Moore College Student Support Fund
Posted on November 25, 2023
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“Finding the funds to attend College full-time is challenging. Many need to obtain varied forms of support to make it possible. Some students may have already built a financial support base before coming to College, others perhaps not.
The College is committed to providing financial support to our students that will support them to continue in their studies. The Student Support Fund is a way to provide this type of additional support, particularly for living expenses. …”
– This is a great initiative to help students at Moore College.
Church Society’s St Antholin Lecture 2023: Same-Sex Love in the Puritan World
Posted on November 24, 2023
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From Church Society:
“This year’s St Antholin Lecture on Puritan Divinity will be delivered live on the Church Society Facebook page by Dr Christy Wang, a church historian from Singapore Bible College.
Dr Wang is also a Post-Award Visitor affiliated with the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, where she was a tutor and earned her DPhil on ‘Puritan Conformity, Church Polity, and Anglican Identity, 1628–88’, having previously also studied at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and National Taiwan University.
The title of the lecture will be ‘By Love to Them I Cease Loving of Thee’: Journaling Same-Sex Love in the Puritan World.’…”
– Details here.
The lecture is on Wednesday 6th December at 6pm (UK time), 5:00am the next morning Sydney time.
Resources to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Posted on November 24, 2023
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From SydneyAnglicans.net:
“Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has commended the work of Anglicare as the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on November 25. …”
Image: Anglicare resources website.
A Gafcon Collect for those taking their Bible College exams
Posted on November 23, 2023
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“Our gracious Lord God, we know that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ Jesus.
We pray for theological students in the southern hemisphere as they sit their final exams and complete their academic year. We pray that you will give them calm nerves and a quiet confidence in your sovereign goodness. Bless them with keen understanding and retentive memories.
We pray that you will help them to keep their eyes fixed on the ultimate end of these exams and their study: that they may grow in the knowledge of you and be equipped to faithfully teach and proclaim the gospel of your Son Jesus so that your kingdom may be extended, and your name glorified. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
– Grateful to GAFCON for the reminder to pray.
Remembering C S Lewis 60 years on
Posted on November 22, 2023
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Sixty years ago today (22nd November 1963) C S Lewis died.
Also on that day, US President John F Kennedy was assassinated.
Albert Mohler devotes his The Briefing for 22 November 2023 to remembering JFK.
Image: Christianity Today.
Should I go or should I stay in the Church of England?
Posted on November 22, 2023
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“It is with a high degree of anxiety, and increasing doubts about my sanity, that I am wading unwisely into the debate on whether to remain in or leave the Church of England.
I readily confess that I am, by every measure, several levels below the spiritual and theological authority of those who have already spoken or written on the matter. Nonetheless even the minion on the congregational ‘shopfloor’ deserves a hearing. …”
– Dr. Chik Kaw Tan, former member of General Synod and a trustee of Anglican Mainstream, shares his thoughts, and acknowledges that “remaining or leaving can both be difficult options”. Very helpful.
It’s also a good reminder to keep praying for all our brothers and sisters who are wrestling with these questions.
Plans and prayers
Posted on November 22, 2023
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“‘Just take things one day at a time’. It’s a helpful piece of advice, but inevitably our focus does shift beyond the next 24 hours to those things further ahead on the horizon – the next week, the next month, the next year, and beyond. Of course, it’s impossible for us to have absolute certainty about what lies in the future. …
But how do we actually go about making plans under God? What does it look like in practice? Thankfully the apostle Paul helps us out. …”
– Rusdyan Cocks shares encouragement at The Australian Church Record.
Calling recently-retired clergy
Posted on November 22, 2023
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From the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page:
“Bishop David Robinson has graciously been helping in Coonamble as a locum. Such a blessing to that church.
If you’re recently retired and keen to serve in the Diocese this way next year, very flexible terms and conditions can be discussed. (eg;. Bishop David has served two weeks on, two weeks off, just 2.5 days a week each visit.) Please contact Bishop Mark Calder.”
Thanksgiving for Alistair and Susan Begg’s 40 years of gospel service at Parkside Church
Posted on November 21, 2023
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On the weekend, members of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, gave thanks for 40 years of gospel service by Alistair and Susan Begg.
A special service was held, memories were shared, thanks were given to the Lord, and messages were received from friends around the world (including John Woodhouse and Dick Lucas).
– Watch here.
Activists blessed by the Anglican Dean of Newcastle
Posted on November 20, 2023
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“The Anglican Dean of Newcastle has blessed a group of activists who plan to block the city’s harbour for 30 hours this weekend.
