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News – ANiC and AEN
New congregations welcomed to ANiC
| • |
New Song
Church (Scugog / Port Perry, ON), led by the Rev Dr Brent Stiller, rector, and the
Rev Bruce McCallum, associate priest, is now a parish
in ANiC. |
| • |
Church of the Resurrection (Halifax,
NS), let by the Rev Stephen Ashton is ANiC’s first congregation in Nova Scotia.
It is currently considered a “project”. |
| • |
St Andrew’s (Delta, BC), formerly
an ANiC project, is now recognized as a church plant. The Rev Dr Mike Dobson is
rector. |
ANiC has three types of congregations:
projects, church plants and parishes. For more information, see ANiC’s church planting page on our website.
Countdown
to synod 2011, clergy day and lay conference
Time is
running out to join the more than 200 delegates and observers already registered
for synod, November 2-4. An updated agenda is posted on the ANiC website.
Church planters
and those interested in church-planting will be pleased to know that Canon David
Roseberry, who leaders the Anglican1000 movement, will be at synod.
Please pray
for the Victoria organizing team and volunteers working on last minute preparations,
the speakers and all participants.
An
invitation for Anglican Orphans – and those with a heart for “Orphans”
The
ANiC Council has recently endorsed a proposal to explore the potential of developing
a “virtual” church plant as part of the Anglican Network in Canada. The vision is
to use technology – primarily the internet – to communicate and to develop
a fellowship which would provide support and encouragement for isolated Christians
who live where there are no biblically faithful Anglican churches. If you are an
“orphan” yourself or are interested in helping to explore the development of such
a ministry within ANiC, please contact Mark Larratt-Smith by email or call (613)476-6539.
Speaker announced for clergy retreat,
March 20-22
The annual ANiC clergy retreat at
Cedar Springs, just south of Abbotsford, BC, will feature Dr Lyle Schrag,
director of the Fellowship Centre for Leadership Development at the Northwest Baptist
Seminary. Dr Schrag has served as a short-term missionary with the Slavic Gospel
Association, as the director of the Office of Christian Outreach at Wheaton College,
and for 24 years as the Senior Pastor in churches in Chicago and Vancouver areas.
He holds degrees from Wheaton College and Graduate School, Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Diocese
of Sydney synod sends message to ANiC churches
The synod
of the Diocese of Sydney asked that the following message be sent to four Vancouver-area
ANiC congregations: St John’s Vancouver, Good Shepherd Vancouver; St Matthias &
St Luke’s, and St Matthews, Abbotsford:
“The Synod
of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney wish to extend our prayers and support to you
in this time of transition and change. We praise God for your commitment to upholding
Scripture and your willingness to contend and suffer for the faith. You have been
a great example in grace, wisdom and humility to Bible-believing Christians, both
here in Australia, and around the world. We pray the Lord’s richest blessings on
your fellowship as you continue to proclaim, rejoice and grow in the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and that the grace of God will ring out from you in the great
city of Vancouver, to the glory of God.”
Vancouver concert, November 6
Two Vancouver-area
ANiC parishioners are collaborating with the Vancamerata Chamber Ensemble to present
Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi – which is billed as “a beautiful baroque opera about the love of Mary the mother of Christ watching
Christ die on the cross”. The opera features baroque soloists Pauline Hale, of St
John’s Vancouver and Angela Witzke-Larson of St John’s Richmond. It will be performed
on November 6 at 3pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 320 E 15th Avenue,
Vancouver – which is also the new home of ANiC’s St Matthias and St Luke’s.
Please come and bring your pre-Christian friends to enjoy good music which could
lead to a stimulating chat about spiritual matters. For more information see www.vancouverlutheran.org.
