Hi,
Thanks for the question.
The Anglican Church has numerous self designated roles in Australia.
Foremost is the role of ensuring the future of the Anglican church and
effectively implementing the practice of the Anglican faith in modern
Australia. This is achieved through conferences, seminars, workshops
and meetings held periodically. Also, the "Engaging Australia" program
is a missionary focused program, engaged in evangelistic activities in
the community.
The church is also assuming roles of supporting and helping in the
community via the Anglicare Australia organization, in dealing with
modern day turmoils and distresses - People on welfare, helping
victims of violence or sexual abuse and helping individuals deal with
fears and various other needs. Help is also given to the elderly and
actions taken in reducing the incidence of homelessness. The 'Two
Bishops Trust' aims to relieve the distress of unemployed people and
low fixed income earners.
The Anglican Church has a large commitment to the national
reconciliation with the Aboriginals and Indigenous of Australia
through the NATSIAC organization.
The church runs and funds many educational institutes, from
Kindergartens to Colleges, throughout Australia and is committed to
performing a major role in providing affordable and Christian
educations.
Lately, the church has spoken out in advocating and supporting justice
in the workplaces of Australia:
11 July 2005 -Dr Phillip Aspinall, the Archbishop of Brisbane, elected
on the weekend to lead the church in Australia, told the media he did
not rule out taking more direct action on industrial relations reforms
"Asked if he would take to the picket lines, Dr Aspinall said: "I
think members of churches do have to be prepared to stand up for
deeply held values. And that sort of thing does happen from time to
time."
http://www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/news/1121077940_25799.html
A little history:
"The [Anglican] Church came to Australia in 1788 with the 'First
Fleet', which was made up primarily of convicts and military
personnel. Free settlers soon followed. A General Synod held in 1872
formed the Australian Board of Missions; missionary work among the
aborigines and the Torres Strait Islanders was key to the growth of
the Church.
The Church became fully autonomous in 1962 and in 1978 published its
first prayer book. A second Anglican prayer book was published in
1966. The Anglican Church of Australia is part of the Christian
Conference of Asia and of the Council of the Church of East Asia.
Links with Churches of New Guinea, Melanesia and Polynesia are strong
especially through the Australian Board of Mission. "
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=A2&view=prov
The Anglican Church in Australia describe themselves and their roles
in faith and in the community:
"The Anglican Church of Australia is a community of Christians
scattered across Australia. Anglican Christianity was shaped in
England from the third century and spread to Australia with the
European settlers in the eighteenth century.
Our ambition is to serve Christ faithfully in the circumstances of our
daily lives....We hold the Christian faith as received from apostolic
times and the scriptures of Old and New Testament as our ultimate rule
and standard of life. We are committed to obeying the commands of
Christ, teaching his doctrine, administering the sacraments of Baptism
and Holy Communion and maintaining an ordered ministry of bishops,
priests and deacons.
The Church is organized into 23 dioceses grouped into 5 provinces or
regions. As well as dioceses and parishes there are many different
organizations in areas such as education, health, mission, social
welfare and communications which are part of the Anglican Church. Many
dioceses, parishes and organizations have their own web sites. You can
access national organizations and dioceses directly from this site
while other more local organizations and parish churches can be
accessed via the diocesan sites.
The head of the Anglican Church of Australia, the Primate, is
Archbishop Peter Carnley, also Archbishop of Perth. The General
Secretary is the Revd Dr Bruce Kaye.
The Anglican Church of Australia is part of the Anglican Communion, an
international community of Anglicans in over 160 countries. "
http://www.Anglican.org.au/index.cfm?SID=2&SSID=3
Prior to the 13th General Synod (dating back to 1872) that took place
last year the Anglican Church of Australia expressed "a deep
commitment to mission and a strong interest in finding new strategies
that will enable us to engage our fellow Australians with the gospel
of Christ more effectively..."
http://www.Anglican.org.au/gs2004.cfm?SID=30&SSID=111&PID=186
The various Anglican internal meetings and activities:
- National conferences, where lay and ordained Anglicans from across
Australia can meet together to engage with issues of current interest
and concern.
- Seminars, where experienced practitioners and academics in their
respective fields can assist the Church to better understand their
common heritage, their shared outlook and joint task of engaging
Australians with the Gospel.
