Common Prayer for Homes — a new resource

Posted on April 23, 2021
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Repost: Originally posted 04 April 2020 – a reminder of this locally produced resource:

From the Better Gatherings website (an initiative of the Diocese of Sydney), here is a very helpful addition to use when you can’t meet in church.

“A new liturgical resource has been completed which provides flexible forms of household worship to serve the churches, by complementing the spiritual resources already being offered during this difficult period: Common Prayer for Homes: Resources for Family Worship.

We trust it will be of some assistance to the ministry already taking place in homes, and ultimately we hope that it provides some good benefit to the spiritual lives of Christ’s flock.”

“Common Prayer for Homes” contains:

HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP – 1ST ORDER
a classic approach to Christian worship, easily modified for any household
HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP – 2ND ORDER
another classic approach to Christian worship, with various options to suit many households
HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP WITH KIDS
a simple approach to Christian worship which is suitable and easily adaptable for young children
MORNING PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY
an all-in-one guide to morning prayers for each day of the week, for group or individual use
VARIOUS PRAYERS FOR THE HOME
a short collection of prayers which can be prayed in our homes
COLLECTS
this traditional name is given to short and beautiful prayers which cover the whole year, and special occasions.

Download “Common Prayer for Homes” from Better Gatherings. – and do share widely.

Here is some encouragement from the back cover:

Read the Holy Scriptures humbly with a meek and lowly heart, to the intent that you may glorify God, and not yourself, with the knowledge of it. And read it not without daily praying to God, that he would direct your reading to good effect.

– Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)

Therefore, confident in your holy teaching and promises, and all the more since we are gathered here in your presence and in the name of your Son our Lord Jesus; we fondly plead with you, our good God and Father, that in the name of our only Saviour and Mediator, by your infinite mercy, you would freely forgive our transgressions and so draw and lift our thoughts and desires to you, that from our whole heart we may seek you, and that according to your good pleasure and will, which alone is reasonable.

– John Calvin (1509-1564)

The Almighty Lord, which is a most strong tower to all that put their trust in him, to whom all things in heaven, in earth, and under earth, do bow and obey: be now and evermore your defence, and make you know and feel, that there is no other name under heaven given to man, in whom, and through whom, you may receive health and salvation, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

– from the Book of Common Prayer (1549)

We ask Mark Earngey about ‘Common Prayer for Homes’

Resources for ANZAC Day

Posted on April 22, 2021
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This Sunday is ANZAC Day – These resources from Defence Anglicans (including audio of the Last Post) might come in handy for use in your regular church service or for a special gathering.

Related: What to preach on for Anzac Day? – David Cook.

Freedom and faith: Scotland’s lockdown

Posted on April 21, 2021
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“This has been a difficult year for Christians in Scotland, but one in which our convictions have been sharpened, our unity stretched, and the historic constitutional settlement in which we worship called into question.

Our family moved from Sydney to Scotland in August 2018 so that I could complete a PhD in Systematic Theology at the University of Edinburgh. We have stayed in Edinburgh the entire time since the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread across the globe. I’m due to finish my PhD in 2022, and we have never given any serious consideration to returning to Australia early. The fact that Australia has closed its borders so tightly—even to its own citizens—has been a stark reminder that ultimately our citizenship is not of this world. …”

– Matthew Baines writes from Scotland for The Australian Church Record.

A Royal Funeral with a message for everyone

Posted on April 19, 2021
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“Kings, Queens and Princes, the great and the small, the young and old, will all meet death and face the judge of the earth. As the writer to the Hebrews explains, ‘people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment’ (Hebrews 9:27). …”

– Murray Campbell in Melbourne gets to the clear message from the royal funeral.

See also: The Order of Service.(PDF)

Image: Royal.uk

More than 1,000 vicars vow to defy any vaccine passport plans for churches

Posted on April 19, 2021
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“In an open letter to the [British] Prime Minister concerning vaccine passport proposals, the church leaders said: ‘To deny people entry to hear this life-giving message and to receive this life-giving ministry would be a fundamental betrayal of Christ and the Gospel.‘…”

– Story from The Telegraph (via MSN).

And from the Letter:

Open Letter from Christian Leaders to the Prime Minister Concerning Vaccine Passport Proposals

“Dear Prime Minister,

As Christian leaders across a range of denominations, we continue to pray at this time for your government ‘and all in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity’ (1 Timothy 2:2).

However, we write to you concerning an area of the most serious concern, namely the potential introduction into our society of so-called ‘vaccine passports’ which have also been referred to as ‘COVID-status certificates’ and ‘freedom passes’. We are wholly opposed to this suggestion and wish to make three points about the potential consideration of any scheme of this type. …“

– Read the full letter here. It is signed by a number of UK Christians leaders who would be known to our readers.

Luther and the Diet of Worms @ 500

Posted on April 17, 2021
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“On April 18, 1521, Martin Luther—age 37—gave his famous “Here I Stand” speech at the Diet of Worms.