Calendar of upcoming events –
for your interest and prayer support
Oct 29
– Bible-in-a-Day
seminar, St John’s Richmond, BC
Oct 29
– Pastoral Care of Women, St George’s (Burlington, ON) conference, Crieff Hills
Nov 2 –
ANiC Clergy Day, Victoria, BC
Nov 2 –
ANiC lay conference,
Victoria, BC
Nov 3-4
– ANiC synod,
Victoria, BC
Nov 10-11
– Anglican1000’s Liturgy &
the Arts conference, Durham, NC
Nov 13
– International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
Mar 6-8
– Anglican 1000’s 2012 Church Planting
Summit in Plano, TX.
June 7-9
– ACNA Provincial Assembly, Ridgecrest, NC
ANiC in the news
Anglican
Planet – September 26 2011 – Court deprives
Windsor congregation of property
News – Anglican Church in North
America (ACNA)
Diocese of Pittsburgh disappointed
by court decision
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Archbishop
Bob Duncan’s diocese of an earlier lower court ruling. Archbishop Bob writes his people saying, “We remain committed to reaching a negotiated settlement with the Episcopal
Church diocese. In light of this judgment by the courts, we will redouble that commitment
to reaching a final resolution of all issues between the Episcopal Church diocese
and the Anglican diocese through negotiation. We intend to persevere in our mission,
which is to be Anglican Christians transforming our world with Jesus Christ.”
Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic
gets new office facility; church gets new building
The Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic announced that All Saints’ Church (Woodbridge, VA) has moved into its newly constructed building
which will also house the diocesan offices.
ACNA stats on the way
Our province, the Anglican Church in North America is
set to release provincial statistics, says Brad Root ACNA chief operating officer.
Responding to a StandFirm post Brad said his office is compiling these statistics and they should be published
in a few days. The delays in publishing parochial data, he said, are due to problems
implementing a new data collection system.
ACNA governance at a glance
The ACNA has posted lists of officers and members of its courts, task forces and committees.
News – Canada
Anglican Coalition in Canada (ACiC) to ordain priest
in Vancouver, October 28
The
Rev Benjamin Paulus will be ordained to the priesthood, October 28, at 7:30pm at First Church of the Nazarene, 998 East 19th Avenue, Vancouver. Ben currently serves as a deacon at ACiC’s Immanuel Church in Vancouver. All are invited.
Clergy are invited to robe; Colour of stole is red.
Bishop of New Westminster enlists Canterbury’s help to
find a rector for St John’s
According to the Diocese of New Westminster website, Bishop Michael Ingham told his diocesan
council that Archbishop Rowan Williams is “well aware of the diocese’s situation
regarding recent court decisions”. And that “Bishop Michael asked him if he would
consider casting his eye around the communion for a possible interim appointment
for St John’s, Shaughnessy. Archbishop Rowan said that he would and when he bid
Bishop Michael farewell told him that “thoughts were forming”.
Confessional
Lutherans in Canada discuss failure of dissent within the church
Solid Ground, the orthodox network within the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the counterpart of Anglican Essentials
Canada, met recently to discuss their denomination’s move away from “scriptural
authority, confessional faith, and transformational theology”. You can read addresses given at the conference entitled, “The failure of dissent and new beginnings”.
In an interesting speech that touched on the transitions ahead for congregations leave their long-time denomination,
Dr Luther Schwabe said “...Be of good cheer. The real church, which is a spiritual
and not an organizational entity, is as alive as ever. My ecclesiology has changed.
Leaving a denomination does not mean leaving the church. It may simply mean a fresh
start as it was in the case of Martin Luther. Those who left the Roman Catholic
Church during the Reformation did not leave the Church of Jesus Christ. We are not
dividing the real invisible Church. … These are good times for the Church of Jesus
Christ. Our congregations will not have all that many lukewarm Christians anymore…”
Please
pray for these faithful Lutherans.
Diocese of BC selling church buildings
The Anglican Essentials
blog notes a Victoria Times Colonist article reporting that the Diocese
of BC is selling seven church properties: All Saints Church and St Columba’s Church
in View Royal, St Alban’s Church and St Saviour’s Church in Victoria, Brentwood
Chapel Hall in Central Saanich, St Andrew’s Church in Cowichan, and All Saints Church
Hall in Crofton.
