Churches Offer Support for Communities in Drought
In Murrurundi, where the drought is affecting everybody, Anglican churches are playing a vital role of support in the community. “We’ve been on level six water restrictions since July 2018, which means three-minute showers, clothes washing twice a week, and no watering,” says local Murrurundi Priest, Rev’d Barbara Morgan. So many farmers have had to…
Bishop Peter Pilgrims through Israel and Palestine
Newcastle Bishop, Dr Peter Stuart, has just returned home from a 10 day study pilgrimage in Israel and Palestine, with St George’s College in Jerusalem. Bishop Peter reflected on this pilgrimage in daily Facebook posts, “there are already so many insights that make the scriptures come to life”. The group was a mix of Canadian,…
Celebrating and Caring for Creation
Written by Bishop Peter Stuart We have a beautiful gum tree in our back garden. It first took root long before rows of houses were built in our street. It dominates our suburban block. I like looking at the tree. I love the bark that falls of it. I enjoy seeing the birds in it,…
Festival Choir Service “Filled to the Brim” Renews Rural Parish
A choir service at St Columba’s Cassilis saw the rural church “filled to the brim” by people celebrating the local Harvest Festival. Mudgee’s Cudgegong Choir performed religious-type Mozarts, accompanied by an “earthy” liturgy, written specifically for the occasion. The service was followed by afternoon tea at Cassilis Bowling Club, and parishioners raved about the success…
This Week Around the Diocese
Belmont Op Shop Up-Sizes Belmont Op Shop moved recently to larger premises in Macquarie Street. A craft group started last week in a room separate to the trading section of the shop. It is planned that a Bible discussion group will commence in September. We welcome visitors, shoppers and those interested in joining one of…
Bishop affirms sanctity of life and supports decriminalisation of abortion
Our Bishop, Dr Peter Stuart, has been widely reported in the NSW media in relation to changes in the law about termination of pregnancies. Anglicans are encouraged to pray about this area of legislation and pray for the parliamentarians. Dr Stuart’s engagement can be found at Abortion Law – NSW
House Church Grows Out of Parish Closure
When Teralba Anglican Church closed in November last year, a group of members found themselves starting the “Cameron Park Anglican House Church”. A core group from the congregation couldn’t find another place to worship, so Colin and Kay Walters started hosting the group in their lounge room. “There are about a dozen of us, aged…
St Luke’s Wallsend Joins Newcastle Pride Week with ‘Affirming’ Mass
Next Friday 23 August Saint Luke’s Wallsend is hosting a ‘Pride Mass’ in conjunction with Equal Voices Anglican as an opportunity for this parish and the broader Anglican church to celebrate and affirm LGBTIQA+ people in Newcastle and the Hunter during Newcastle Pride Week, especially within the church. “We intentionally used the word affirm, as…
All Saints Nelson Bay Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Last Sunday All Saints celebrated 60 years as a church on its present site. In a post on Facebook, they said: “We celebrated with Baptisms and confirmations, praise and worship and then an old prayer book service with robed choir. We had the pleasure of Bishop Peter’s company and wise words in the sermon.” “I…
Opinion Piece: Contributing Positively to the Discussion of the Ethics of Food
Written by Rodney Calgher in response to ‘The Challenge of Christian Animal Ethics’ Event advertised in the Diocesan Messenger a few weeks ago. I am the son of a primary producer, who grew up on a sheep and cattle station in central west of NSW and I have a brother who is also on the…