Various clergy opportunities in central and western NSW

Posted on August 2, 2023 
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SydneyAnglicans.net highlights these opportunities for gospel work in central and western NSW –

“In central and western NSW, we find ourselves with a bountiful harvest but too few labourers.

Of our 28 parishes, 13 are in need of clergy – not so much to ‘run a church’, but to serve as loving shepherds to our people; to share the love of Jesus, open his Word, and provide guidance, nourishment, and protection. …”

– See the communities where there are specific needs.

August – September 2023 Southern Cross out now

Posted on August 2, 2023 
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The August – September 2023 issue of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is now out.

Printed copies will be available in parishes shortly, and you can read it on the web right now.

In his column this month, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel reflects on Our True Spiritual Condition –

“Recently I was walking through the city and, as I crossed Martin Place, I noticed the usual queue of men and women lining up to receive their evening meal, while others set up plastic folding tables and baskets of plastic cutlery and paper serviettes ready for that night’s food distribution.

The Sydney City Council says there are about 300 people sleeping on the streets of the CBD each night, with close to that number in city-based crisis accommodation. Across NSW, the number of people without adequate housing is more than 30,000. I am deeply grateful for the work of Anglicare and a number of city and suburban churches that provide assistance to people experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness in their local area.

As I continued on my walk, I soon passed another queue. This time it was a queue of people waiting to enter the Louis Vuitton store on George Street. It made for a jarring contrast, though the two queues were barely 500 metres apart. …”

Read it all on pages 13 and 14.

Barbieland and the Garden of Eden

Posted on August 1, 2023 
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“Like millions of others, I fell captive to the marketing genius of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. On the movie’s opening day, I donned my pinkest outfit and joined my friends to see Barbie in all her glittery glory.

But for a movie purporting to be fun and light-hearted, I was fascinated to see how its characters also wrestled with questions of death, gender, and purpose. Barbieland reflects its own kind of Garden of Eden, inviting Christians to compare and contrast the film with Scripture while opening the door for worthwhile conversations. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australian Anna Hoole reflects on how the new Barbie movie could open the door to talk about something that’s truly important.

This major regional city needs a new minister

Posted on August 1, 2023 
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As the Bathurst Diocese Facebook page says,

“This major regional city needs a new minister. Read with encouragement who they are looking for. Please join them in prayer.

Maybe you’re the answer to their prayer. Seek a preliminary, confidential chat with our bishop – Mark Calder.”

See the details at the SydneyAnglicans.net jobs vacancy page.

Moore College Sunday — 6th August 2023

Posted on July 31, 2023 
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Let’s not forget to pray for Moore College.

Moore College Sunday is coming up on Sunday 6th August and is a great time to remind congregations of the key role of the College in equipping men and women for a lifetime of Christian service.

– Download resources from this link.

The big Barbie movie – a Christian perspective

Posted on July 31, 2023 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The Barbie movie has started big conversations around the world and is becoming a significant ‘cultural moment’ – opening up and influencing conversations about death, the gospel, the relationships between men & women and worldview.

We explore particularly the evangelistic opportunities and how Christians might best engage.

Caitlin Orr is an Anglican Deacon on maternity leave.

Sophia Russell is a journalist, mum and member of St Paul’s Carlingford in Sydney’s north west.

Jael Riegl is a member at Dapto Anglican Church, to the south of Sydney, and has recently graduated from a degree in English Literature, Law and Philosophy.”

– Watch or listen here.

One & All is all for Jesus

Posted on July 30, 2023 
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“As Christians around Sydney – and around the world – sing songs written by composers and music groups from Sydney Anglican circles, it’s always exciting to discover another addition to the mix.

One & All, a group born out of the parish centred on Christ Church, Springwood, started in early 2020…”

– Judy Adamson writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Remembering Arthur Stace 56 years on

Posted on July 30, 2023 
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Like a broken record, we’ve mentioned Arthur Stace on our website once or twice over the years.

