news

The NZ Herald published a news article today quoting from an opinion piece Archdeacon Glynn Cardy sent for their consideration. The Perspective piece he submitted is below. more...

    9 February 2010 Dear Colleagues,   Shortly before Christmas St Matthew-in-the-City put up a billboard outside its Church. Billboards, designed by M&C Saatchi, regularly feature outside St Matthew’s. Rather than advertise services they are created to make people think, and often smile.   This Christmas the billboard received enormous attention. In a space of five days we received hundreds of emails for and against, numerous phone calls, held numerous media interviews, and were the recipients of applause, engagement, questioning, criticism, threats, and abuse. The billboard featured in 177 different countries. In web-talk it went ‘viral’ and created more...

In a speech aimed at calming the warring factions within the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury apologised to gay people for the way they had been vilified and overlooked - but then said that unelected bishops in parliament were right to oppose equality legislation requiring the church not to discriminate against them. In his presidential address to the General Synod of the Church of England - the Established church's governing body, meeting in London this week - Dr Rowan Williams made more...

The Church of Uganda released its official position on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that, if passed in its proposed version, would recommend the death penalty or life in prison for various homosexual acts. The bill suggests the death penalty for people have homosexual sex with minors, the disabled, while being HIV-positive, serial offenders, or if the person is in authority over another. In its executive summary, the Church of Uganda addresses the proportionality in sentencing but does not offer specific recommendations for changes to the proposed sentences. In a statement more...

The news report pertaining to the sacking of Archdeacon Glynn Cardy is inaccurate.  As Glynn quips [c/o Mark Twain], "The reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated". All seven archdeacons will be expected to resign prior to the new bishop taking up his position in April. The new bishop will then appoint new archdeacons some of whom could well be current archdeacons. Glynn has not been sacked as archdeacon, but he like all the others has been alerted that he will be expected to hand in his resignation when Bishop-elect Ross takes the helm. In addition the media more...

The Pope has confirmed he will visit the UK later this year more...

Government defeated in Lords over church gay plan New legislation outlaws employment discrimination on many grounds more...

Pressure by glbt organisations, human rights groups and western nations appears to be finally having a positive effect on Uganda's proposed laws to  imprison or put to death homosexuals. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni more...

St Matthew's already suspects and already has some evidence that our billboard has inspired a few sermons this Christmas season. In the interest of furthering the conversation we are offering to post sermons on this topic.  If you would like to have us post your sermon for comment please send it to clay@stmatthew.org.nz.   Please provlde the name of the preacher, where it was preached and when.

It has been widely reported on the internet that we took the billboard down due to pressure from those who object.  This is not the case.  It was ripped down by vandals.  What should have been reported is we decided not to replace it with a third one due to concerns for public safety.