International Briefing
Episcopal News Service. February 3, 2006 [020306-4-A]
* AUSTRALIA: Sydney diocese will hold largest ordination in its history
* CANADA: Primate's webcast to have new format
* LAMBETH PALACE: Archbishop of Canterbury appoints new Public Affairs secretary
* NEW ZEALAND: New dean for Auckland's St. John's College announced
* NIGERIA: Anglican Priest, Elijah Yisa murdered in Bida
* SUDAN: Archbishop of Canterbury to visit South Sudan
* TANZANIA: Communiqué from the Anglican Lutheran International Commission
AUSTRALIA: Sydney diocese will hold largest ordination in its history
[ENS, SOURCE: Diocese of Sydney] The largest ordination service ever held in the Diocese of Sydney will take place on Saturday, February 4, when 47 deacons will be ordained for ministry in the diocese. The service, to be led by the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr. Peter Jensen, will be held at 10 a.m. in St. Andrew's Anglican Cathedral, George Street, Sydney.
Since Sydney is the largest Anglican diocese in Australia it is expected that this is also the largest ordination service ever held in Australia's Anglican Church.
Writing in the Sydney diocesan newspaper Southern Cross, Jensen said, "I have to admit being overwhelmed with joy at the record number of deacons being ordained and the stipendiary lay workers as this year commences. They represent the increasing number of people who are sacrificing to be trained to go into ministry."
Full story: http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/mediareleases/largest_ordination_in_sydneys_history
CANADA: Primate's webcast to have new format
[ENS, SOURCE: Anglican Church of Canada] "+Andrew: Conversations with the Primate," the ground-breaking communication initiative through which the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada speaks directly to the church on the Web, will be relaunched next month with a view to making the communications experience more interactive.
"The webcasts have been very good, but are essentially geared to a passive, television type of audience," said Lisa Barry, senior producer of Anglican Video. "Our aim with this new package is to present internet users with a multimedia experience that is designed specifically for them and for the Internet."
Until now, the webcasts have featured Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, the Canadian Primate, speaking directly to the church for 10 to 15 minutes in a production that is videotaped and then posted to the web. About 15 of these webcasts have been produced since the initiative was launched more than a year ago.
The new format will combine graphics, audio, video, photography and text in presenting viewers with a series of experiences and snippets that collectively describe aspects of Archbishop Hutchison's ministry. As with the webcasts, an important part of the production will be feedback from people who view Conversations with the Primate.
Full story: http://www.anglican.ca/news/news.php?newsItem=2006-01-31_z.ans
LAMBETH PALACE: Archbishop of Canterbury appoints new Public Affairs secretary
[ENS, SOURCE: Lambeth Palace] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has announced the appointment of Tim Livesey as his secretary for Public Affairs, in succession to Jeremy Harris. Livesey is currently assistant director, Strategy and Information, at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.
Livesey, 46, has worked in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1987. His responsibilities have included postings in Morocco, Nigeria and Paris as well as secondments to Nato's Media Operations Centre in Brussels and to 10 Downing Street, where he served as assistant press secretary to the Prime Minister from 2000 - 2002. In 2002 he was seconded to the Office of the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, as Principal Advisor for Public Affairs.
Williams said, "I am delighted to welcome Tim to the Lambeth staff. He brings a wide experience and profound Christian commitment to a crucial and challenging post and we are fortunate to have his services."
Livesey is expected to take up his appointment in May of this year.
Full announcement: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/digest/index.cfm?years=2006&months=2&article=561&pos=#561
NEW ZEALAND: New dean for Auckland's St. John's College announced
[ENS, SOURCE: Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia] The Rev. David Jeans has accepted the post of dean of the College of the Southern Cross, within St. John's College in Meadowbank, Auckland.
Jeans, who holds a Master's degree from Oxford University, and a M.Phil in Theology and Religious Studies from Manchester University has, for the past nine years, led the Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism in Sheffield, in the United Kingdom. He is passionate about mission and evangelism occupying a central place in training for ministry.
Jeans says he comes from the evangelical wing of the Church of England, and is committed to working with those of other traditions to advance the mission of God through the church.
"The college delivers mission-shaped training with an emphasis on the vocational and practical. It works with men and women from all church traditions to help equip them to think about the message and context of evangelism for a contemporary world," the college's website says.
David Jeans is married to Vivien, who is a speech and language therapist. They have two adult children. He succeeds Dr. John Wright, who retired late last year as Dean of the College.
http://www.anglican.org.nz/news/NewDean.htm
NIGERIA: Anglican Priest, Elijah Yisa murdered in Bida
[ENS, SOURCE: Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)] Two assailants made their way into the vicarage compound of St. John's Cathedral Church in Bida, Nigeria, around 10 p.m. on January 24 and fatally shot the administrative assistant to the Bishop of Bida, the Venerable Elijah Abubakar Yisa.
The Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Rev. Peter Akinola, has sent a condolence message to the family of the deceased priest in Bida, Niger State.
Yisa was buried at the Cathedral Church of St. John, Bida, on January 31.
Full story: http://www.anglican-nig.org/Bidaprst_killed.htm
SUDAN: Archbishop of Canterbury to visit South Sudan
[ENS, SOURCE: Sudan Radio Service] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams is expected to visit Sudan at the end of February, the independent Sudan Radio Service (SRS) reported.
Archbishop Joseph Marona of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (ECS), revealed the plans when he met Mary Kiden, minister of gender, social welfare and religious affairs in the government of southern Sudan, last week.
This will be Williams' first visit to Sudan since he was enthroned as the head of the world Anglican Communion in 2003. He is expected to visit Juba and Maridi.
Full article: http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=13853
TANZANIA: Communiqué from the Anglican Lutheran International Commission
[ENS, SOURCE: Anglican Communion News Service] The Third Anglican - Lutheran International Commission (ALIC) held its first meeting at the Lutheran Uhuru Hostel in Moshi, Tanzania, January 13-19, 2006, under the chairmanship of Bishop Fred Hiltz of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the Rev. Dr. Thomas Nyiwe, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon.
The Commission has been established by the Anglican Consultative Council and the Lutheran World Federation to continue the dialogue between Anglicans and Lutherans on the worldwide level which has been in progress since 1970. ALIC intends to build upon the work reflected in The Niagara Report (1987), focusing on the mission of the church and the role of the ordained ministry, the Diaconate as an Ecumenical Opportunity (1995), and most recently Growth in Communion (2002), the report of the Anglican - Lutheran International Working Group (ALIWG), which reviewed the extensive regional agreements which have established close relations between Anglican and Lutheran churches in several parts of the world.
The Commission identified the key issues on which it would have to focus in order to advance Anglican - Lutheran relations around the globe, including questions such as the place of the historic episcopate within the apostolicity of the Church, life and work in the service of the Gospel, and theological education and formation. ALIC will also pay special attention to the regional and contextual aspects of Anglican - Lutheran relations, and the way in which regional agreements may be encouraged, and assisted to come into relationship with one another.
Full Communiqué: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/41/00/acns4102.cfm