The
blog also highlights a report that the Diocese of New Westminster’s St John’s Shaughnessy has a Sunday attendance
of 28 now that the St John’s Vancouver has left their former building.
Huron College names Muslim as Program Chair
National Post
columnist Barbara Kay notes that the Anglican Church of Canada’s Huron
College has named a convert to Islam as its new chair of Islamic Studies. Kay writes,
“This appointment ups the ante on controversy already
swirling over the Chair’s funding. Much of the $2-million endowment was provided
by the membership of two organizations — the Muslim Association of Canada
(MAC) and the Virginia-based International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) —
both of which are alleged to be influenced by Islamist ideology.”
More Canadian news
Anglican
Planet – September 26 2011 – Six clergy protest
Montreal ordination
LifeSiteNews – October 13 2011
– Supreme Court
of Canada homosexual ‘hate speech’ case could be decisive for religious freedom
News – USA
More on the Episcopal Church’s attack on South Carolina’s
Bishop Mark Lawrence
The key charges leveled against Bishop Mark Lawrence
by the Episcopal Church (TEC) are posted on the StandFirm website. These include:
amendments to the diocese’s charter, constitution and canons; failure to prevent
parishes from leaving TEC and failure to sue those that had left; his statement
that the diocese is a “sovereign diocese”; removal of references to TEC on the diocesan
– and many parish – website; a mention of Bishop Lawrence in an ACNA
document; derogatory statements made by Bishop Lawrence regarding TEC, including
saying it preached a false gospel; ordaining his son to the priesthood after he
had been ordained a deacon in ACNA.
The Diocese of South Carolina’s website provides a summary of a recent emergency
meeting of the clergy and succinctly notes the issues at stake in the crisis.
Commenting on the uncanonical procedure employed by TEC
in its frenetic attack on Bishop Lawrence, the Anglican Communion Institute (ACI) concludes: “unless we have entered a Kafkaesque realm of canonical jurisprudence, one
cannot be found to have “abandoned” The Episcopal Church if one has unarguably complied
fully with the Constitution and canons and one’s ordination vows. But this appears
to be the realm in which Bishop Lawrence now finds himself. For he is being fast-tracked
for abandonment when all the leaders of the church, including the Disciplinary Board
itself, implicitly must have concluded that these matters do not rise to the level
that they even “may” constitute a violation of the canons or Bishop Lawrence’s ordination
vows.” Additional papers examining TEC’s uncanonical and unethical actions are on the ACI website.
The Church of England
Newspaper says, “While removing him from the House of Bishops would silence
his voice, it will also provoke a constitutional crisis for the Episcopal Church,
canon lawyers tell The Church of England
Newspaper. The national church’s Title IV Disciplinary Canons — which
went into effect in July [and which TEC is using to attack Bishop Lawrence] —
do not have legal force in South Carolina following amendments to its bylaws made
by the diocesan convention. The South Carolina Supreme Court has also nullified
the Dennis Canon, saying the national Church rule that property is held in trust
for the diocese and the national Church is invalid in that state –- effectively
placing the diocese and its property beyond the reach of the national Church….”
Support
for Bishop Mark Lawrence is building internationally. Bishop John Harrower, Bishop
of Tasmania, recently wrote a letter
of strong support. He writes:
I write
so that my recognition and support of you as a Brother Bishop in the Anglican Communion
may be clear and unambiguous, and to assure you of my prayer for you and your leadership
team at this time… not only are the revisionist pursuits of certain parties clearly
no longer bounded by the fundamental witness of the gospel in Scripture, but the
means of that pursuit seem no longer bounded by the common human wisdom of good
grace and fairness.
Canon lawyer Alan Haley has a number
of articles examining the conflicts of interests and know biases of all the members
of the “kangaroo court” – the Disciplinary Board for Bishops – which
will be considering Bishop Lawrence’s fate. In one article,
he concludes: “In sum: there is no one currently involved with the governance of the Episcopal Church (USA) who is impartial
enough to judge Bishop Lawrence, or to appoint his judges. All charges should be
dismissed without further delay. The longer this kangaroo court drags things out,
the more apparent will it be that its procedures have been rigged from the outset.”
