Putting the ‘Christmas’ back into ‘Merry Christmas’ – Archbishop Davies on 2GB

Posted on December 23, 2016
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Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, joins Chris Smith about the lack of the phrase “Merry Christmas” around this Christmas – interviewed this morning (23 December 2016) on Sydney radio 2GB.

Listen here. A great interview.

Related: Archbishop has blasted inner city grinches – Daily Telegraph (subscription)

New Bishop of Woolwich is ‘pastoral and joyful’ former Oak Hill student

Posted on December 22, 2016
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“The college community is delighted to hear that Revd Prebendary Dr Woyin Karowei Dorgu is to be the new Bishop of Woolwich. Karwoei trained at Oak Hill from 1993-95…”

– News from Oak Hill College in London.

Five Bible inputs to grow, grow, grow

Posted on December 22, 2016
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“At one recent conference Rico Tice spoke about reading the Bible on four different levels. I am going to borrow his framework and develop it in my own way. So here are five Bible inputs that will help you grow upwards in Christ. …”

– At Unashamed Workman, Colin Adams shares some great ideas about Christian growth.

Australian Christian Lobby headquarters in Canberra rammed by burning van

Posted on December 22, 2016
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“The headquarters of the Australian Christian Lobby… has been rammed by a burning van …

The ABC understands the van was carrying gas bottles and that the driver of the vehicle was taken to Canberra Hospital for treatment.”

– Report from ABC News,

Update: ‘Police rule out targeted attack‘ – SBS. Image via Lyle Shelton.

Changes at Matthias Media and Youthworks

Posted on December 20, 2016
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In Sydney news, Ian Carmichael is taking on the role of CEO of Matthias Media while Tony Payne works on his PhD; and Zac Veron, who is resigning as Youthworks CEO in March, is heading to St David’s Arncliffe.

The Archbishop’s Christmas message 2016

Posted on December 20, 2016
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“From politics to personal life, what more do we want for Christmas than people who will tell us the truth?”

Here is the text of Archbishop Davies’ message: Read more

Christian in a Muslim Culture: The Intriguing Insights of an Egyptian Bishop

Posted on December 19, 2016
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“Bishop Mouneer Anis, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egypt, and Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, delivered the ninth annual ‘Moule Memorial Lecture’ on 8 June 2016 in Cambridge. …

The topic of Mouneer’s lecture was “My Experience of Christian and Muslim Relations in Egypt”. As the title suggests, the bishop drew on personal experiences to speak about living as a Christian minority in a Muslim culture.”

– At The Australian Church Record, Steve Tong shares some insights from the lecture.

The Christmas of Cultural Christianity

Posted on December 18, 2016
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“Christmas is the high point of Cultural Christianity. It creates joy and confusion; joy to our culture and confusion to Christians.

Cultural Christianity is a reality that would be helpful for both Christians and non-Christians to accept if not embrace. It is seen in the famous atheist Richard Dawkins’ love of singing Christmas carols. …”

– Phillip Jensen observes the difference between Cultural Christianity and Christian Christianity.

That’s Christmas!

Posted on December 17, 2016
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That's Christmas! from St Helen’s Church on Vimeo.

We’ve linked to this video before – from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate. It’s well-worth a re-run, and features input from Dr. Paul Barnett.

From around the Anglican Church of Australia — 16 December 2016

Posted on December 16, 2016
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Australian dioceses (image: Anglican Church of Australia) Here are a few items from around the Anglican Church of Australia this week.

(Image courtesy Anglican Church of Australia.)

The value of teaching Books more than once

Posted on December 16, 2016
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The latest from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate:

“Why is it valuable to teach through Bible books more than once? What are some advantages of teaching books numerous times? Why do people often object to teaching books of the Bible more than once? Doesn’t St Helen’s just teach the same couple of books each year? How can we get better at repeating books in our regular Bible-teaching programmes?

In this month’s Preaching Matters, Charlie Skrine talks about his experiences of teaching books several times, and why it is important for the church.”

A Tentmaker for Derby? And other news from the Northwest

Posted on December 15, 2016
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“Are you equipped for a tentmaking ministry and keen to see the gospel move forward in the Kimberley region of the North West?

The town of Derby, about a two-and-a-half hour drive north of Broome, is an opportunity waiting for someone to take hold of with both hands. It is the third largest town in the Kimberley, but we haven’t had any significant Anglican ministry there for a good number of years. …”

– Read the details on the last page of the December 2016 edition of Northwest Network (600kb PDF file), from the Diocese of North West Australia. Plenty of food for prayer.

Reformation Themes: The Bible Alone and Faith Alone – from Paul Barnett

Posted on December 14, 2016
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Bishop Paul Barnett has written two encouraging reflections on key Reformation themes. Read them at the links below.

Reformation Theme: The Bible Alone.

“2017 will be the 500^th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation. On 31^st October 1517 an unknown monk in a small town nailed 95 debating points to a church door. It was a common academic practice to invite debate but these ‘theses’ went viral and Martin Luther became famous overnight. …”

Reformation Theme: Faith Alone.

“The young Martin Luder – that was the family name – had been a law student in the major university town, Erfurt. Against his father’s will he became an Augustinian monk.

But he was a poor tortured soul who felt himself under the wrath of God. He engaged in punishing fasts and endless confessionals. As a mendicant monk he begged his way 1000 miles from Erfurt to Rome as a pilgrimage.

But he was clever. The order appointed him Professor of Bible at the new university in the little, ‘nowhere place’, Wittenberg. In preparing his lectures on Romans and the Psalms he made a great discovery. …”