On April 17, 1521, Luther arrived in Worms after completing his 15-day, 300-mile journey from Wittenberg. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Justin Taylor reminds us of this key moment in history.

From Article VI of The Thirty Nine Articles:

Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation

“Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.”

Wrong Paradigm, Wrong Diagnosis, Wrong Solution

Posted on April 16, 2021
Filed under Opinion, Theology Comments Off on Wrong Paradigm, Wrong Diagnosis, Wrong Solution

“Our response to the world needs to embrace more than lament, but a deep malaise has descended upon contemporary Western society.

There is a hardness of heart, but a softness in the head; a trivialisation of life, yet a lack of humour; and a coarsened culture but a distorted sensitivity concerning giving offence.

Any example would do as an illustration, but the recent moral outrage at the sexual misbehaviour of parliamentary staffers in Canberra is clear enough. …”

– Dr Peter Barnes, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, makes the case that if the diagnosis is wrong, the solution will evade you.

Dr. Stephen Chavura on the history of Western civilisation

Posted on April 16, 2021
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In his latest Conversations video, John Anderson speaks with historian Dr. Stephen Chavura on the history of Western civilisation, Western thought and the historical roots of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.

Timings from the video on YouTube –

00:00 – Intro
2:02 – Why history?
4:16 – Western civilisation
12:01 – Slavery & racism
23:32 – The American Revolution
26:25 – The Enlightenment
28:34 – Nietzsche
33:57 – Created equal
49:24 – Enlightened thinking?
52:15 – Australian history.

Peter Jensen on pure speech

Posted on April 16, 2021
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In his editorial in The Global Anglican 135/1, Peter Jensen reflects on the power of words.

Via Ros Clarke comes this excerpt on the Church Society blog:

“Bad doctrine, which is a travesty of the gospel, is doing much harm. But just as harmful is the careless or self-serving language by which other believers are traduced either secretly or publicly.

To repel Satan in his assault on you, is to put on the whole armour of God, especially to buckle on the belt of truth (Eph 6:14). And it is to commit yourself to pure speech:

Not the speech which follows the world in foul language and in blasphemy. So frequent has this become in entertainment, let alone the marketplace, that it is fatally easy to allow our minds to become infested with obscenities and to begin to use them ourselves. …”

– Read the excerpt here, Or start a subscription.

Jesus’ Post-Easter Priority

Posted on April 15, 2021
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“Is Jesus Smart? We often think of Jesus as loving, kind, and selfless, but have you ever considered him smart? If we are honest, we must conclude that he is. He is the ‘author of life’ (Act 3:15) who came in the flesh! And since he is smart, he wasn’t ‘winging it’ when he met with his disciples in a locked room that first Sunday evening.

As a thoughtful and intelligent person, Jesus would have been very intentional about his first words to them and to us, and we find them in John 20:19-21…”

– Mark Eldredge at The American Anglican Council has a challenge for churches.

Stories from Moore College Mission 2021: learning and partnership

Posted on April 13, 2021
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“This year’s Moore College Mission was, thankfully, able to take place face-to-face in partnership with churches, a refreshing contrast to the circumstances of our hurriedly ‘re-imagined’ online mission of 2020 which took place in lockdown in the early throes of the pandemic.

Mission has always been part of the makeup of Moore College…”

– At The Australian Church Record, Ben George shares encouragement from this year’s Moore College Mission.

Martyn Iles, Q and A and what it tells us about Australia today

Posted on April 12, 2021
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“The Sydney Morning Herald thought this week’s Q and A was a significant cultural moment – so who are we to disagree?! They compared it with another one in 2008 where the shibboleth question for our culture, that of homosexuality, came up. It was indeed a revealing programme – telling us a great deal about where Australian culture, politics and religion are at – and where we are heading. …

It was the appearance of Martyn Iles that was too much for some people – even before he had been on the show. …”

– David Robertson writes at AP (the national Journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia) and gives thanks for Martyn Iles.

Excerpts from the programme may be seen here. Or the whole thing on the Q and A website (9th April 2021).

Romans Crash Course

Posted on April 12, 2021
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From Lionel Windsor at Moore College:

“This is a 75 minute video course in Paul’s letter to the Romans designed for small group leaders, children’s leaders, and anyone else who wants to get a handle on this incredibly rich biblical letter.”

– Watch here.

Fred Nile to retire from NSW Parliament — names Lyle Shelton as successor

Posted on April 12, 2021
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From a Christian Democratic Party Media Release, April 11, 2021:

“Christian Democratic Party Founder, the Reverend Honourable Fred Nile MLC today announced that after 40 years in the NSW Parliament, he will retire this November from the Legislative Council.

Rev Nile has recommended to the CDP’s State Board, and it has unanimously agreed, that Lyle Shelton, former Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, will be his successor subject to the agreement of the CDP’s State Council.…”

– Full media release (PDF file).