30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World

Posted on April 3, 2021 
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In 2021, Ramadan is from April 13 to May 12.

“Join thousands of Christians worldwide using 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World to pray for our Muslims neighbours.

The 30 Days event coincides with the Islamic month of Ramadan, one of Islam’s most important months of fasting and prayer.

You’ll be inspired, encouraged and informed each day as you journey through the stories of different regions in the world, and discover how to pray for the Muslims living there.”

– Details here.

Peter Jensen speaks with John Anderson

Posted on April 3, 2021 
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In his latest Conversations videos, John Anderson speaks with former Archbishop of Sydney Dr. Peter Jensen.

This wide-ranging and deeply personal interview is well worth your time – and is also worth sending to your friends, believers or otherwise.

Delighting in the Triune God from the Book of Revelation

Posted on April 2, 2021 
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Melvin Tinker is contributing this month’s Lift up your hearts devotions for GAFCON.

(And do check out his book That Hideous Strength: A Deeper Look at How the West was Lost.)

 

Andrew Bolt interviews Bishop Paul Barnett on the Evidence for Jesus

Posted on April 1, 2021 
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Sky News host Andrew Bolt speaks with Author Paul Barnett about what sort of historical evidence supports the biblical claims about the life and events surrounding Jesus Christ.

Watch and share.

Andrew Bolt’s interest was roused by “A Short Book About Jesus: The man from heaven” by Paul Barnett published by CEP in 2015.

Archbishop Glenn Davies’ Easter Message 2021

Posted on April 1, 2021 
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Just before his retirement last week as Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Glenn Davies recorded this 79 second Easter message.

Great to share! Include it in your church service or video for this weekend! (The 38MB mp4 file can be downloaded here for use in church services.)

Here’s the full text, courtesy of SydneyAnglicans.net.

Easter the perfect lockdown that broke the chains of death, church says – SMH

Posted on April 1, 2021 
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“One church has characterised the death and resurrection of Christ celebrated at Easter as the perfect three-day lockdown that broke the chains of death. …”

– This Sydney Morning Herald story highlights the Easter ‘sign’ at All Saints Nowra.

Easter Message from Bishop Jay Behan, CCAANZ

Posted on March 31, 2021 
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Bishop Jay Behan, from the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa New Zealand, shares his Easter  2021 message.

How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members

Posted on March 31, 2021 
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“For years now, 9Marks has argued that church membership is not just a status, it’s a job. By joining a church, you’re not joining a club, you’re stepping into an office. Jesus has given you work to do, and he’s given you the competence and authority to do it.

Most 9Marks Journals aim at pastors and church leaders. This one was written for members. Its purpose is to lay out some of the essential elements of that job. So we called it a guidebook. Print it out. Read it one article at a time over a month. Ask God how you might better serve your fellow members, your pastors, and your non-Christian neighbors. …”

– Jonathan Leeman introduces the latest 9Marks Journal. Looks like a good one!

Bishop William Love leaves TEC to join ACNA

Posted on March 31, 2021 
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“The Rt. Rev. William Love, the former bishop of Albany who resigned last month, announced on March 30 that he is leaving The Episcopal Church to join the Anglican Church in North America. Last October, Love agreed to resign while facing disciplinary action over his ban on same-sex marriage in his diocese.…”

– Report from The Episcopal News Service.

Easter 2021 op-ed – Bishop Mark Calder

Posted on March 30, 2021 
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Mark Calder, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst, has released this message for Easter 2021:

“Because I was in Brisbane last week, I’m at home this week on ‘stay at home’ orders.

But that has been the last year, hasn’t it – from last Easter.

Cancelled plans, adjusted plans; waiting on the latest health orders to see what our response is to be to a latest breakout, here or there.

It’s been a massive year. And we’ve waited patiently for the development of and then the roll out of vaccines.

But here we are at Easter again, where we remember first of all the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and then the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If the accounts of those momentous events were fabrications, then we really should cancel the Easter holiday this year and every year, and get on with life!