TEC’s Washington National Cathedral surviving by cannibalizing
trust funds
An article on VirtueOnline details the financial mismanagement at the Washington DC National Cathedral, including
drawing on trust funds to pay operating costs and extravagant new programs. In an
effort to get unrestricted access of one trust fund, the Washington Diocese has
now begun legal action against the bank managing that trust fund. The trial is set
for January 23.
Anglican Perspective video
The October 12th Anglican Perspective video, a two-minute commentary, discusses Steve
Jobs, the impact he has had on the world, and the fact that he was born to an unwed
mother who chose adoption rather than abortion. Canon Phil Ashey notes the Scriptural
basis for the pro-life position.
TEC convention motion would enact three-year “trial”
of same-sex blessings
The Episcopal News
Service reports that TEC Standing
Commission on Liturgy and Music will presents the Church’s 2012 General Convention
with a motion calling for a three-year church-wide “trial” of a same-sex blessing
liturgy. The commission will also call for a rethink of marriage. “[W]e realized
there is great need for the church to reflect more generally – in light of
changing societal and cultural realities, and a whole range of changes in civil
law – on how we understand marriage."
TEC mission organization withers while faithful mission
organizations thrive
The Episcopal Partnership
for Global Mission (EPGM) has disbanded.
EPGM never recovered from the loss of membership – suffered following the
Episcopal Church’s (TEC’s) unbiblical actions in 2003 – and money –
when TEC’s General Convention withdrew funding in 2009.
Over the past decade, many Biblically faithful Anglican
mission agencies have regrouped under the umbrella of the Anglican Global Mission
Partners. Dr Robert Munday, president and dean of Nashotah House Seminary writes:
“…the Anglican Global Mission Partners continue to
meet twice annually, usually hosting a missions conference... Their meeting, two
weeks ago, at St. James Anglican Church, in Newport Beach, CA, was in conjunction
with the SALT Missions Conference. Their
Spring 2012 meeting will be at Nashotah House
Theological Seminary, and they are planning a Re:Mix Youth Missions
Conference at the same time.
“The agencies that are a part of Anglican Global Mission Partners (AGMP) have
continued to grow. For instance, SAMS (formerly the South American Missionary Society) has changed its name to the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders.
The number of missionaries being sent from SAMS has nearly doubled in the past decade,
and they are now a worldwide organization, with missionaries on every continent.
“The Anglican Global Mission Partners (AGMP) itself
has grown through the number of new organizations that have joined since the split
from EPGM. A personal observation: One would think that the contrast in the histories
of the two entities since the split—even the contrast in sheer vitality between the two organizations—might
be enough to convince TEC that they made a wrong turn somewhere.”
Bishop John Guernsey, one of ANiC’s
2011 synod speakers, is chairman of one member of the Anglican Global Mission Partners
– Sharing of Ministries
Abroad (SOMA).
Historical heresies reemerging in the Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta is to consider
a resolution explicitly supporting Pelagius and his theology – a theology which rejected the core Christian doctrines of original sin substitution atonement
and justification by faith and which was condemned in the 5th century
for being heretical. The StandFirm in the Faith blog has compiled five historic
heresies that have reemerged in the Episcopal Church – and undoubtedly in
other descendent, theologically liberal churches.