The purpose of the Seminars is to enhance the awareness of an
Australian Anglican identity. They seek to assist Australian
Anglicans to engage with their story, their beliefs, and their
relationship with others. Through such engagement, it is hoped that
participants will share this work with other Anglicans across
Australia. These groups usually meet each year for consultations.
They prepare papers, hold workshops, and hold conferences from time to
time. Members of these groups seek to publish their work in various
ways:
- Anglican Theology, which is concerned with our core beliefs and
values as Anglican Christians in Australia;
- Anglican History, which is concerned with our story as Anglicans in
Australia; and
- Anglican Missiology, which is concerned with our engagement with,
and mission to, our fellow Australians as Anglican Christians.
- Networks, where those involved in a discrete area of ministry may
share information and ideas, facilitate joint action and communicate
with decision making bodies in the life of the Church.
Australian Anglicans have also developed a program to fund innovative
approaches to mission called, 'Engaging Australia'.
We are also engaged in a variety of relationships with Anglicans in
other countries, with Australians in other Christian traditions and
who follow different faiths.
An important part of the Australian Anglican community are the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their organization,
NATSIAC. "
http://www.Anglican.org.au/community.cfm
Previous National conferences:
Goals of the 1997 National conference were to examine the future of
the church and ways they could implement more effectively practicing
the Anglican faith in modern Australia.
The National conference of 2002 dealt with the place of the Church in
contemporary society, Christian responses to the turmoil in Africa,
interfaith dialogue, violence, warfare and peace keeping. Workshops
were held that worked on finding creative ways of resolving conflict,
connecting with survivors of sexual abuse, connecting in a consumer
world, and with matters concerned with war and terrorism.
NATSIAC
========
NATSIAC is the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Council of
the Anglican Church in Australia. It involves The Anglican Church's
commitment to a reconciliation at a national level with the
Aboriginals and Indigenous of Australia and was expressed at the 1998
General Synod. "The adoption of Resolutions at General Assembly has
been one way that the Anglican Church has advocated for justice for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Anglicare Australia has
also spoken out on issues of Mandatory Sentencing. Resolutions
regarding housing needs for Indigenous Australians were moved in
several synods following the touring of the display on four housing
related projects undertaken by Anglicare agencies in cooperation with
local Aboriginal communities"
http://www.ncca.org.au/natsiec/resources/reportspolicy_statements/journey/contents/Anglican
Anglicare in The Community
===========================
"is the national network of care and social justice agencies of the
Anglican Church in Australia working within Australia.
Anglicare Australia?s goals are:
To contribute to the national social policy agenda by coordinating
social policy and research through the agencies of the Anglicare
Australia network, and providing relevant policy, research and project
support to the caring activities of the agencies.
To engage and strengthen the Anglicare Australia membership by
delivering an annual conference, enhancing communication and
facilitating support throughout the network.
To develop strong positive relationships with the Anglican Church at all levels.
Anglicare Australia is a nationwide network of locally based Anglican
organizations serving the needs of their communities.
From Groote Eylandt, NT to Kingston, Tasmania, from Bondi to Bunbury,
Anglicare member agencies are committed to caring for people in need
and seeking social justice for all.
Anglicare agencies work in close cooperation with other community
organizations and some receive funding from Federal, State and Local
Governments to provide a wide range of services including:
residential and community aged care
foster care, adoption and child care
family support and relationship counseling
support for people with disabilities
financial and gambling counseling
family support and relationship counseling
treatment for drug and alcohol dependence
family violence
youth programs
emergency relief
employment services
community housing and emergency accommodation for homeless people
community development through building communities of hope
working with Aboriginal and Islander Australians
assistance to refugees and migrants
social research and advocacy.
With support of the Dioceses and the General Synod Office, Anglicare
Australia initiated the National Anglican Resources Unit (NARU).
Responsibility for management of the NARU transferred from Anglicare
Australia to the General Synod Office on 1 January 2005. In 2005,
NARU?s work for the Anglicare Australia network will focus on:
Providing clarification or investigation of tax issues on request of agencies
Participating in the Charities Consultative Committee and providing
feedback to Anglicare Australia
Lobbying government to index the FBT capping threshold:
Facilitating a meeting of major church agencies to brief them on the
issues and confirm a joint strategy to seek indexation of the cap;
Meeting with government and opposition advisors to brief on the issue;
Preparing necessary briefing papers for sector representatives and
government officials; and
Seeking a meeting with the Federal Treasurer to discuss the issues and
implications for the sector. "
http://www.anglicare.asn.au/aboutus/aboutus.shtml
Two Bishops Trust:
"The Two Bishops Trust is an exciting and historic venture initiated
by the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and the Anglican Diocese
of Newcastle, and their respective welfare agencies.
