A prayer for the displaced
Posted on August 28, 2024
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“I’m sure that, like me, many of you are deeply concerned about the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which is being increasingly covered by the international news media.
The deteriorating situation means the country is facing what the UN has described as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory.” There are now 10.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs)* in Sudan, making this the largest displacement crisis in the world. Almost all of these IDPs are in areas with acute levels of food scarcity.
And it’s not just Sudan that is seeing an increase in IDPs.…”
– Canon Tim Swan, CEO of The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid, writes to encourage you to pray – and offers a prayer you could use.
Keith Green, Bill Hybels, and the Loss of Steeples and Bells
Posted on August 28, 2024
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“I used to love Keith Green’s music and singing when I was a younger Christian. Not to say I don’t still retain some warm memories of his songs. But in my early twenties I found him to be the one singer who spoke to me. And he was already dead by the time I first heard of him. A big influence in my early Christian walk.
Okay I loved Larry Norman and his lyricism and irreverent attitude (I once saw him play live in Belfast and he was scarier than a paramilitary with a few pints in him). And I enjoyed early Randy Stonehill (especially the Welcome to Paradise classic).
But there was something sincere and deep and otherworldly about Keith Green. I still find myself singing those songs in my head from time to time. …”
– Here’s a thoughtful piece by Stephen McAlpine.
The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it
Posted on August 28, 2024
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From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it.
Plus how the Tanzanian Church has been built through the labors and prayers of Australian Christians, and why prosperity gospel preachers are as wicked as witch doctors!
We are joined by Bishop Mwita Akiri from Tarime in rural Tanzania, Judith Calf who served as a missionary in theological education in Tanzania for 20 years, and Tim Swan who leads the Anglican Aid Ministry here in Australia.”
Tribute to Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith by Ross Cobb
Posted on August 27, 2024
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During the 10:30am service on Sunday (25th August 2024), Ross Cobb, Director of Music at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, gave this tribute to Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith.
The service also featured hymns written by Bishop Dudley-Smith. (See it from the start here.)
Singleness book wins Christian book of the year
Posted on August 27, 2024
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From SydneyAnglicans.net:
“The SparkLit Australian Christian Book of the Year for 2024 has been won by Sydney Anglican the Rev Dr Dani Treweek for her book The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church. …”
– Read here.
Related:
Singleness in the Church Today: An Interview With Dani Treweek – Jacob York speaks with Dani Treweek for The Gospel Coalition Australia.
The book is available now from The Wandering Bookseller.
Tickle v Giggle: Sex and Gender Identity
Posted on August 26, 2024
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“In his decision in Tickle v Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd (No 2) [2024] FCA 960 (23 August 2024) Bromwich J in the Federal Court of Australia found that the company Giggle had been guilty of indirect gender identity discrimination when its director, Sall Grover (who was also sued), had removed Roxy Tickle from her women-only social media app. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster comments on a ruling “which raises concerns for religious folk, many of whom see sex as a biological category determined at conception and ordained by God”.
Minister for Gulgong announced
Posted on August 26, 2024
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From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:
“Bishop Mark Calder announced today the appointment of the Rev’d Josh Taylor as assistant priest in Cudgegong Valley, with responsibility for Gulgong. Josh and Jordon will arrive in Gulgong early in 2025. Praise God!”
Also from the Diocese of Bathurst, here’s the latest list of parishes – for your prayers:
Lead us not into temptation
Posted on August 25, 2024
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“Is not Britain an example of a nation in which the decline of self-control has led to a massive increase in the power of the State?
The permissive society of the 1960s gave permission to throw off the internal moral restraints that a broadly Christian country had encouraged. But when people cannot or will not control themselves, does that not provide a plum opportunity for authoritarians to take over? …
Today’s Book of Common Prayer Epistle reading is from the Apostle Paul’s New Testament letter to the Christians in 1st Century Galatia. It is a call to Christian people to exercise self-restraint in dependence upon God’s Holy Spirit. …”
– At The Conservative Woman, Julian Mann reflects on the Epistle for today.
Also at The Conservative Woman:
The Sunday Hymn: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Margaret Ashworth.
Epic Reading of the Gospel of John coming to St. Andrew’s Cathedral
Posted on August 24, 2024
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From the Cathedral:
“On Saturday 7th September, at 3:30pm, St Andrew’s Cathedral will host an ‘Epic Reading’ of the entire Gospel of John, in our atmospheric Chapter House, off Bathurst Street, Sydney.
The expert reader will be Melbourne actor and author, Simon Camilleri, well known already for illuminating various books of the Bible by his public readings.
Thirty years ago, reading the Gospel of John was part of what changed Simon’s life.
In the same way that you can’t really understand the Lord of the Rings by watching a few short YouTube clips of the movie, Simon says some things can only be appreciated by seeing and hearing the whole. …”
– Read it all here – and see a video of Simon Camilleri with a sample.
