Church’s net zero crackdown forces parish to rip out new boilers
Posted on January 6, 2026
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“The Church of England has ordered a parish to rip out new gas boilers because they are not ‘sustainable’.
Christ Church Chineham, in Basingstoke, Hants, spent £18,200 last year replacing two failing gas boilers, with the new ones expected to last for at least two decades.
But the parish will now be forced to remove the system and pay for an eco-friendly replacement after a church court ruled it had not ‘adequately explored more sustainable options’ before installing them. …”
– Report from The Telegraph, via Anglican Mainstream.
God is Not Needy — He upholds the Universe
Posted on January 6, 2026
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From Phillip Jensen –
“Our second episode of our summer series on Paul’s evangelism in Athens points to the enormously important doctrine of God’s sufficiency and our dependence.
I hope during this holiday time, for our Southern Hemisphere subscribers, you are having a great time to reflect on God’s goodness. For our Northern Hemisphere subscribers, we wish you well as you lurch into winter.”
– Peter and Phillip turn to one of the passages Peter really loves and unpack some of the implications of Paul’s words at the Areopagus in Acts 17.
Photo: Moore College’s Lionel Windsor at The Areopagus.
A Change of Subject — Peter Jensen’s Global Anglican editorials
Posted on January 5, 2026
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From Church Society: “Featuring a selection of editorials, articles and reviews from the 2024 issues of The Global Anglican, this digital digest is free to download.”
This Digital Digest includes a number of book reviews, several articles, and no less than four Editorials by former Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen. Here’s the start of one of them –
“In the midst of a huge crisis for the Church of England and for the rest of the Anglican Communion, it may be thought that an editorial in The Global Anglican would address itself to the topic. But so much is being spoken and written about these matters, that I considered that a totally different subject may be refreshing, one that addresses the ordinary business of ministry wherever in the world it is conducted.
Thus, it will be an oddly personal editorial and I hope that readers will forgive me for it. I have been reflecting on my ordained ministry experience of fifty-five years and thought that it may interest some at least if I make some observations about what the Lord has taught me in that time. I make no claim to uniqueness or comprehensiveness or profundity, but for all that my thoughts may be helpful to some, whether in ministry or contemplating ministry, or gazing at ministry from the outside.
I offer ten aphorisms in no particular order, with an explanation for each one as I proceed.…”
– A generous gift from Church Society which, no doubt, will encourage you to think about subscribing to digital or print editions of The Global Anglican.
Image from The Pastor’s Heart.
Hope in 2026!
Posted on January 4, 2026
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“It is that time of year when hope springs eternal.
Australian political and community leaders greeted the new year with words of hope. A common sentiment went like this: ‘There are stormy waters ahead, but there is also great hope for this great nation of ours’.
Really?
The signs are of increasing pessimism in Australia. Many of us expect to be personally worse off over time and expect the same for the nation. …”
– In a New Year message, Presbyterian Moderator-General David Burke explains that “the Christian faith has a tension between pessimism and hope”.
Patricia Weerakoon — God has equipped me to serve His Church at this Cultural Moment
Posted on January 4, 2026
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The Gospel Coalition Australia asks Christian writer Patricia Weerakoon to share something of her story –
“How does a socially and theologically conservative Sri Lankan Tamil Christian end up a sexologist writer and speaker in Australia?
I was born in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka during the dying days of British imperial rule. My Christian parents brought me up to be a good traditional housewife. But they also valued education so they sent me to a Christian boarding school in the capital city Colombo and encouraged me to pursue a medical degree in university, which laid the foundation for my secular career and Christian ministry. …”
Mission in mind with housing purchase
Posted on January 3, 2026
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“So, why did [CMS Australia] invest millions to buy and renovate a block of apartments?
Those who serve with CMS give up leases, sell furniture, cars and more before heading on to the mission field. So, in many ways, they don’t have a home to return to for the six months in every three years they live locally to visit partner churches, spend time among family and friends, and – hopefully – get some rest. …”
– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Judy Adamson shares the thinking behind a strategic move by CMS.
Learn more at the CMS website.
We have Smartphones — Why memorise Scripture?
Posted on January 2, 2026
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“When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, he answered each temptation by reciting a passage from Deuteronomy (Matthew 4:1–11). He clearly had these verses memorized, for lugging the scroll around in the desert would have been impossible.
But modern minds might ask, ‘If I can access any verse anytime I want with the touch of a finger on a six-ounce phone, why memorize?’ Has the marvel of digital technology made memorization obsolete?
My answer to this question is ‘Absolutely not!’…”
– Follow Andrew Davis’ argument at Desiring God. (Link via challies.com.)