The group say they want to send a message about climate change…”
– Report from NBN News Newcastle.
Photo: Newcastle Cathedral.
No crumb of comfort in a tragic and disastrous Church of England decision — with Vaughan Roberts
Posted on November 20, 2023
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From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The Church of England has abandoned the teaching of Jesus with prayers for same sex blessings potentially to start before Christmas.
‘Tragic’ says Gafcon.
‘Disastrous’ says the Global South.
‘Deeply Troubled’ says the Church of England Evangelical Council.
‘First order difference requires first order differentiation’ says Vaughan Roberts.
‘It is hard not to dissolve into a flood of tears’ says Mark Thompson the Principal of Sydney’s Moore College.
‘The Archbishop of Canterbury should resign’ says the Church Society’s Lee Gatiss.
The English General Synod has crossed a line that evangelicals across the world had been praying and hoping would not happen.
The General Synod expressed its support by a tiny majority of just a few votes for the continued implementation of the House of Bishops proposals to change the position and practice of the Church of England with regards to sexual ethics and marriage.
We now expect the English bishops to commend prayers of blessing for same sex couples by mid-December (and provide dedicated services soon after), to prepare guidance which will make it possible for clergy to marry their same sex partners, and that future ordinands will not to be asked to indicate whether their lifestyle and personal relationships are in keeping with the doctrine of the Church of England.
Vaughan Roberts is one of the UK’s leading evangelical ministers within the church of England. Vaughan is senior pastor of St Ebbes in Oxford.”
– Watch or listen here. (Links added to the text above.)
Image: Vaughan Roberts speaks in the Church of England’s General Synod on Wednesday morning 15th November 2023.
Australia: Meet Jesus!
Posted on November 20, 2023
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“In 2024 the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) is prayerfully embarking on a national mission; the theme is ‘Meet Jesus’ and the focus is John’s Gospel.
The AFES will, of course, be focused on proclaiming Christ on university campuses. But they have invited churches, Christian organisations, and individuals to join them, where possible, by using the same Gospel (John), the same strategy (reading John with others) and the same branding (Meet Jesus). …”
– From The Gospel Coalition Australia.
Meet the late starter taking up Chappo’s flag
Posted on November 19, 2023
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“In Christian terms, Dave Jensen could be considered a late starter. When the figures tell us that 78 per cent of Christians turn to faith in the years up to age 19, conversion in his late twenties has made him a determined spreader of the good news. …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell writes of Dave Jensen’s new role.
Related:
What is a Christian? — book by Dave Jensen.
Investment in Preaching
Posted on November 19, 2023
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“With the Reserve Bank struggling to contain inflation and households facing cost of living pressure and retirees looking for return on capital, it is a good time to think about investment and preaching preparation.
There are two vital areas of investment which will yield healthy returns. …”
– Encouragement from David Cook at The Expository Preaching Trust.
A vicar writes to his congregation about the Synod decision on ‘gay blessings’
Posted on November 18, 2023
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“On Wednesday, after nearly nine hours of debate on Living in Love and Faith (LLF), the Church of England’s General Synod voted on a motion, put forward by the House of Bishops (HoB), and amended by a proposal by the Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft (see italics below).
In effect, + Steven’s amendment torpedoed a carefully staged proposal by the HoB, including that ‘prayers of blessing’ for gay relationship could not be used as a ‘stand-alone’ service, separate from a main Sunday service, as the perception and experience of those attending would be that the service was a ‘wedding’ in all but name, and therefore, the CofE would have changed its Doctrine on Marriage.
…
For now, I’d simply ask you to reflect on whether it is right, and a Godly way to change the Doctrine of the Church on marriage via one amendment, with no notice given to the wider Synod (until the actual start of the London meetings), and that the amendment occurred via a 57% to 52.18% against vote? As a PCC here, would probably not even choose a vacuum cleaner with that sort of division! After 7 years of LLF meetings, talks, reflections, study and debate across the CofE, it came down to a 5% difference? Remember, a formal change in doctrine needs a two-thirds majority in ALL three houses. That’s will now be by-passed by new praxis.”
– Anglican Mainstream has published this letter to his congregation from the Rev. Paul Eddy. It gives a very helpful insight into the fallout and mess caused by the Church of England’s General Synod vote. And plenty to pray about.
Image: Paul Eddy in an interview with the Christian Institute in January 2023.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…