Freedom22 National Conference videos available

Posted on September 17, 2022 
Filed under Culture wars, Resources Comments Off on Freedom22 National Conference videos available

Executive Director of Freedom for Faith, Rohan McHugh, writes,

“For those of you who were unable to attend our Freedom22 National Conference, there are several videos below of the speakers on the day, including Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker, Stephen McAlpine, Mark Sneddon and Mark Spencer.

I would encourage you to take the time to watch them, as they provide helpful context for why religious freedom is at a crisis point in Australia.”

– Watch them at Freedom for Faith’s Youtube channel.

And visit the Freedom for Faith website to learn more.

Clergy shortage, biblical marriage on Melbourne Synod agenda

Posted on September 17, 2022 
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on Clergy shortage, biblical marriage on Melbourne Synod agenda

“Upholding biblical marriage and parish vacancies will be key issues on the agenda at the 53rd Melbourne Synod in October, according to agenda documents.

Gender balance and the Archbishop Election Act are also listed as priorities for debate, as are Anglican childcare facilities and kindergartens. …”

– Report from The Melbourne Anglican.

St Helen’s Bishopsgate: Mark 10:35-45 — To mark the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II

Posted on September 16, 2022 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on St Helen’s Bishopsgate: Mark 10:35-45 — To mark the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II

Rector of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate on London, William Taylor, marked the death of Queen Elizabeth II with a sermon from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10.

The Queen’s faith — in her own words

Posted on September 16, 2022 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on The Queen’s faith — in her own words

All Souls Langham Place screened this Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at their services last Sunday.

See also:

The Queen and my father Billy Graham: Their unlikely friendship was built on Christ – Franklin Graham.

In Her Own Words: Queen Elizabeth on Her Faith – Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
– “Throughout my life, the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them I find hope.” (Letter to the Lambeth Conference from Queen Elizabeth II, 2022)

Official Cathedral Services to mourn Queen Elizabeth II

Posted on September 16, 2022 
Filed under Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Official Cathedral Services to mourn Queen Elizabeth II

St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney has published details of official services to mourn Queen Elizabeth II.

Update: See also

The funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – SydneyAnglicans.net

The post includes some prayers you could use this week. (PDF)

Loving Jesus exposes our hearts

Posted on September 15, 2022 
Filed under Good News, Theology Comments Off on Loving Jesus exposes our hearts

“No matter how many times I read Luke’s Gospel, it always impacts me. This is because we meet Jesus as he meets with different people.

Although it is a little hard to choose, I think my favourite encounter is Jesus’ interaction with the woman who was a sinner from Luke 7:36-50. There is so much to unpack in this story, but let me share with you just three things that struck me. …”

– Ben George writes at The Australian Church Record.

Post-Truth Post-Lambeth

Posted on September 15, 2022 
Filed under Anglican Communion, Lambeth 2022 Comments Off on Post-Truth Post-Lambeth

“In August 2022, Archbishop Justin Welby told the assembled bishops of the Anglican Communion at the Lambeth Conference that,

‘I neither have, nor do I seek, the authority to discipline or exclude a church of the Anglican Communion. I will not do so. I may comment in public on occasions, but that is all.’

I was astonished by this. Because it is simply not true. …”

Church Society Director Dr Lee Gatiss spoke at their AGM on 31st August 2022.

Watch or read at the link.

Bathurst thanks Sydney Synod

Posted on September 14, 2022 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Good News Comments Off on Bathurst thanks Sydney Synod

This video was shown in Sydney synod on Wednesday night 14 September 2022, as part of Bishop Calder’s presentation to thank Sydney for their generous support and humbly ask that it might be renewed.

Much to give thanks for – and much to continue to pray about.

Background:

Sydney helps Bathurst – SydneyAnglicans.net, 15 October 2018.

We see the crowds

Posted on September 14, 2022 
Filed under Encouragement, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on We see the crowds

“Representatives of Sydney’s Anglican churches sitting in the church’s parliament have endorsed a three-way approach to an urgent need for ministry in new areas of Sydney.

Following a challenge from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel in his Presidential Address to ‘see the crowds’ of people moving to greenfields areas of southwestern and northwestern Sydney, Synod voted to continue contributing two per cent of parish receipts to a land fund for another 10 years. …”

– Read Russell Powell’s report from Synod at SydneyAnglicans.net, and watch the encouraging 3 minute video – ideal for showing in church!

Link to download.

The Bible in the hands of the Sovereign

Posted on September 14, 2022 
Filed under History Comments Off on The Bible in the hands of the Sovereign

“At the Coronation of the Boy-King, Edward VI, in 1547, three swords were placed in his hands, one each to represent his right to the realms of England, Ireland, and France.

But to the great surprise of the prelates and statesmen in the Abbey, Edward declared that there was another sword which had been overlooked; and in answer to their astonished inquiries, he said that this was the Word of God. …

On the eleventh birthday of the Princess Elizabeth in 1937, the personal gift of the Queen to her daughter was a beautiful Morocco bound copy of the Bible. …”

– The Australian Church Record has republished this piece from their archives – The Royal Law – by the Rev. Canon M. L. Loane, M.A., Vice-Principal of Moore College, May 28, 1953.

____________

Click the photo for a larger version: Archbishop Marcus Loane escorts Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh outside St. Andrew’s Cathedral in October 1973. Acting Dean of the Cathedral, Canon Stuart Barton Babbage, is following behind. The Queen was in Sydney to open the Sydney Opera House. With special thanks to Ramon Williams, Worldwide Photos.