New Year’s Resolutions and Lasting Change
Posted on December 31, 2025
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From Moore College –
“As we step into 2026, it is natural to think about change; about what we hope will be different, more faithful, or more shaped by Christ in the year ahead. The Moore College Archives hold a rich collection of sermons and talks on New Year’s resolutions, reminding us that this is not a modern concern, nor one to be approached lightly.
Across these reflections from Christmas sermons that expose our loves and priorities to New Year messages calling for renewed obedience, prayer, and trust, a consistent theme emerges. At its root, the word Resolution comes from the Latin resolutio, meaning to loosen, release, or settle. In everyday use, especially with New Year’s resolutions, it refers to a commitment to change behaviour, habits, or priorities.
In a Christian sense, a resolution is not merely an act of willpower, but a settled intention to live faithfully in response to God’s grace, depending on him rather than on self-effort alone. Christian resolutions are not just about self-improvement, but about reorienting our lives toward Christ.
In a series of talks and sermon texts from the Moore Digital Archives, voices from across generations, including T.C. Hammond, D.B. Knox, Luke Tattersall and Jodie McNeill, challenge us to ask better questions.”
– See the article with the links here.
Bible Reading Plans for 2026
Posted on December 31, 2025
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A new year brings opportunities to grow in knowledge and godliness. Ligonier Ministries have some resources you could use –
“To grow in the knowledge of God and to live in light of His truth, it’s important that we set aside focused time to study His Word.
As you consider your Bible study plans for the year ahead, explore more than 20 reading plans that can help you meditate on the Scriptures often. …”
– See the available plans here.
In addition, there are many phone apps to help you keep track of your Bible reading.
One such app, available for iPhones and recent Macs, is ReadingPlan. Though the interface is slightly outdated, you can download a variety or reading plans and it helps you keep track of your progress.
There are others which do the same thing, and today might be a good day to find one for the next year.
MPs tell incoming archbishop to halt £100 Million reparations plan
Posted on December 30, 2025
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“A cross-party group of 27 Members of Parliament and peers have called on the Archbishop-designate of Canterbury, the Rt. Rev. & Rt. Hon. Sarah Mullally, to intervene and halt the Church of England’s proposed £100 million slavery reparations fund.
In a letter first reported by The Sunday Times of London (28 Dec. 2025), the parliamentarians warn that the plan—known as ‘Project Spire’—risks setting a ‘worrying precedent’ by encouraging other institutions to divert charitable resources to political or symbolic causes. …”
– George Conger reports at Anglican Ink.
The Known God!
Posted on December 30, 2025
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From Philip Jensen:
“Welcome to a New Year.
We are commencing Two Ways News’ summer series today, looking at evangelism through the study of Paul’s famous sermon on the Areopagus of Athens in Acts 17.”
– Listen here.
The King’s Christmas speech: which Gospel?
Posted on December 29, 2025
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“I missed the King’s speech this Christmas – after all, it was delivered at 2am in Australia! And then I read the reviews before I actually watched it on YouTube. Some commentators were ecstatic. Damian Thompson of the Spectator’s Holy Smoke podcast was one such: ‘The King’s speech was beyond reproach – a perfect balance between his Christian faith, emphasising the significance of meeting Pope Leo, and his warm relationship with other communities.’
Fraser Nelson called it ‘an important and even daring contribution to a vital debate’. In this article I want to interact with both the speech and Fraser’s article, which to my mind has been the most thoughtful and stimulating of all the responses.
Having commented on the previous two Kings Christmas messages in 2023 and in 2024, I wondered if this was third time lucky. Maybe the King after a year of facing illness had had time to reflect further on what Christ really taught? So, I listened and sadly it was the old moralist, therapeutic deism which came across. As regular as Wizzard’s ‘I wish it could be Christmas every day’, the King’s speech repeats the same narrative every year. …”
– Read all of David Robertson’s response to the King’s speech at The Wee Flea.
Photo: The King”s 2024 Christmas message.
Moore Matters — Summer 2025/2026
Posted on December 28, 2025
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The latest issue of Moore Matters (Summer 2025–2026) is now available.
If you can’t find a printed copy at your church, be sure to check out the online version.
On the Venn Diagram Between Pastor, Academic, and Author
Posted on December 27, 2025
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“My first degree was in English so I was always vaguely in the literary world, but as a consumer rather than producer. I would love to have had a gift for fiction or poetry, but have neither. Any literary outlet was going to have to be in non-fiction. Prior to being co-opted for full-time ministry, I’d have perhaps moved into journalism or teaching of some sort.
In 2001 (at which point I was well and truly on the full-time ministry track), I wrote a short article and sent it to The Briefing. …”
– This Gospel Coalition Australia interview with Rory Shiner, from a series of interviews with Christian writers, gives insight into Christian authors and how we can support them.
Christmas morning service from St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney
Posted on December 25, 2025
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Here’s this morning’s service from St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney. On YouTube.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…