Anglican-Lutheran Society

15/05/2026

15/05/2026

5th Anniversary of the Installation of Archbishop Hosam as the 15th Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem.

15/05/2026

40 days after Easter Day, the church observes Ascension Day, in recognition of the astonishing moment when the resurrected Christ ascended, body and soul, into heaven. After his resurrection, Jesus remained with his disciples for 40 days. Over these five and a half weeks, over 500 people witnessed the resurrected Christ. Jesus’ death had been publicly confirmed and now he was publicly confirmed as alive. The resurrected Messiah fellowshipped with, taught, and ministered to his disciples, and even cooked for them and ate with them. For the remainder of the 1st century, these 500+ witnesses’ stories were cross-examined and investigated by skeptics and proven true time and time again and the Gospel spread with new generations of converts convinced that Jesus Christ was the living God.

At the culmination of these 40 days, Jesus lifted up his hands and blessed his disciples and was suddenly “taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9) Yet Jesus had not abandoned his disciples. “I am with you always,” (Matthew 28:20) Jesus said in one of his final teachings. And so he is. Jesus is the true vine (John 15:1) and all who are in Christ are grafted into him (Romans 11:17). He is present in his body and his blood, giving us life and love, wisdom and truth. He continues to minister to us today as we await his coming again in great glory and power at the very end of the age.

Almighty God, whose only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven: May our hearts and minds also there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Order the book - www.ourchurchspeaks.com

02/05/2026

Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, as he works among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21) —Bread for the Day

02/05/2026

02/05/2026

“We have found him of whom Moses… and the Prophets wrote: Jesus of Nazareth…” - Philip, “The testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” - James

Philip, along with the Apostle Andrew, was first a disciple of John the Baptist. When he met Jesus, Philip rushed to tell his friend Bartholomew (also called “Nathanael”) that he had found the one that the ancient Scriptures had prophesied. Philip was present at the feeding of the 5,000 and appears to have served as a bridge between the Jewish community and the Greek community (John 12:21). Philip’s Greek name may indicate that he could speak Greek and had cultural connections with the Gentiles. Church tradition records that Philip evangelized in Greece, Syria, and Turkey and delivered his final sermon from a cross, where he was crucified upside down in Hierapolis.

The New Testament mentions many people named “James,” and it can be hard to distinguish one from another. The Apostle James commemorated today is nicknamed James “the Less.” This name probably indicates James’ size (“little James”), in comparison to another Apostle, James “the Great” ( “big James”). James the Less is thought to be the same person as “James son of Alphaeus” (Matthew 10:3) and “James, the brother of Jesus” (Galatians 1:19, ‘brother’ interpreted as a Jewish term for ‘cousin’). At least, this is the theory of the ancient Bible scholar Jerome and is the predominant view of Western Catholicism. If true, this James is the author of the New Testament Epistle of James, and served as the Bishop of Jerusalem until his martyrdom in AD 62.

Almighty God, you gave to your apostles Philip and James the grace and strength to bear witness to Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life: Grant that we, being mindful of their victory of faith, may glorify in life and death the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Art & history by Ben Lansing, ourchurchspeaks.com

Ourchurchspeaks.com

02/05/2026

The Venerable Susan Wallace is to become the first woman to lead the Diocese of Te Waipounamu in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia.

Bishop-elect Susan Wallace, who is currently Vicar General and Registrar General Manager of the Diocese of Te Waipounamu, will become Bishop of Te Hui Amorangi ki te Waipounamu, the Māori Anglican Church in the South Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand and the second Indigenous woman to be elected bishop in the province.

Bishop-elect Susan says, ‘At the heart of my ministry is a commitment to nurturing emerging leaders, supporting clergy, communities and whānau (families), upholding kotahitanga (unity), activating Te Oranga Ake (human flourishing) and ensuring our Church remains courageous, compassionate and relevant, faithful to God, responsive to the needs of our people and resolute in the pursuit of justice.’

Read the full story at: https://bit.ly/4td88hp

Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa

30/04/2026

ACC-19 meets in Belfast this June-July, gathering Anglican Consultative Council members from across the Anglican Communion.

Canon Maggie Swinson is Chair of the ACC and has shared her hopes for the meeting in a short article for Anglican News. Read it here: https://bit.ly/4cJ0cPX

Maggie says: 'We want those who come to Belfast to experience something very simple but very important: that they are welcome, that they are heard, that they are valued, and that their presence is recognised as a gift. The effectiveness of a consultative body depends on that. It depends on people being willing not only to speak, but to listen; not only to represent their own context, but to attend carefully to others...

'... The theme for this year’s meeting, Called to One Hope, feels timely. We meet as a Communion living with real differences and in a world facing significant challenges. But we are not called simply to mirror those realities. We are called to remain attentive to one another, and to seek the peace of Christ together.'

Read Maggie's article in full: https://bit.ly/4cJ0cPX

ACC-19 will be hosted by the Church of Ireland

28/04/2026

Come and march with the CLC in this year's London Pride Parade! We have 50 spaces available, so sign up now at our event link (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/clc-london-pride-parade-4th-july-2026-tickets-1988397332949?aff=oddtdtcreator) and get ready to join us on Saturday 4 July to show your pride and witness to God's inclusive love!

27/04/2026