I’d like to point out to forum readers that the Melbourne Synod is meeting right now (Saturday) and possibly again Monday and Tuesday nights until a result is achieved, to elect a new Archbishop.

Please pray for godly conduct on the Synod, and that God, who knows what is in the hearts of men and women, will frustrate all plans that won’t bring glory to Jesus Christ, and prosper those that will.

Thank you.

Matt

Hi Matt,

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to pray.

Do let us know who is elected and what we should pray after his election.

cheers
Angela

*bump*

Please keep praying for Melbourne Diocese as the election synod continues tonight.

If any progress is to be made, a compromise will need to be reached between the liberal and evangelical blocks; each roughly half the house of clergy.

Please pray that the synod will find a compromise candidate in a way that doesn’t compromise the glory of God.

Thanks Matt, will pray.

Matthew, just wondering....

how much does it matter if Melb can’t elect a leader this time around?

Well, I’m sure it matters to John Wilson, long-term faithful bishop of the Southern region, whose retirement is delayed as long as we can’t choose one!

I’m not sure in what sense you mean ‘matter’?

ummm… I guess I was wondering if people felt a pressure to elect tonight from the current short list of four nominations. ie What if you felt a better candidate wasn’t on the list???

That would help guide me in what to pray for.

But perhaps this is an issue that should’t be discussed in a public forum????

I think everyone is pretty sick of it dragging out so long and wants a result. Many think the best candidate has already passed us by with John Harrower. But if no-one gives ground, we could go around in circles for ten years.

I suspect every time the Synod rejects a list they risk finding they are greeted by a worse one the next time around. There aren’t that many candidates that could effectively bridge the diversity in Melbourne.

We read this in today’s AGE,

“ .....  Church pursues quest for leader

Barney Zwartz MELBOURNE AGE
August 21, 2006

AS MELBOURNE Anglicans gather tonight to continue their quest for the city’s 12th archbishop, they are strongly united on one thing: after 13 months without a leader, they truly want to elect someone.

That itself is a large step forward from the previous election synod in February, where they were united mainly in their determination to stop a candidate from the opposing “faction”, and which was abandoned in stalemate.

But after 10 ballots on Saturday — in which Bishop Michael Doe of England was twice put to the 850 electors — it seems that while both groups see compromise as vital, each believes it should come from the other.  .....”

When we hear of all the politicking and party-factioning that goes on in church elections ( in all churches AND all dioceses ) many wonder where exactly God fits into the picture. It seems that when many claim to be praying to God that “THY will be done” - it seems to be a ‘conditional’ prayer that ties God to their particular faction.

With all the ‘religious in-fighting’ that goes on, dare we wonder why ‘the world’ doesn’t take us seriously ?

The following might be helpful links for those interested (and hopefully praying):

http://www.media.anglican.com.au/news/2006/08/election/candidates_announced.html

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20093318-28737,00.html

Hi all,

I’m on the synod so have been involved in this for a while. Can I please repeat Matt’s call for prayer. So far the synod has been quite a difficult process and environment: everyone is sick and tired of the uncertainty of being without an Archbishop but the diocese seems quite divided about the right choice.

In answer to the question about whether it would be better not to elect: it is unclear whether after two failed election synods, high quality candidates of any persuasion would be likely to allow their names to go forward to be bandied around in yet another Synod meeting. Though some of the names in the current batch would be considered by evangelicals to be compromises, they are not necessarily bad compromises - and it is unrealistic at this stage in Melbourne to expect a candidate who is firmly liberal or firmly evangelical. As has been demonstrated just this weekend, the voting is too split to allow either of those outcomes.

Jenny

My friends at Anglican Media Melbourne have confirmed that the Melb election Synod has gone to an extra night tonight (Tuesday). The participants must all feel pretty drained and emotionally exhausted.. so please keep praying that God will help them elect a leader after his own heart.

An update from The Age this afternoon

Thanks for posting that link, Jeremy. I’d read the other links provided on this thread and the links on the various pages which had led to profiles of the various candidates. From reading their profiles, I wasn’t entirely certain who stood for what. Now I have a better idea.

Cheers,
Andrew

Praise God, Melbourne Diocese has successfully chosen its new Archbishop, and God has blessed us with one who looks very fine.

Dr Philip Freier, currently Bishop of the Northern Territory, is the selection: although it took a while to get there, in the final ballot 77% of clergy and 75% of the laity gave him a ringing endorsement.

He is relatively young (51) so God willing will be Archbishop for almost two decades.

Putting together reports from people I trust who have met him, Dr Freier looks an ideal candidate to understand and manage the diversity in Melbourne. He is non-partisan, a courageous leader and a friendly and approachable man.

Originally trained at Morpeth, he also has several educational qualifications and a PhD in History on Aboriginal missions. He speaks five Aboriginal languages.

He is a godly and orthodox man from the Anglo-Catholic tradition, a sound expositor of the scriptures, involved with Anglicare, ecumenical conversations, CMS missionary society and the Australian College of Theology.

Please praise God for this outcome, and pray for Dr Freier as he faces sad farewells to his beloved Aboriginal missions and other friends in the NT, and faces the new and difficult challenges ahead. Pray for unity, charity and faithfulness to Jesus Christ in the Diocese of Melbourne.

Thank you for covering this election in prayer. God has indeed been good to us.

Matt

Thanks Matt