Other US news
Reuters – October 12 2011 – South Carolina
Episcopal diocese sees crisis over gay rights
Anglican Curmudgeon – October
17 2011 – The kangaroo court
should resign…
Anglican Communion Institute –
October 17 2011 – South Carolina:
Upholding the Church’s discipline by upholding the constitution
News – International
GAFCon / Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA) update
and prayer requests
The secretary of the GAFCon Primates council writes (by
email):
Dear Friends and supporters,
Greetings in the name of the Lord
Jesus. Please remember in your prayers, the Primates of the GAFCON/FCA Primates
Council.
| • |
Please pray for their discussions
and ongoing work, especially as they plan the proposed Leadership conference in
2012 and GAFCON 2 in 2013. |
| • |
Thank God for the arrival of Bishop
Martyn Minns in London and accommodation and an office for his work. |
| • |
Pray for financial resourcing and
thank God for donations which have come in. |
| • |
Please pray that God’s word and the
work of the Gospel will go forward throughout the Anglican Communion. |
| • |
Pray for Bishops and others in leadership
who are currently being harassed for belief in the faith that was once for all delivered
to the saints.(Jude 1:3) |
In His name,
Archbishop Peter Jensen, General Secretary,
Primates Council, GAFCON/Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
Church of Kenya focuses on theological training to counter
liberals’ push into Africa
Eager to bolster theological training in his province,
Archbishop Eliud Wabukala – current chair of the GAFCon Primates Council –
has appointed a Biblically faithful British clergyman and theologian to head St
Julian’s Centre, Limuru and develop it into a key theological training resource
for the region. VirtueOnline reports that the Rev Charles Raven, known for his
book Shadow Gospel: Rowan Williams the Anglican Communion Crisis, will begin his
ministry at St Julian’s in early 2012.
The Rev Raven writes about the strategic importance of
developing theological education in Africa:
“… the struggle for the global integrity
and faithfulness of the Anglican Communion [is entering] a new phase. The energies
of Western liberals are no longer being put so much into the widely discredited
'instruments of unity' but into the development of bilateral and relational links
[with African dioceses] which effectively bracket out doctrinal issues through a
lack of transparency and the use of 'indaba' strategies.
“…it is clear that the focus of their
efforts is Africa where the majority of global Anglicans are now to be found. For
instance… the Archbishop of Canterbury's intensive round of visits to African provinces
[followed] soon after the unprecedented principled absence of many African Primates
from the Dublin Primates' meeting in February. It is also interesting to note that
the Anglican Communion Office in London has recently announced that it is seeking
to appoint a Communications Officer in Nairobi so that 'Anglicans everywhere hear
about the successes and challenges of fulfilling God's mission in differing contexts'.
Given that the funding for this post is coming from Trinity Wall Street, a major
funding vehicle for TEC projects around the world, it is very unlikely that false
teaching in TEC and the West will be presented as anything other than Anglicanism
in a 'differing context' about which we need 'conversation'.”
Another example of western liberal
activists seeking to export their morality and theology to Africa was a conference just held in South Africa cosponsored by the Chicago Consultation – a TEC
group dedicated to “strategies for advancing the inclusion on GLBT [gay lesbian
bisexual transgender] people in the sacramental life of the Church”.
Bishop Nazir-Ali warns of Muslim extremists’ ideology
calls for global domination
Writing in the Telegraph, Bishop Nazir-Ali, ANiC’s keynote speaker
at our 2010 synod, says, “At the
heart of extremism is an ideology, a world-view… its ultimate aim is a single Islamic
political, social, economic and spiritual entity.” He provides a very insightful
overview of the Muslim world, including the so-called “Arab Spring”, of which he
says “well-organized Islamist programmes are at the fore”.
Bishop Nazir-Ali now has a website where you can
follow his activities and writing.
From around the Communion and the world
Ireland – Theologically conservative
clergy in the Church of Ireland met recently to discuss their options in light of
the church’s seemingly ineffectual episcopal response to a senior clergy’s same-sex
partnership. Bishop Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes and chairman of the Advisory Council
to the GAFCon Primates, was reported to have spoken at the meeting. Meanwhile the bishops of the Church of Ireland have called for a “major conference in spring 2012” to discuss same-sex clergy partnerships
and “wider issues related to human sexuality”.
