all here.

‘Total betrayal of the doctrine of marriage’

Posted on January 28, 2023 
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Speaking with the Christian Institute in the UK, Global South spokesman the Rev Paul Eddy highlights the failure of the Archbishop of Canterbury and calls on evangelical bishops to speak out against the House of Bishops proposals.

Failing the Green Test II: A critical examination of the advice from the Church of England’s Legal Office

Posted on January 27, 2023 
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“In my previous paper on the bishops’ proposals I applied what I called the ‘Green test.’

This test, named after the late Canon Michael Green who taught it to me, holds that that there are two key questions that a student should ask of any item on a theological reading list.

These two questions are

(a) ‘What is this writer trying to sell me?’ and

(b) ‘Is this something I should buy?’

In my previous paper I argued that the bishops’ proposals failed this test. In this new paper I want to argue that the advice from the Legal Office likewise fails this test with the consequence that it does not show that what the bishops are proposing is legal. …”

– Martin Davie continues his analysis of the House of Bishops’ proposals for the blessing of same-sex marriages.

Part 1 here.

Photo: The late Canon Michael Green.

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