Synod 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters, In recent weeks the Anglican churches that make up the Greater Sydney region (from Ulladulla in the south to Lithgow in the West and bounded by the Hawkesbury to the north) have had representatives meeting together to discuss how we might make every effort to reach the lost with the saving love of God found through sins forgiven in Jesus Christ. Churches have been encouraged to think about their own ministries and how they reach out, but also how partnerships might be forged to work together in reaching the city. A long established part of Synod is the mission-hour, where we hear stories from near and far about how God has been at work beyond our region, and beyond the shores of Australia. Among the visitors sharing what God has been doing was Bishop Alfred Olwa, of Lango Diocese, Uganda. You can read an article about the conversation he had here. In his closing remarks he illustrated how important a partnership in the gospel can be, telling us how we can be of mutual encouragement to each other in our Christian walks. He closed in this fashion: Synod, your Archbishop reminded you last year that evangelism is essential because it is the way we love our neighbours as ourselves. At least I caught that online, because my ear is always here. But allow me to add, evangelism is essential because it is the way we love one another across the nations. We in Africa need you. We need your theological resources – you have some excellent theological resources, both books as well as human resources. We need your training, training capacity. We need you to encourage us in staying faithful in times of persecution and compromise. We need you. But the other side of the coin – I say this humbly – I believe you also need us here in Sydney. Because you need our testimony of God's power to grow the church in hardship. You need our witness of resilience. We have gone through poverty, through pain, through HIV/AIDS. We've become resilient. You could learn something from that, too. And you need our passion for prayer and praise! Praise God for our brothers and sisters in Christ, both near and far, and for the ways we can encourage and support each other in God’s mission of winning the lost for Christ, and building His church. In Christ’s Love, Craig Olliffe, Senior minister