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Annual Report 2019

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Annual Report 2019 Anglican Parish of Christ Church Essendon Annual Report 2019 Anglican Diocese of Melbourne ANGLICAN PARISH OF ESSENDON CHRIST CHURCH ESSENDON www.essendonanglican.org.au www.facebook.com/essendonanglican Annual Meeting Agenda 2019 1. Opening Prayer & Welcome 8.7 Flower Guild (Sue MacMillan) 2. Apologies 8.8 Aged Care (Sue Hurren) 8.9 Quiet Day & Bible Study (Fr John) 3. Reception of the electoral roll of the 8.10 EssACC Committee (Fr John) Parish; tabling the Parish Governance Act 8.11 Achivist (Glen Turnbull) 2013 & Schedule 1 Parish Rules 8.12 Fundraising (Chris Angus) 8.13 Christ Church Craft Group (Fr John 4. Minutes of the previous annual meeting; 9. Elections and Appointments 5. Annual report by the Vicar (Fr John) 9.1 Churchwardens 9.2 Parish Council 6. Financial Reports 9.3 Parish Incumbency Committee 6.1 Parish Financial Report (Margaret Elsey) 10. The appointment of the Auditor 7. Wardens & Parish Council Reports 7.1 Wardens (Bill Howard & Alan Wilson) 11. General Business 7.2 Parish Council (Chris Angus) 11.1 Fr John’s continuation (Alan Wilson) 11.2 Child Safe Policy (FJ) 8. Other Reports 11.3 Church Anniversary (FJ) 8.1 Rev’d Cathy Turnbull (Curate / Children 11.4 Lawn Mowing roster (Bill Howard) & Family Minister) No other General Business Items were submitted 8.2 Rev’d David Thompson (Curate) by the deadline 8.3 Men @ Leisure (Bill Howard) 8.4 Ladies @ Leisure (Carolyn Mathes & 12. FJ Awards Chris Angus) FJ’s awards and the parish year in 8.5 Music Report (Samuel McMahon) retrospect 8.6 Christ Church Opportunity Shop (Megan Rankin) 13. Conclusion & Blessing ANGLICAN PARISH OF ESSENDON ANNUAL REPORT 2019 PAGE 1 or creedal. It is important that we stand firm in our orthodox Christian beliefs. In our Strategic plan we stated that our uniqueness is that we are Anglo Catholic. Vicar’s What does this mean? What do we believe? What do Anglo Catholics believe? Report Anglicanism is a way of being a Christian. Anglo Catholics are a way of being 2019 Anglican. Today, in the Anglican Communion, we differentiate between several "parties" in the church. There are Evangelicals, or Low Churchmen or Protestants. There are Anglo- Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Glenn Catholics, or High Churchmen and everything Davies, recently (October 2019) has told in between. As Anglo-Catholics, our ultimate Anglican supporters of same-sex marriage worship experience is one in which we not they should leave the church. This comment only glimpse but enter into and taste some- is for me sad. thing of the beauty and mystery of God. I believe we should be welcoming all – not The following are elements that exist in many asking people to leave. We are all united in Anglo Catholic parishes: Jesus and we are allowed to agree on some God: Anglo Catholics believes in the One, things and disagree on others and still be Holy, Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. friends. This is the mature way of friendship. We believe that through Jesus is the full I believe that all are welcome here at Christ revelation of God given to man and that we Church Essendon whether they are white or have the awesome responsibility to proclaim black, Sri Lankan, Indian or British, young or the Good News of salvation to all nations. elderly – all are welcome. Bible: Anglo Catholics believes that the Holy I believe that all are welcome here at Christ Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments Church Essendon whether they are gay or are the authentic record of God's revelation to straight, single or married, divorced or man, a revelation that is valid for all men and widowed – all are welcome. all time. In the Bible we have God's revelation I believe that all are welcome here at Christ of Himself, His saving activity, and His moral Church Essendon whether they are poor or demands. We believe that all Scripture is rich, male or female, short or tall, Richmond given by inspiration of God and is profitable or Collingwood supporters. All are welcome for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for Whilst I gladly welcome all, I hope that we as instruction in righteousness, that the man of the community of Christ, the Church in this God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished place, will also welcome everyone and not unto all good works (2nd Timothy 3:16). push people away because they might be Creeds: Anglo Catholics believes the different or have different views to us. Catholic Faith as set forth in the three Jesus said, “Love your neighbour as yourself” recognized Creeds of Christendom: the – may we love our neighbour even the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and that neighbour who might be different. May we worship God together as equals, as