But if the events which we stop to remember are true, then it is the most significant event in all of history.

Why do I say that?

Because it’s the very means by which we who have pushed God out can be welcomed back into relationship with God; forgiven and reconciled to him, now and for all eternity!

And that really does mean that we can have a relationship with God which makes a huge difference in life and that in the midst of a global pandemic, and no matter what else is happening in life, we can know God’s love,  his presence, his peace, the assurance of forgiveness and the hope of a future with him.

I want to encourage you to get along to church this Easter. We weren’t able to last year. Get along to church and hear the story of Easter or hear again the story of Easter and what it means for you and what difference it makes for life today.

Four days off. How brilliant!

But take opportunity to take stock and remember what those four days are really all about.

30 March 2021.”

– To find a church in the Diocese of Bathurst, go to the Diocesan website and move your mouse over the “Our Parishes” button.

The blood that brings us close

Posted on March 30, 2021 
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“Every so often, I go to a local community college to watch Israeli films with some of my Jewish friends. Recently, we watched a film called A Borrowed Identity. It’s a beautiful film, based on a touching memoir by popular Israeli Palestinian novelist and TV writer Sayed Kashua.

The film tells the story of an Arab boy who, through various circumstances, comes to take on a Jewish identity. It explores friendship, love, life, identity, and humanity. Its message is that if we can just come close to people, experiencing their humanity and seeing their struggles first hand, we will be able to overcome our differences. The film offers a hope of peace through shared humanity.

But sadly, ideals like this don’t always reflect reality, do they? …”

– In time for Easter, The Australian Church Record  has published this reflection from Lionel Windsor on Ephesians 2:11-13.

Standing Committee speeches in appreciation of Archbishop Glenn Davies

Posted on March 28, 2021 
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The meeting of the Standing Committee of Sydney Diocese on Monday 22 March 2021 was the last presided over by Archbishop Glenn Davies before his retirement.

Canon Sandy Grant and Dr Karin Sowada proposed the following motion.

“Standing Committee, noting that this is Archbishop Glenn Davies’ last meeting as President of the Standing Committee, records its gratitude to God for the Archbishop’s significant work and ministry over many years, including –

  1. his ministry in the parish of Willoughby between 1981 and 1982,
  2. his service, as Lecturer at Moore Theological College from 1983 to 1995,
  3. his ministry in the parish of Miranda between 1995 and 2001,
  4. from 2002, his ministry as Bishop of North Sydney until 2013, and
  5. from 2013 his ministry to us as Archbishop, including his presidency of the Synod and the Standing Committee, his leadership of the Sydney Diocese at General Synod, his ministry and leadership as Metropolitan of NSW, and to the global Anglican church through GAFCON and the Global South Anglican Fellowship (GSA).

The Standing Committee gives thanks in particular for his faithful service, including his willingness to postpone retirement in a time of exceptional need, his commitment to good and godly order in the business of the Diocese, his pastoral heart, sense of humour, and ability to foster and maintain relationships.

The Standing Committee sends its best wishes to Glenn and Dianne, and prays for God’s continued blessing on them and the new ministries they will exercise in future.”

With thanks to Sandy and Karin, here are the notes from their speeches to move and second the motion –

Canon Sandy Grant:

I first met Glenn Davies as a 21 year old Moore College student, who had the blessing of being assigned to his chaplaincy group in first year. Aided by a lovely mix of more senior students, it was in no small measure due to Glenn’s energetic, friendly and caring ministry that this chaplaincy group was the best of my four great years at Moore College. I recall a personal, pastoral visit he paid to my room in single quarters, well after hours. I have no idea of the substance, but I knew he cared.