And the Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, invites you to be there:
The Exultant Nature of Today’s Abortion Advocacy
Posted on August 23, 2024
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“A Planned Parenthood mobile clinic has been offering free abortions just a few blocks from the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which concludes today.
The DNC is not officially involved, but that is a minor detail, given that abortion has the status of a creedal non-negotiable in the upper echelons of the Democratic Party. The clinic is simply actualizing the central plank of the Democrats’ election campaign. Its proximity to the convention is entirely appropriate …”
– At First Things, Carl Trueman speaks of the desecration of humanity.
Image: Carl Trueman at the Diocese of the Living Word missions conference in April 2024.
Review – Darkness: The Conversion of Anglican Armidale
Posted on August 22, 2024
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Presbyterian Minister Graham Barnes reviews Darkness: The Conversion of Anglican Armidale, 1960-2019, by Thomas Fudge.
“Darkness is Professor Fudge’s ‘accidental (p.1)’ book on the history of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale from 1960 to 2019, and the battles between theological liberalism and evangelicalism. The book is thirteen chapters long, 800+ pages, and for the most part theology and history are interwoven.
For Fudge, the watershed moment was the 1964 Election Synod where the evangelical Clive Kerle was elected Bishop of the Diocese. …
Not being an Anglican, and not knowing the individuals nor the events that Fudge seeks to describe, I will try limit this review more to Fudge’s theology, focusing on the earlier and later parts of his book. In truth, many of his comments, in particular about individuals, were poor to say the least.”
– Read the full review at AP.
Related:
Responses to a new book about the recent history of the Diocese of Armidale – 09 April 2024.
“John Chapman led a diocese to go evangelical, and outrage lingers still” – 17 June 2023.
Chappo’s contribution to the Anglican Diocese of Armidale – Tim Stevens, 2014.
John Chapman touched on his time in Armidale several times in this 2012 interview with Richard Chin (on Vimeo). If you only have time for one segment, you may want to jump to 1:13:27. (He recalls events around the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade.)
Freedom for Faith 2024 Conference
Posted on August 22, 2024
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Videos of the talks given at the Freedom for Faith 2024 Conference, held earlier this month, have now been made available at the Freedom for Faith website.
Do check them out.
Growing Up in the Pastoral Spotlight: Insights into the lives and wellbeing of Ministry Kids – with Valerie Ling
Posted on August 20, 2024
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From The Pastor’s heart:
“What impact does growing up in a pastoral family have on ministry kids?
Valerie Ling from the Sydney Centre for Effective Living joins us to unpack the ‘Ministry Kids Wellbeing Survey,’ revealing what Australian ministry children, say about their upbringing.
They tell of heightened responsibilities and an acute awareness of adult realities plus concerns about feeling different from their peers.
We explore the broader impacts of pastoral life on children, and explore displacement, constant mobility, difficulties in forming lasting friendships and achieving a sense of belonging.
Comparisons are made with the experiences of diplomats and defence ministry kids, emphasizing the common struggles and the critical role parents play in providing stability.
Plus we talk the importance of empathy and creating safe spaces for doubts.”
A Missed Opportunity: The Benefits of Bivocational Ministry
Posted on August 19, 2024
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“Since February of this year, I have had the great joy and privilege of studying at Bible College. Initially, I enrolled to equip myself to serve faithfully as a layperson in a church – a role I greatly admire. However, after much consideration, I have decided to pursue chaplaincy work at the completion of my Diploma – rather than returning to my previous work or pursuing ordained church-based ministry (I’ll save this story for another day).
During this time, as I considered vocational ministry for myself, something has been bothering me… Why does Australia have so few bivocational ministry workers? Along with many others, I have been growing increasingly convinced that we should consider this more seriously. I am not saying this is a silver bullet to our problems, nor that I want to see fewer people in full-time gospel ministry. Rather, my question is: are we missing out on something good and helpful by failing to equip and support bivocational ministry workers?…”
– Cooper Rispin, who is studying at Moore College, wants to help us consider the value and appropriateness of bivocational ministry. At AP, the Australian Presbyterian online journal.
(You can read about Cooper, and his fellow Moore College students, in the 2024 issue of Societas.)
Bold plan to build one new church every year
Posted on August 19, 2024
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“Sydney Anglican Property’s fundraising arm, New Churches for New Communities (NCNC), has set itself an ambitious goal – but one that, according to executive director Ed Hercus, is needed to meet the challenge of modern Sydney.
‘Our goal is to be building a church a year over the next 30 years on the land that Sydney Anglican Property “banks” in the greenfield and urban infill areas’ …”
– Russell Powell has this encouraging piece at SydneyAnglicans.net.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…