Must I pray for Jensen?

Each week our church like all churches within the Diocese prays for Archbishop Peter Jensen. At least we usually pray for the Primate Archbishop Phillip Aspinall (Brisbane) as well ( I wonder how many other Sydney parishes do that). For years we prayed for the Prime Minister, John Howard and my prayer was for his removal as soon as possible. Finally God has granted that prayer. I think an answer to prayer for the removal of Jensen would not be very successful and the replacement would probably be worse. I can just pray for the faithful Anglicans trying to worship within the diocese.

The fact that Thinking Anglicans reports on Jensen meeting with Akinola to organise this meeting in Jerusalem next year shows what Jensen thinks of me. Akinola views on gay people are well known. If Jensen was to spout them here in Sydney, there are thankfully laws that would see him before the courts. He pretends he loves us but mention acceptance of gays to any Jensenite and see their faces contort in anger.
The report at Thinking Anglicans also shows he lacks the common courtesies that Anglican Bishops are suppose to display
The Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, Suheil Dawani has issued a press release:

Re: Global Anglican Future Conference planned for the Holy Land in June 2008

The Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, Bishop Suheil Dawani, has expressed his concern about the Global Anglican Future Conference planned for the Holy Land in June this year.

“Regrettably, I have not been consulted about this planned conference,” said Bishop Suheil. “The first I learned of it was through a press release.

“I am aware that the post-Christmas announcement that this conference is to be held here has excited considerable interest around the Anglican Communion, and has become the subject of online discussion. Yet we Anglicans who minister here have been left out in the cold.

“I also note that the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, who appears to be one of the organisers, is encouraging clergy and lay people from his diocese to attend the conference with him and his bishops. He speaks of the meeting taking place because the Anglican Communion is, he says, ‘in disarray over fundamental issues of the gospel and biblical authority’.

“I am deeply troubled that this meeting, of which we had no prior knowledge, will import inter-Anglican conflict into our diocese, which seeks to be a place of welcome for all Anglicans.

“It could also have serious consequences for our ongoing ministry of reconciliation in this divided land. Indeed, it could further inflame tensions here. We who minister here know only too well what happens when two sides cease talking to each other. We do not want to see any further dividing walls!

“I believe our Primate, Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis,is also concerned about this event. His advice to the organizers that this was not the right time or place for such a meeting was ignored.”

“I urge the organizers to reconsider this conference urgently.”

Why does this not surprise me? Ask the Bishop of Newcastle.
The Diocese of Sydney spreads way beyond the present but ever-expanding boundaries of the metropolis of Sydney EXCEPT on the north. Here Sydney's urban area is sprawling into what is known as the Central Coast which lies within the Diocese of Newcastle. What a shock for poor young families who move there for sun, sand, surf and lower prices and find not only do they have to commute to work but on Sunday their church is run by shock, horror an Anglo-catholic priest who is not a graduate of Moore College. Now we all know that Bishops are not suppose to set up churches in other dioceses without permission. Of course the Jensenites cannot openly do this but everyone knows the new churches springing up on the coast may appear to be independent but funny how they are manned by men (never women) trained in the Diocese of Sydney.
From Wikipedia.
These churches are part of a loose fellowship of other evangelical churches around Australia called The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. Over the last five years, eight new churches have been established outside Sydney. Many of the pastors of these churches have been ministers in Anglican Diocese of Sydney and all except one has been through Moore Theological College. A number of ministers from the Anglican Diocese of Sydney are on the Board of Reference for these churches. In the Sydney Anglican synod of 2005, the links with Sydney Anglicans and the Independent Evangelical Churches was strengthened, with the possibility of the Independent churches becoming affiliated with the Anglican Diocese of Sydney
No wonder Jensen could not give a fig about the feelings of the Bishop of Jerusalem. And he has the hide to say others are splitting the Anglican communion.