Anglican Aid’s 2024 Prayer Diary

Posted on January 8, 2024 
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Have you downloaded (or obtained a printed copy of) Anglican Aid’s 2024 Prayer Diary?

“[In 2023], we praised God for answering our prayers for the rain that broke the devastating three-year drought in East Africa. Times of drought and emergency certainly drive us to prayer, but Psalm 104 reminds us that God is the good creator and sustainer of our world.

It is always God who makes things grow to bring forth food from the earth. Paul reminds the Corinthian church that the same is true for growing churches. When Corinthian church members were falling into factions and arguing about which leader they were aligned with, Paul said, ‘I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow’ (1 Corinthians 3:6).

This is why prayer is so important. Whether it is a farming or water project, school or church, we rely on God for his good gifts that bring transformation, in his good timing.

Our 2024 Anglican Aid Prayer Diary contains 31 days of prayer points for a range of projects supported through Anglican Aid to deliver emergency aid and relief, training of church leaders, income generation, clean water, education, and more. All these projects are carried out by believers, and it is our hope that God will bring tremendous growth as we pray throughout 2024, strengthening churches and transforming communities to his glory.

Canon Tim Swan
CEO, Anglican Aid.”

– Download your copy here.

Prayer diary items are also available through PrayerMate.

‘Alan Bates vs the Post Office’ contains hard lessons for the Church

Posted on January 7, 2024 
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Many Australians will be unaware of the huge miscarriage of justice involving the Post Office in the UK, but it’s worth learning what happened when the Post Office decided to protect its ‘good name’:

“More than 700 branch managers were given criminal convictions when faulty accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their sites.

It has been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history, with dozens of convictions overturned and many more in line for compensation. …” – BBC Report, 22 March 2022.

Post Office Horizon scandal: ‘It’s broken people’s lives’ — Andrew Bridgen MP – GB News.

The Most Widespread Miscarriage Of Justice’ Mr Bates vs The Post Office – Good Morning Britain.

This article at Premier Christianity warns Churches against doing what the Post Office did.

Link via Anglican Mainstream.

Why You Should Attend Church (in Person) This Sunday

Posted on January 7, 2024 
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“Whether because of health concerns or simply out of preference for watching online in their pajamas, 30- to 49-year-old churchgoers now attend church far less often than before COVID. For some, gathering in person can feel risky or inconvenient.

No doubt online services can serve beloved homebound saints and sick members. There are valid reasons to miss church. And yet God’s Word insists individual Christians need congregational worship. …”

– While this article at The Gospel Coalition is written for a US readership, numbers are still down after COVID in many churches in Australia.

Pray for St. Patrick’s Bible College

Posted on January 5, 2024 
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Prayer focus from GAFCON:

“Following a huge increase in the numbers of believers, St. Patrick’s Bible College (Madagascar) is expanding its capacity to train leaders.

Praise God for the increase in students and the new dormitories to accommodate them.”

Related:

The Rev Berthier Lainirina, Principal of St Patrick’s Theological College speaks at Moore College Chapel, September 2023.

CMS QNNSW Summer School 2024 cancelled after storm damage

Posted on January 5, 2024 
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The Queensland and Northern NSW CMS Summer School, which was to have started today, has been cancelled due to significant storm damage at Mount Tamborine.

From the QNNSW website:

“In consultation with MTCC and QCCC we have made the difficult decision to cancel Summer School this year. Care for Summer School attendees and the local community at Mount Tamborine has been paramount in our minds. With all the information we have available to us, we believe this is the best decision to achieve that.

An email has gone out to all people who have registered for Summer School with further details about what’s next.

We want to give a massive shout out to MTCC and QCCC for all the hard work they’ve put in over the last week and half to try and make it possible for Summer School to go ahead. We are also very thankful for the work our speakers, missionaries, volunteers and staff team have put in in the lead up to Summer School.” (Links added.)

A good reminder to pray for other CMS Summer Schools and conferences taking place.

Related:

Tamborine Mountain residents without power, water after ‘tornado’ storm destroys electricity network – ABC News, 29 December 2023.

On Being a Heroic Man

Posted on January 5, 2024 
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“There is something deep inside a man’s heart that longs to be heroic.

I don’t know what little girls dream of, but I do know that little boys dream of carrying those girls out of a burning schoolhouse so they can be admired as strong and brave. Teenaged boys dream of fighting in a war not so much to blaze away at the enemy as to perform an act of heroism that will mark them as tough and noble and worthy of honor.