Zimbabwe – The Voice of America
reports that, shortly after Archbishop Rowan Williams’ visit to Zimbabwe,
a Zimbabwe high court has ordered that an Anglican mission hospital be restored
to the legitimate Anglican Church. A lower court had awarded the property to a rouge
ex-communicated bishop, Nolbert Kunonga, who enjoys the support of the countries
dictator, Robert Mugabe. The Zimbabwean
reports that Kunonga has seized 90 churches, 70 houses, schools and other
properties from the legitimate Anglican Church in the county. The article is pessimistic
that the situation will change.
According to The Herald, a
government of Zimbabwe publication, President Robert Mugabe lectured the Archbishop
of Canterbury saying that “homosexuality was against morals, cultural values and
Christian teachings”. The Archbishop is reported to have said that “The church does
not allow same sex relationships and that is common ground across the Anglicans” and that the condoning of this practice by the Episcopal Church in the US and the
Anglican Church of Canada “do not represent the general line”.
Zambia – The Telegraph reports that the newly elected president of Zambia urged the Archbishop of Canterbury to
“send more missionaries”. Dr Rowan Williams was in Zambia as part of his three country
African tour.
Sydney, Australia – The Diocese
of Sydney’s synod opposed adoption of the Anglican Covenant.
England – Church of England
(CoE) bishops have been publicly challenged to match the boldness of Roman Catholic bishops in defending traditional marriage.
The Telegraph reports that 28 or 30 dioceses to have voted to date have voted in favour of allowing women
bishops in the Church of England. Anglican Mainstream reports that the Dioceses
of London and Chichester opposed the motion.
Egypt – Following the brutal
army attack on a peaceful demonstration killing 25 Coptic Christians and injuring
hundreds more, Archbishop Mouneer Anis, primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East
and Bishop of Egypt, wrote of the cause of the violence and how Christian and Muslim leaders have met to seek
a solution. Later, he wrote of an encouraging “miracle” – overhearing a Muslim intellectual complain to
the Grand Imam’s advisor about the growing hatred toward Christians and identifying
the need to correct false teachings about Christians in Muslim books.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has joined
others in expressing concern about the treatment of the Christians according to the
Church Times. The ACNA has more on the crisis and asks us to pray for peace, for those injured and bereaved, and
for justice and political equality for Christians.
Writing in the
National Post, Father Raymond de Souza worries that this is a portent
of a growing war on Christians in Egypt. In an interview in
Holy Posts – a National Post blog – Paul Marshall of the
Hudson Institute, notes that “The official start date of the Coptic Church is 54AD.
The church was there 600 years before Islam. It makes them one of the oldest Christian
churches. Egypt was one of the most Christian countries in the world before Islam
and home to some of the greatest Christian theologians the world has seen.” Now,
however, Coptic Christians comprise only 8-10 per cent of the population and are
considered second-class citizens, facing systemic discrimination. With attacks on
Christians and churches increasing, the police, government and military are covering-up
incidents rather than prosecute perpetrators or protecting the Christians.
Sudan – In the Muslim north
Sudan, “Local authorities have threatened to demolish three church buildings… as
part of a long-standing bid to rid Sudan of Christianity…” reports Compass
Direct News. One of these churches is part of the Episcopal Church of
the Sudan
Somalia – Compass Direct
News reports that another Christian – a 17 year-old boy –
has been captured and beheaded by militant Islamists. The parents had been holding
secret Bible studies, but “The militants, who have vowed to rid Somalia of Christianity…
had been monitoring [them]...”
A Christianity Today
article describes the horror faced by refugees fleeing Somalia for camps
in Kenya and Ethiopia. It reports, “Somalis running from famine toward the Dadaab
camp in Kenya must run one more gauntlet before they reach refuge. Bandits hide
in the thorny bushes dotting the sand, waiting to steal anything that refugees haven't
lost already. Refugees are running from East Africa's worst drought in 60 years.
Tens of thousands have died and the death toll may reach 750,000 before the end
of the year. The worst part of the drought is in Somalia, and refugees are pouring
out because aid agencies cannot get in.”
