The Archbishop leaves the chair

Posted on October 17, 2012 
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“The 2012 Synod has ended on an emotional note as Archbishop Peter Jensen left the chair for the last time as President of the Synod.

After a five day meeting which began with his ‘Last words’ Presidential Address, the final hour of the Synod was devoted to a motion which said in part, ‘Synod takes this opportunity to express its admiration for the way in which Dr Jensen has presided over this and preceding Synods during the 12 years of his term of office’.…”

– Story from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

‘Anglicare says thousands going hungry’

Posted on October 16, 2012 
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“Anglicare Australia says Australia’s poorest are going without food, sometimes for up to 24 hours. The organisation has launched a report based on a national survey of families receiving its emergency support. …”

– ABC News has this report. Story: Anglicare Sydney.

Download “When there’s not enough to eat”. (Image: ABC.)

How to wreck a church

Posted on October 16, 2012 
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“What is it about false teaching? First it dazzles, finding its ways into magazines and onto TV news programmes and book displays. It also deceives – drawing the unwary half a degree off course. It then distorts, for the principle of the ever-widening angle will eventually see church members ten years down the line embracing teachings that are far removed from Scripture. And, finally, it destroys.”

– Timely reminder from Richard Bewes – at Anglican Mainstream.

‘God’s Library’ — new eBook from Greg Clarke

Posted on October 16, 2012 
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Bible Society Australia CEO Greg Clarke has published a free eBook to coincide with the Society’s 25 Words campaign. It’s designed to encourage both Christians and non-Christians to look into the Bible.

From the Preface:

“All other books are also-rans… the Bible is publishing’s success story. This introductory book is written especially for those who feel that they really should know something about the world’s most influential text, but may have been afraid to ask, put off by the Church, found the black leather cover and cigarette paper pages ominous, or just never got around to it.”

It’s available free online until 9th November here in a Flash-based screen reader.

If you have a mobile device, you’ll probably need the PDF version (7.8MB direct link).

The New City Catechism

Posted on October 15, 2012 
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“Last week Tim Keller asked ‘Why Catechesis Now?’ This morning TGC introduced the New City Catechism, adapted by Tim Keller and Sam Shammas from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York…”

– Andy Naselli has the links and some related resources.

Synod notes Gippsland actions with ‘grave concern’

Posted on October 15, 2012 
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“Synod has repeated Standing Committee’s concern about the actions of the Bishop of Gippsland in appointing a clergyman openly living with a male partner. …”

– SydneyAnglicans.net has the report. Related posts.

New BCA Victorian Regional Officer

Posted on October 14, 2012 
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“The Bush Church Aid Society … has appointed a Ridley Melbourne Senior Lecturer, the Revd Adrian Lane, as Victorian Regional Officer…”

– Anglican Media Melbourne. (BCA media release – PDF).

Report: Glasgow Presbytery to ‘recover all property and assets’ from St George’s Tron

Posted on October 12, 2012 
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Statement by Dr William Philip at St. George’s Tron in Glasgow last Sunday –

“we have now seen the report which will go before Presbytery on Tuesday, and I’m afraid I have to say to you it is very disappointing indeed. It’s a report marked by falsehood and fantasy and enmity…”  Read more

Why Catechesis now?

Posted on October 11, 2012 
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“The church in Western culture today is experiencing a crisis of holiness. To be holy is to be ‘set apart,’ different, living life according to God’s Word and story, not according to the stories that the world tells us are the meaning of life.

The more the culture around us becomes post- and anti-Christian the more we discover church members in our midst, sitting under sound preaching, yet nonetheless holding half-pagan views of God, truth, and human nature, and in their daily lives using sex, money, and power in very worldly ways. …”

– Tim Keller lays out the need for a new Catechism to be launched next week by The Gospel Coalition.

Related: Grounded in the Gospel – J I Packer on The White Horse Inn.

Kara Gilbert commissioned as Archdeacon for Women

Posted on October 9, 2012 
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“The occasion of the Synod Service has been used to commission the Rev Kara Gilbert as the new Archdeacon for women in the Sydney Diocese. Archbishop Jensen appointed Ms Gilbert to replace Archdeacon Narelle Jarrett, who retires this year…”

– Russell Powell has the story.

Last words: Archbishop Peter Jensen’s 2012 Synod Address

Posted on October 9, 2012 
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[Updated with video.]

Last night Archbishop Peter Jensen gave his last Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney.

There was much encouragement as well as sober exhortation –

“I have never had such good opportunities in speaking to people about Jesus as in the last few three or four years. Our theory of Connect 09 is true – there are people everywhere who would like to know the gospel and will want us to befriend them. In particular lay people are ideally placed to quietly but confidently share Christ and show what a difference he makes.”

Hear (77 minutes / 53MB mp3) or read (PDF) Archbishop Jensen’s full address.

Video: – part 1 (first 35 minutes), part 2 (if you watch nothing else, watch the first 8 minutes of part 2).

It is well worth setting aside the time to hear or watch the whole address.

Report from Anglican Media Sydney.

Meet the new Presbyterian Moderator-General

Posted on October 9, 2012 
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The Pulse, the magazine of the Presbyterian Church in NSW & ACT, has a profile on Moderator-General-designate David Cook. Himself a Moore College graduate, David served as the Principal of SMBC for 26 years.

Read the profile here or on page 7 of the October 2012 edition of The Pulse (PDF). h/t Gary Ware.

Reform National Conference 2012

Posted on October 8, 2012 
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Reform has posted online audio from their recent UK National Conference, including –

Lessons from America – Martyn Minns
Culture in Crisis – Melvin Tinker
Gospel Trials in 1662: to stay or to go – Peter Adam.

Creeds and Confessions in the Contemporary Church

Posted on October 6, 2012 
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Carl Trueman was interviewed on the role of creeds and confessions in the church – at Christ the Center broadcast.

Where general church culture is increasingly forgetting the place of creeds, this is worth hearing. The interview starts 5:15 into the audio file.

Related: See also the video about Trueman’s new book The Creedal Imperative here. (Availability.)

Sydney Synod to begin Monday

Posted on October 5, 2012 
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The Synod of the Diocese of Sydney begins its 2012 gathering on Monday.

Please pray for all of the Synod members, and all the support staff and helpers who serve in many different ways.

Please particularly uphold in prayer Archbishop Peter Jensen as he delivers his last Address as President of the Synod.

Pray that the Lord Jesus would be glorified in all the discussions and deliberations of the Synod.

Related: Introduction-to-Synod videos.

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