Though older men may no longer be prone to such fantasies, they, too, are drawn to heroism and are convinced that they would be equal to the challenge, that they would stand where others fall, that they would run forward when others run back. …”

– At the start of the year, Tim Challies shares some wisdom for men, urging patience and action.

Canadian Archbishop Linda Nicholls to retire by October 2024

Posted on January 4, 2024 
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“ ‘I am discerning the exact date of my retirement’, she says.

Anglican clergy have difficulty deciding things, they have to discern them instead. …”

– David Jenkins comments at Anglican Samizdat about the yet-to-be-determined date of Archbishop Linda Nicholls’ retirement.

Related:

Canadian General Synod ponders financial future as revenues drop – Anglican Journal.

Image from the 2023 Canadian General Synod.

Defining Moments: My Copernican Revolution (Ephesians 1)

Posted on January 2, 2024 
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Moore College’s Dr Lionel Windsor spoke at Auckland Evangelical Church on Sunday evening. His topic?:

“Defining Moments: My Copernican Revolution (Ephesians 1).”

– Listen here, and also see the slides.

New Year’s message from the Archbishop of Perth

Posted on January 2, 2024 
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A New Year message from Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy.

A great reminder to pray for Abp Goldsworthy and the Diocese of Perth.

Bathurst Diocese Prayer Diary 2024

Posted on January 2, 2024 
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Here’s a great resource to help you pray for the progress of the gospel in the Diocese of Bathurst.

Download your copy of the Bathurst Diocese Prayer Diary for 2024. (PDF file)

O Joy! – New Year message from Church Society’s Lee Gatiss

Posted on January 1, 2024 
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“You know, as well as I do, that, being in the Church of England right now, can have a detrimental effect on one’s health. …

How can we cope with it all? What is the solution?”

– Church Society’s Director Dr Lee Gatiss has a message of joy, despite what’s happening in the Church of England.

Related:

Why the Global South will win the Spiritual and Culture Wars in the Anglican Communion – commentary by David Virtue:

“It’s like a sinkhole opening up before your eyes, slowly swallowing up churches, bishops and priests, while watching helplessly as the hole increases and more of the Church of England falls into it never to be seen again. …

Whatever happens, the Global South now owns the Anglican Communion and they don’t have to force schism, because they are the theological heirs of Thomas Cranmer and his legitimate heirs.”

The happiest Year you will ever know

Posted on January 1, 2024 
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From Tim Challies:

“There are some hymns that disappear because they are simply not very good. There are some hymns that disappear because they are too tied to a particular niche. And there are some hymns that disappear because their language becomes antiquated.

I think this hymn/poem by John Newton spans the latter two categories. It is closely tied to New Year’s, so likely to be sung for only one Sunday out of every 52. And then some of the language has become just a little bit old-fashioned.

Still, it is worth dusting off, reading, and pondering as one year fades into another. In it, Newton marks the year that has gone and celebrates the year to come (though possibly not right now) – the year that will prove to be the best of your life. …”

– Read here.

And Marylynn Rouse at The John Newton Project provides some context for the hymn.

Marylynn also shares news of the calling home of the Rev. Tony Baker, one of the founding trustees of the John Newton Project.

At various times, Tony also served with the UCCF, Africa Evangelical Fellowship, the Evangelical Alliance, was Director of Evangelicals Now and held many pastoral roles. He last preached at Holy Trinity Eastbourne in September 2023, on the 60th anniversary of his ordination.

Photo of John Newton’s portrait with thanks to Marylynn Rouse.

A New Year: Comfort and Joy…!

Posted on January 1, 2024 
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“With the many and varied changes around us – conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle-East and Africa, China’s aggressive acts, significant political and social divisions in the West, climate-change, gender issues, and the western disdain of Christianity – we might wonder about the future.

In the course of his ministry Jesus spoke of events that would unfold …”

– At The Anglican Connection, John Mason helps put things in perspective.

Excellent advice from the Apostle Paul at the start of a new year

Posted on December 31, 2023 
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Encouragement from the Apostle Paul:

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

– Philippians 3:13b-14. (ESV)

Death Rehearsal

Posted on December 31, 2023 
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You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. . . . So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:5–6, 12)

“For me, the end of a year is like the end of my life. And 11:59 pm on December 31 is like the moment of my death. …“

– John Piper shares these thoughts for the end of a year.

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