Established in October 1998, the Trust aims to inspire and unite the
whole community to find workable, just and creative solutions to
unemployment in the Hunter region of NSW.
The Trust believes that every person is entitled to a life of dignity.
By working collaboratively with other like-minded organizations and
individuals, the Trust aims to relieve the distress of unemployed
people and low fixed income earners by helping them to help
themselves."
http://www.mn.catholic.org.au/bishop/two_b_trust.htm
Missionary Activism - "Engaging Australia"
=============================================
"The Engaging Australia Funding Program (EAFP) aims to turn the dreams
and ideas of Australian Anglicans into reality. Set up by the Anglican
Church's General Synod it encourages all sectors of the Church to be
creative and innovative in communicating the Christian faith in
Australia today and into the future.
The Program offers funding to individuals and entities for projects
that help Anglicans find new ways to effectively and authentically
engage with our community. A project may take the form of an
evangelistic activity or come from a range of areas, including social
analysis, journalism, theology, electronic media or the arts. It may
be a particular research project. It is intended that the projects
funded will not only bear fruit for the successful applicants but
inspire others in the church 'to have a go' and learn from their
experience.
Engaging Australia projects are innovative, exciting and original.
Funded projects have been large and small, ambitious and specific,
short term and ongoing, and come from all over Australia.
Collaborative funding is encouraged and consideration will be given to
how each project, beginning in its own corner of Australia, can go on
to enrich the whole church. They are to be carefully planned, well
managed, with organizers reporting back on their progress."
http://www.Anglican.org.au/community.cfm?SID=17
Other Anglican church missions and their roles in the community across Australia:
- Bush Church Aid Society of Australia. committed to the ministry of
the Gospel through the Word and Sacraments to the people in remote
parts of Australia, where local conditions are harsh and resources are
not sufficient. BCA's clergy and hostel staff do their part to win
Australia for Christ.
- Church Missionary Society (CMS AUS). The CMS vision is 'proclaiming
the Gospel, serving God's people around the world to see lives
transformed by Christ' through primary evangelism, discipling and
church planting. They are serving God's people doing teaching work,
medical training, caring and development work and working in
partnership so that national churches will be resourced and able to
take the Gospel out themselves. CMS is focusing its work amongst major
unreached people groups massive global cities and students.
- Mission to Seafarers. The Mission to Seafarers (MTS) is the Anglican
Church working for the practical spiritual welfare of all races and
creeds in ports throughout the world. Through a network of chaplains,
lay staff and volunteers, it provides a welcome and friendship in over
300 ports around the world, helping seafarers in unfamiliar
surroundings to overcome difficulties of language and culture; helps
and counsels seafarers in need, in times of crisis and or in cases of
injustice. We link seafarers with parish and clergy, extend support to
their families; work closely with other denominations, showing
seafarers that Christians are united in concern for their well being;
support Christians who have to live out their faith in isolation and
share faith through word and sacrament.
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/links.cfm?missorg=A2&view=prov#8
Education
==========
The Anglican church in Australia has established education and
boarding facilities across the land. The 12 Anglican boarding and day
school for girls, "'Overcoming the frequent disadvantage of beginning
their education in isolated areas and having to live away from home,
Boarders earned results even better than Day Girls."
The Anglican Schools Commission: The "Commission establishes a system
of low-fee paying Anglican schools providing an education of high
quality and with attention of students with special needs. Currently
has eight schools. The ASC website has links to their individual
websites."
Other schools include Co-educational day schools, Male-only boarding
and day schools, Kindergartens, Junior and Senior day and boarding
schools and various theology Colleges.
These schools provide affordable Christian education.
A complete list of educational institutes can be found here:
http://anglicansonline.org/world/aus.html#schools
A brief history of the Anglican Church in Australia can be found here:
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=22xn22gbm5pxq?tname=Anglican-church-of-australia&curtab=2222_1&hl=sydney&hl=anglicans&sbid=lc03b
A list of Anglican Church of Australia related web sites can be found here:
http://anglicansonline.org/world/aus.html
Please let me know if you are interested in more details or clarifications.
Regards,
Landog-ga
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