It is about 30 years later, and it is a mark of Glenn’s profound Christian character that someone like me has been asked to move this motion of appreciation, since I have sometimes been a critic of a decision Glenn made, or some policy move he pushed. (Other times it is just pedantry of a lesser standard, or should I say, more precisely, a grasp of intricate detail that is less gifted and less incisive that may have irritated!) But Glenn has always engaged with feedback and criticism, even when it must have been a pain to do so amongst the enormous weight of meetings and correspondence that lands on an Archbishop’s desk. More than that, he has never made anything personal and has always given generous encouragement to keep contributing. Thank you.

I also mention my deep appreciation for Glenn and Dianne’s prayers for the children of clergy and lay ministers, while they have been sitting the HSC exams, from which my own three daughters and many others benefitted.

Now I have spoken to a number of clergy on the Standing Committee, and in what follows, I am often paraphrasing them or quoting them directly, as I express our thanks to God in appreciation for Glenn’s ministry especially as Bishop and Archbishop.

One rector from the Northern Region said, “I’m grateful that Glenn seized opportunities to proclaim Christ and so supported a local church in their ministry…including a time while as Bishop of North Sydney, he agreed to baptise some young adults in the harbour just near Neutral Bay wharf.” (By the way, as an editorial comment from a fellow stickler for process, it must have given that rector great comfort to know that the bishop judged that the circumstances of that particular outdoors baptism met all the canons, ordinances, regulations and protocols that we operate under!) Anyway, I’m told that as Glenn waded out in his episcopal ‘boardies’, a group of 30 partygoers on an overlooking balcony fell silent, and Glenn used the baptism liturgy as a framework to unashamedly preach the gospel to all within earshot.”

Moving on to the context where many of us have experienced Glenn most often in recent years, to the arenas of Synod and Standing Committee, fellow clergy mentioned these attitudes and attributes. And the first is to underline what I already said:

One last thing to note is that Glenn has worked so incredibly hard through the Coronavirus pandemic, going more than an extra mile, but rather a whole extra eight months in what I consider was the hardest year I can recall in my own 27 years of ordained ministry.

Just in the last month, he led a delegation of various faiths to meet the Education Minister, led the meeting, and secured significant gains for SRE in our public schools. So  right to the end of his tenure, Glenn’s passion to advocate for the gospel is undiminished.

In the two ordinances I have carriage of tonight, even in the last week, Glenn has worked behind the scenes for a breakthrough on one where things seemed intractable even on Friday, and to grasp and support the re-working of tricky detail of the other.

And lastly and preciously to me and so many, Glenn has been fighting tenaciously for the fair treatment of our churches during COVID and most recently for a lifting of what now seems like unreasonable restrictions on singing inside of churches.

I am very tempted to end by asking Glenn what his favourite hymn is and suggesting we sing it acapella together, since I believe we are in a secondary educational institution here, and there are no restrictions on singing in schools.

But suffice it to say, we give thanks for you, Glenn, dear brother in Christ, along with all that Dianne has meant for you and done for us, in supporting you in your ministry.

And because this is not the end, and only the closing of a chapter, we look forward on the basis of Christ’s triumphant resurrection from the dead and paraphrase Paul to say:

Therefore, our dear brother, continue to stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.  (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58)

Sandy Grant
St Michael’s Cathedral
Wollongong

 

Dr Karin Sowada:

I second the motion and in doing so extend my personal thanks and appreciation for your leadership over the last 8 years. We first met when you joined Standing Committee as Rector of Miranda in 1996 – 25 years ago – when Harry Goodhew was Archbishop. Even then you were keen on lay administration and the finer points of English grammar. 

Relative to some of your predecessors, 8 years as Archbishop and chair of Standing Committee is a short period but we have seen so much social change during that time, change that has required steady, consultative, yet decisive leadership.

To a degree we saw this coming in 2013, but who would have thought same-sex marriage and transgender issues would so challenge religious freedoms to the point where policies were needed for our schools & organisations to protect them from legal action and the ability to live out the Scriptures? Your leadership inside the Diocese and in the public square has enabled the church to meet these challenges through godly wisdom and judgment, and by bringing the best minds to bear on matters of policy, doctrine and through extensive consultation, evidence of which is on our business papers tonight.