The cracks widen in the Australian Anglican Church

Posted on September 13, 2022 
Filed under Anglican Church of Australia, Diocese of the Southern Cross, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on The cracks widen in the Australian Anglican Church

“Archbishop Raffel’s ‘Do you see the crowds’ address at Oran Park was mission driven and gospel focused, particularly asking how to reach the new housing estates where 30 new churches are needed to reach the hundreds of thousands of people who are moving into the Greenfields areas to the west of Sydney.

There was no mention of Brisbane.

It was a stunning contrast to South East Queensland Archbishop’s Phillip Aspinall’s hand grenade presentation, attacking evangelicals and Sydney Anglicans, which has so far led to the resignations of two of his ministers and the splitting of two Brisbane congregations.

The second minister to resign in Brisbane is Peter Judge Mears. …”

– At The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele highlights Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s Synod Presidential Address on Saturday. He also speaks with Peter Judge-Mears who has just announced his resignation from the Diocese of Brisbane.

Related:

Archbishop Aspinall’s 2022 Presidential Address here (PDF file).

Bishop Glenn Davies’ Address at the ACL Synod Dinner 2022

Posted on September 12, 2022 
Filed under Anglican Church of Australia, Diocese of the Southern Cross, GAFCON Australia Comments Off on Bishop Glenn Davies’ Address at the ACL Synod Dinner 2022

The Rt Rev Dr Glenn Davies spoke tonight, 12 September 2022, at a packed ACL Synod Dinner.

His topic?  “Where to from now? The place of Sydney Anglicans in Australia”.

Dr Davies, former Archbishop of Sydney, is Deputy Chair of Gafcon Australia and also Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Speaking of the Anglican Church of Australia, he said there is a fracture in unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity – a tear in the fabric.

Take the time to hear his very informative address:

 

or download the 11.5MB / 23 minute mp3 file. (right click on the link to Save As.)

News from Brisbane: Peter Judge-Mears to resign and join the Diocese of the Southern Cross

Posted on September 12, 2022 
Filed under Anglican Church of Australia, Diocese of the Southern Cross Comments Off on News from Brisbane: Peter Judge-Mears to resign and join the Diocese of the Southern Cross

Peter Judge-Mears, the Rector of St. John’s Wishart in the Diocese of Brisbane, has posted this announcement on the church’s Facebook page –

“Dear brothers and sisters at St Johns,

It is with deep sadness that I announce my resignation as Rector of St Johns, Wishart. I have found it a great privilege to serve in this church over just under 14 years as Associate Minister, Priest in Charge and Rector. Sybil and I, along with our children, have been partners with you in proclaiming the gospel to the local community. As a family, we have been blessed by your generosity and friendships. Sybil and I have been privileged to walk alongside you through times of deep sorrow and times of great joy.

Sadly, over these 14 years, I have witnessed the increasing divergence between received Anglican theology and the theology of the diocese. This culminated in the Archbishop’s Synod address and the changes to Faithfulness in Service.

Although I have appreciated the time and graciousness that the Archbishop has extended to discuss my concerns, my concerns have not been allayed. Neither has the recent resignation of the Archbishop, who merely gave a clear voice to the theology now taught in our theological college and from the pulpits of our churches.

Most of you have known the struggle I have had since synod and are aware that this decision has been one I have wrestled long over. I am concerned that the mission of Jesus with which we are charged should be delayed no longer. I am grateful to the Archbishop’s Commissary (Bishop Cameron) who has allowed me to move far faster than the required 3 months. Accordingly, my final Sunday will be Sunday 18th of September, after which I intend to take a short break before commencing services on October 2nd under the Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Your servant in Christ Jesus,
Peter.”

Please do pray for Peter and his family and for the church at Wishart.

Image from Peter’s announcement to the congregation on Sunday 11 September 2022. (video)

From the church website:

“Peter has been the minister of St John’s since 2010. He graduated from Moore College in 1997 and was ordained in New Zealand in 1999.”

Related:

In July 2022 Peter published an open letter to Archbishop Phillip Aspinall in response to his Address to the Brisbane Synod. Read the full letter here (PDF file).

And read Archbishop Aspinall’s Presidential Address here (PDF file).

Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s Presidential Address to the Synod in the Greenfields

Posted on September 11, 2022 
Filed under Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s Presidential Address to the Synod in the Greenfields

Yesterday (Saturday 10 September 2022) the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney met at Oran Park in South West Sydney.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel gave his first Presidential Address – a strong, encouraging and stirring call to obey the Lord Jesus and to love our neighbours.

He said, “Do you see the crowds? Crowds of people who will come to Sydney. People who will move into greenfields areas. Crowds of young people, hungry for love.”

Please do take the time to watch and think and pray and act.

And here is a report from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net –

Do you see the crowds?

“In his first Presidential address to Synod, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has made a stirring and emotional appeal for visionary planning in the greenfields areas of Greater Sydney.

For the first time in more than a century, the Synod address was given away from inner Sydney at Oran Park Anglican College in the town centre of Oran Park in the Southwest. This week, the Synod will consider a proposal to extend the contribution parishes make to funding land purchases in new areas, for a further ten years. …”

Bishop Mark Calder: Thanks for Her Majesty

Posted on September 11, 2022 
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on Bishop Mark Calder: Thanks for Her Majesty

In this short video, Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder gives thanks for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and her trust in Jesus.

← Previous Page — Next Page →