In some ways, you might call him Sydney’s best known evangelist, chalking the word Eternity on footpaths across the city for more than 35 years. He inspired thousands to wonder at the meaning of that word – hopefully to contemplate where they would spend eternity – and to be attentive to the gospel.

In addition, Arthur was an open-air evangelist, though few were aware he was also ‘Mr Eternity’.

Arthur was called home to be with the Lord Jesus on this day (30th July) in 1967.

He was eventually buried at Botany Cemetery, now part of Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park.

As we remember this humble man, let’s also be encouraged by his example as he laboured to bring the good news of salvation to his fellow Sydney-siders.

See also these two tributes in song – by Nathan Tasker (video below) and Colin Buchanan.

Update on the Church of England’s General Synod — July 2023

Posted on July 29, 2023 
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Tony Rucinski from the Coalition for Marriage in the UK speaks with the Rev Dr Ian Paul for an update on the July session of the Church of England’s General Synod.

What actually happened with the Bishops’ push for the blessing of same-sex relationships? “We’re in this sort of bizarre no-man’s land.”

Video here.

Link via Anglican Mainstream.

The book for concerned and confused parents

Posted on July 29, 2023 
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“The 1960s had the sexual revolution and the 2020s has brought us the gender revolution. So this is a fitting title for a book with the clear purpose to ‘provide the biblical basis for a contemporary Christian response to the complicated feelings and experiences of gender dysphoria’. …”

– Russell Powell writes about The Gender Revolution at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The Gender Revolution — book review

Posted on July 29, 2023 
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“There are times when I receive a new book and find myself saying ‘I don’t think we need a new book on that.’ After all, some topics have been covered so skillfully, repeatedly, and exhaustively that yet another book on the subject could only be overkill.

Yet sometimes I receive a new book and find myself saying, ‘I’m so glad someone has written a book on that!’ There are some topics that may not have been covered sufficiently or that may reflect such new realities that we are still awaiting good analyses.

The Gender Revolution falls squarely in the second category. …”

– Tim Challies draws attention to an important book from an Australian publisher. Most of our readers should be able to find a copy.

Related:

The authors speak with Dominic Steele on The Pastor’s Heart.

 

Review of J. C. Ryle, ‘Christmas Thoughts’

Posted on July 29, 2023 
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“J. C. Ryle was an unusual clergyman in that he could preach and write, and he could write in different styles while all the time being clear and engaging.

Andrew Atherstone has gathered and edited five of Ryle’s Christmas tracts written during the 1850s and 1860s, and published them for our benefit. …”

– Peter Barnes, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, writes a brief review at AP.

From the foreword of the book:

“This little book contains five of Ryle’s most popular Christmas tracts, originally published during the 1850s and 1860s. They have not been issued in this Christmas form since they were first printed more than a century and a half ago.”

Christmas Thoughts is published by Banner of Truth.

New to Ryle? See –

His Sermons Roused a Sleeping Church – John Piper.

Euthanasia in Canada. MAiD in hell?

Posted on July 28, 2023 
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“More people are being euthanised in Canada than anywhere else in the world. In the last official report, for 2022, 10,064 people died through what Canadians call ‘medical assistance in dying’ (MAiD). …”

– Michael Cook writes at Mercator. Link via Anglican Mainstream.

Can I share a little secret about speaking at Conferences?

Posted on July 28, 2023 
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“for me, all things being equal, the hard part of ministry isn’t giving talks at conferences. The hard part is Everything Else.”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Rory Shiner shares what’s easy – and what isn’t.

Heresy! Why Christians must confront false teaching

Posted on July 27, 2023 
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“Jesus warned his disciples that false doctrine and false teachers would arise within the Church. He spoke of thieves, robbers, strangers, hired hands and wolves (see John 10) and of himself as a good shepherd, protecting the flock. So it ought to come as no surprise when the Church becomes something of a battleground, and all kinds of heresies spring up. This has happened throughout history. …”

– Church Society’s Lee Gatiss writes for Premier Christianity.

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