Glenn in so many ways you have shown us this measure in good and difficult times. On speaking with some of the laity on Standing Committee, the same themes emerge. Repeatedly, your chairing of meetings and your participation in other entities – Standing Committee, Synod, General Synod Standing Committee – is characterised by many qualities. ‘Steadiness in controversy’, ‘a humble listener and non-interventionist, willing to hear all the voices even if it takes a long time and you have a strong view on the matter’, are words that resonate with many in this room.

Impartiality in the oversight of meetings has been a hallmark of your leadership. One member observed that despite what is said, you never hold a grudge (you can ask me later who said that). But seriously, behind that comment is trust on the part of those in the room because it speaks to your capacity to bring fairness and balance to all the issues before you, and ultimately act within the rubrics of good order, what’s best for the Diocese, and what’s best for the gospel.

Others reflected on your sense of humour and your desire to get the words right. One member even described your humour as cheeky and disarming. Well it definitely diffuses moments of confusion. We have all witnessed you juggling many amendments to the same matter, having to assist said movers with finding the correct words or standing orders, and bringing order into chaos in how to frame decisions for the meeting. In such times I am sure even the Committee Chairs were glad it was you doing it and not them. If that wasn’t enough, you then corrected all the loose grammar, including where to place ‘dangling modifiers’ in the text … someone else’s words not mine!

Others named your sense of humour as helping the business flow, with your disarming laugh and quick wit, especially in moments when humour as encouragement helped dissolve nervousness on the part of a first-time speaker or staff member about to take the microphone.

One final reflection made by a member of the laity was this. You set an expectation in word and deed of courtesy as a value. In this, you treat others with courtesy, and by extension expected that behaviour of others. Indeed I think we have all learned from this model at Standing Committee, an example which has resulted in very few occasions when adverse remarks made during a speech have had to be withdrawn by the speaker. Such an approach produces effective working relationships even in the face of disagreement. This is one of the reasons why you are so widely respected in the halls of political power, the national church and global Anglican church – despite the rifts in theology and ideology.

In closing, I appreciated the way you always finished our meetings with the words of The Grace, delivered with gusto and a smile, despite having endured a tiring night. Tragically, I can hardly hear The Grace now without thinking of these meetings. But in this moment as we say farewell to you and Di, the following words from Numbers 6 seem right –

“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

AMEN

Updated NSW rules for churches

Posted on March 28, 2021 
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“A new Public Health Order will apply from the beginning of Monday 29 March 2021 to churches in NSW: the Public Health (COVID-19 Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021.

One of the biggest changes is that there will no longer be restrictions on singing in services (hooray!) There was actually a temporary exemption in place over the weekend of 27-28 March to allow this to happen a bit early. But this new CGR Order will now operate on a long-term basis.

In this post I will just summarise the provisions affecting churches, and where they can be found in the new Order. …”

– Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia has the latest on COVID requirements for churches in NSW.

Thanking God for Glenn

Posted on March 27, 2021 
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“Archbishop Glenn Davies and Mrs Di Davies sat in the centre of St Andrew’s Cathedral before a COVID-capped audience which included former Prime Minister John Howard, the Lord Mayor Clover Moore and representatives of Federal and State government as they were given a diocesan send-off to remember.

It was fitting that the Cathedral was given an exemption to allow singing as Dr Davies’ term had been extended due to COVID, and he had campaigned for churches to be allowed to serve their communities as much and as safely as possible. …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net reports on last night’s Farewell Service for Archbishop Glenn and Mrs Di Davies.

Farewell Service for Archbishop Glenn and Mrs Dianne Davies

Posted on March 26, 2021 
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Archbishop Glenn and Mrs Dianne Davies will be farewelled at a special Service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney this evening (Friday 26th March 2021) from 7:00pm.

Since seating at the Cathedral is at capacity, the proceedings will be streamed live here.

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