The Islamist Al-Shabaab’s controls
the worst hit areas of Somalia, keeping out aid agencies and extorting bribes from
any willing to pay to reach the starving within Somalia. “Al-Shabaab probably gets
some of any aid that groups bring to its territory… Aid groups can get food to Mogadishu,
but still have a hard time getting it to the starving. Corrupt guards and officials
take as much as half…”
More international news
Church of England Newspaper – October 14 2011 – Sydney synod begins
VirtueOnline – October 18 2011 – The deteriorating
world of Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams
BBC – October 22 2011 – Discontented Anglicans confident of global
backing
Church of England Newspaper – October 21 2011 – Harare court halts
purge of Anglican teachers
Church of England Newspaper – October 21 2011 – Zimbabwe court
victory for…Communion
Soul food
Resources
New liturgical resource – The
recent Sydney synod was presented with a development version of Common Prayer for examination,
use and feedback. It is intended as “a resource for gospel-shaped gatherings in
the evangelical Anglican tradition”.
Prayer Book – The current issue of the Anglican Planet has several articles on the virtues of the Prayer Book. Bishop Stephen Andrews (Anglican
Church of Canada Diocese of Algoma), in “How cool is the
Prayer Book?”, relates how young people at last summer’s Cranmer’s Conference
were inspired by the Prayer Book Similarly, Judy Pollard Smith, in “Who knew the BCP
would appeal to foreign students?, discusses her parishes’ use of the
Prayer Book and its appeal to foreign students attending nearby McMaster University
in Hamilton.
Systems for churches that save stress,
time, energy and money – A brief posting
on the Sydney Anglican website outlines eight systems for a healthy church
and a link to a resource that will help you define and develop these systems.
Anglican
Unscripted video newsmagazine
In the October 17th edition you will find:
| • |
A Church
of Sudan bishop, a former “lost boys”, discusses the situation in the Sudan |
| • |
The Diocese
of Sydney’s position on the contentious issues of lay presidency |
| • |
The controversy
threatening to divide the Church in Ireland |
| • |
The Archbishop
of Canterbury success in spotlighting persecution of Anglicans in Zimbabwe |
| • |
TEC’s attack
on the Diocese of South Carolina and specifically its bishop, Mark Lawrence. |
In the October 24th edition you’ll hear:
| • |
A fascinating
discussion of the Anglican Covenant in which it is declare to be dead |
| • |
The heretical
theology of Pelagius and the pointlessness of some TEC diocesan conventions |
| • |
An insightful
discussion of an incident in China, the resulting soul searching and the opportunity
for the Gospel |
| • |
Two good
stories that reveal the dark side of the US Episcopal Church |
Unrealistic expectations – Writing on the
Gospel Coalition website, Prof Paul Tripp advises:
“Sin has cast this world into trouble…
this world isn't functioning as it was designed to... We live in a world of rebellion
and sin, neither a part of the "good" that God created….Why is this so
important…? We have not taken seriously what the Bible says about the fallen world…
Because of unrealistic ministry expectations, [pastors] don't prepare well for the
difficulties of building a healthy, God-honoring community of faith. Consequently,
they are caught short and unprepared, as sin within and difficulty without rear
their ugly heads in the life of their church…
As I've worked with churches, I've
seen how all of this sets up a tendency for the pastor and his leaders to play to
one another's weaknesses instead of their strengths. Instead of preparing themselves
with the wisdom principles of God's Word and seeking the enabling power of God's
grace, they sadly learn how to be politically strategic and personally protective…
“But it's vital that you live with eyes and heart open to what Scripture says… If
you do, you'll live in a way that's humble and needy, seeking the grace and wisdom
that you so desperately need and that God so willingly and lovingly gives…”
Are you called to ministry?
AnglicanTV has several series of recorded lectures given to Trinity School for Ministry students
that could help you determine if you are “called”.
Moral deceptions and decisions
Pornography’s deception – Research
published in Psychology Today indicates that pornography exposure desensitized people,
is addictive, and reduces ability to respond sexually to one’s spouse. LifeSiteNews says that researchers “…explain that the brain can become desensitized to dopamine, the
neurotransmitter that activates the body’s reaction to sexual pleasure, through
the kind of over-stimulation readily available via the internet’s porn culture.