sinners known as the Creed of St. Athanasius. needing salvation. Apostolic Ministry: Anglo Catholics believe in God's gift of the apostolic ministry to His Whilst we are called to be inclusive and Church, asserting the necessity of a bishop in welcoming we are also called to be careful apostolic succession (or a priest ordained by that we know exactly what we believe and not such) as the celebrant of the Eucharist. compromise it. While some churches have Furthermore, The Anglo Catholics hold that thrown the Theological baby out with the bath the Holy Orders of Bishops, Priests, and and water and have rejected anything that Deacons consist exclusively in accordance might be orthodox or catholic or sacramental with Christ's will and institution. ANGLICAN PARISH OF ESSENDON ANNUAL REPORT 2019 PAGE 2 Sacramental: Anglo Catholics hold dear the Anglo-Catholics beautiful liturgy leads us into seven Sacraments of Grace, namely, the a divine life which celebrates the dignity of Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and human beings. Out of this experience, our the Holy Eucharist, Holy Matrimony, Holy call is to work to create a world that acknowl- Orders, Penance, and Unction of the Sick. edges and advances the dignity of all. We believe them to be objective signs of Christ's continued presence and saving I pray that we might continue to seek the activity among us. We believe in the holy Kingdom of God and have a personal sacrifice of the Mass and that the body and relationship with Jesus as our Messiah. blood of Christ is truly and really present in the Holy Eucharist. This is our Annual Report. I am very proud of Prayerful: Holiness of life is seen as a many of the reports and the things we have process in which we engage in prayer on a achieved. It is important that we are proud of daily basis and which expresses itself in our church and that we invite others to join us weekly and yearly cycles of prayer within the and that we as a group welcome them into church. Anglo-Catholics make use of a variety our Church family. If we don’t then we are not of devotional practices that assist them in loving God or our neighbour and the future of prayer (praying alongside crucifixes, stained our church is in jeopardy. glass windows, statues and icons). Anglo Catholics also encourage pilgrimages in the STRATEGIC PLAN—MISSION ACTION steps of Jesus and the saints. PLAN Surrounded by a Great Cloud of Witness- In 2010 and in 2015, the Parish explored es: Anglo-Catholics believe in the reality of what the ideal church should be at Essendon the Communion of Saints. We believe that we with goals for the next few years. This vision have seen holiness of life in the lives of many plan was, with the help of the Parish Council, holy men and women in the history of the converted into a mission action. We have church. We especially honour the Virgin achieved much in the past three years Mary, the mother of Jesus, as one whose life because we had goals in the Mission Action witnessed to God’s grace. We believe we are Plan. to join our prayers with the Saints and are to During December 2018 and January / ask that they pray for us. February 2019 the parish conducted a Reverential, expressed through Music, the number of consultations with member of the Senses and the Body: Anglo-Catholics congregation, Wardens and Parish Council to emphasise sharing the divine life in a deeply set goals and directions for the next few reverent style of worship. We are drawn to years. A questionnaire was also circulated to liturgy that emphasises adoration. We enter obtain the ideas of parishioners. There was a into this adoration through listening to and great discussion on what is a healthy church singing beautiful music, the use of gesture and what is a mission church. and embodied prayer (genuflection, bowing, The resulted Mission Action Plan is a little crossing oneself) and the engagement of the different to other plans in that it is in three senses (incense, baptismal water, bells, parts and is called therefore a PARISH beautiful vestments, etc.). As Anglo- STRATEGIC PLAN Catholics, our ultimate worship experience is Part 1 is a PARISH MISSION ACTION one in which we not only glimpse but enter PLAN—Creating a healthy Church and into and taste something of the beauty and developing a Mission Action Plan 2019— mystery of God. Heaven and earth come 2023 together. Part 2 is a CHILDREN & FAMILY MISSION Committed to Beauty and Justice Togeth- PLAN—Supporting children & families 2019 - er: Anglo-Catholics emphasise social justice 2023 out of a tradition that makes a concrete Part 3 is a BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE connection between worshiping God in STRATEGY—Keeping Church buildings safe beauty and holiness, and working to manifest and maintained 2019–2023 God’s justice and mercy in the world.
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