The result is that users fall into a chemical dependency, requiring larger doses
to achieve the same effect. This phenomenon drives the market for “extreme genres”
of porn and decreases an addict’s ability to respond to real life sexual encounters.”
Pop culture’s desensitization to moral
erosion – A Christianity Today
article demonstrates how Hollywood and pop culture have progressively
pulled society toward accepting and embracing unfettered sexual expression –
from extra-marital sex, to same-gender sex, now polygamy and soon pedophilia. Sympathetic
portrayals of relationship that once would have been considered socially unacceptable
have desensitized society and normalized the behaviour. “It began with making what
was once marginalized and tolerated seem normal and mainstream by calling into question
the very idea of norms. Pop culture excels at perpetuating this kind of relativism…´
Polygamy is the current trend, with TV shows such as Big Love and Sister Wives.
Same-sex wedding – Dr Albert Mohler
asks, “Would you attend a same-sex wedding?” His response is “…rooted in the nature and history of the wedding
ceremony. The presence of witnesses at a marriage ceremony affirms the righteous
nature of the union… The traditional Christian ceremony, as reflected in The Book of Common Prayer, asks if anyone
present knows of any reason why the couple should not be joined in holy matrimony.
That is not intended as a hypothetical question… To put the matter straightforwardly,
any Christian who knows that same-sex marriage violates God’s Law and purpose for
marriage knows... that a same-sex couple should not be joined in holy matrimony...
Even if the question is not formally asked in the ceremony, the issue remains. We
cannot celebrate what we know to be wrong. Given time,
no church, no family, and no individual Christian will escape this question… The
time to think about this question is now.”
Just for fun
Puzzled, little Joey raised his hand
in Sunday School… "Mr Smith, there's something I can't figure out. The Bible
says that the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, right?" "Right."
"And the Children of Israel beat
up the Philistines, right?" "Er… right."
"And the Children of Israel built
the Temple, right?" "Again you're right."
"And the Children of Israel fought
the Egyptians and the Children of Israel were always doing something important,
right?" "Yes, that’s right," agreed Mr Smith. "So what's your
question?"
"What were all the grown-ups
doing?"
www.mikeysFunnies.com
Please pray...
For synod planning and preparations.
For our bishops, clergy and lay leaders, and
their families – especially those in need of healing.
For ANiC projects, church plants and parishes,
and for their proclamation of the Good News to those in their communities who desperately
need new life in Christ.
For ANiC
churches in Ontario involved in property disputes: St Aidan’s (Windsor), St George’s
(Burlington), St Hilda’s (Oakville) and Good Shepherd (St Catharines).
For ARDFC’s
new Congo project which is helping war-torn communities return to faming and which
promotes peace-making. May God use it to bless Congolese and bring many to Christ.
For faithful
Lutherans in Canada considering their options.
For persecuted Christians in Pakistan, Iran,
Iraq, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Sudan and China – and especially for those suffering
unimaginable atrocities in North Korea, Eritrea & Somalia.
For restoration of peace in Egypt, for those who have been injured or bereaved,
for justice and political equality for the Christians, and for wisdom for Archbishop
Mouneer Anis.
For those
ministering in the famine areas in the Horn of Africa. Pray that the Islamist militias
in Somalia will relent and allow aid to safely get to those who are starving. Pray
for God’s mercy.
For the
nation of Israel. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
For the GAFCon Primates & Fellowship of Confessing Anglican leaders as they plan meetings
of Biblically faithful Anglicans in 2012 & 2013. Pray also for the new Anglican
Mission in England.
For all those in positions of leadership
and influence in the Anglican Communion,
that they would honour and obey God above all else.
For repentance
and revival in our hearts and in our nation,
for a hunger for God and His Word.
And now a word from our sponsor
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take
refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they
are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after
another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or
take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and
my cup; you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant
places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before
me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my
whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to
Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16 ESV
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