In an effort to remove roadblocks to using music for the gospel, St Andrew’s Cathedral’s music director Ross Cobb is urging people to embrace both traditional and contemporary music. The rector of Mittagong, the Rev Richard Mills and Moore College student and professional jazz musician Richard Maegraith are also using a range of musical styles beyond the contemporary to edify Christians and share the gospel with unreached people.

Mark Gilbert is the Sydneyanglicans.net correspondent at World Youth Day. This week, the Sydney Anglican minister shares his extraordinary story of what happened to him following the 1986 Papal visit to Sydney. Mark is also delivering regular blogs from the Roman Catholic Church’s World Youth Day.

Five regional “strategy nights” are happening this week to impart the Connect09 vision to key lay leaders in your parish.

He has a black belt in taekwondo and each week organises a fight, but Matt Vale from St Luke’s, Miranda insists his martial arts club builds friendships between Christians and non-Christians that can bear fruit for the gospel. St Luke’s rector the Rev Stephen Gibson sees this as just one part of the church’s five-year plan to radically expand its ministry.

A new report released by the UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide and US-based China Aid Association, details a Government-funded campaign to eradicate house churches throughout China in the lead up to the Olympics.

Even though he’d recently heard the shattering news about Cyclone Nargis, the principal of Burma’s leading evangelical Bible college remained positive about spiritual hope for his home country as he spoke to a gathering of Australians last month.

There has been no significant division in Melbourne Diocese after the consecration of the Diocese’s first woman bishop, Barbara Darling, on May 31.

CEO of Scripture Union Queensland, Tim Mander said significant take-up of the $20,000 Federal Government chaplaincy grants – up to 70 per cent in some states – indicates school satisfaction with the national program, despite the retiring Democrats’ Lyn Allison calling it “discriminatory” for funding religious chaplains only.

The furore over acclaimed artist Bill Henson’s latest exhibition has been called the “greatest art scandal in a decade”

Deaconess Margaret Rodgers was elected president of the NSW Council of Churches on June 3, the first woman in the role.

The existence of aliens is possible and Christians should not be rocked if scientists discover life on Mars

Southern Cross reports on the main decisions of the diocesan Standing Committee in May and June.

List of parishes and provisional parishes, vacant or becoming vacant as at 23 June 2008.

Southern Cross is a vital source of the news, opinions and views on the latest issues, resources and events affecting the church, both locally and around the world for over 325 parishes, schools and institutions - this month's power-point promotion slide now available...

This month will see blanket media coverage of World Youth Day in Sydney as well as implications of the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem. Both events raise questions about what it means to be an ‘Anglican’ Christian, and how this differs from being Roman Catholic. We asked our panel to answer five frequently asked questions about the difference between Catholics and Protestants, and if these still matter today.

Ross Cobb, Music Director of St Andrew’s Cathedral, convinces JEREMY HALCROW that his belief that contemporary music is always the best option for gospel ministry is a myth. There is some evidence that traditional hymns resonate more with the unchurched.

Google a Sydney Anglican website, look under “staff” and the chances are that you will find a bloke called a “minister”, “senior minister” or “pastor”. Look up the regulations and you will find that clergy are called “priests” or “presbyters” and “deacons”.

Bryan Cowling argues the fruit of the Rudd Government’s 2020 Summit betrayed its economic rationalist agenda in education.

As a result of market-driven ministry models, many churches have tried to work out how to make church more tasty (i.e. entertaining).

Did you know that you can earn the equivalent of a university degree over a few years just by listening to quality audiobooks and/or lectures on your daily commute?

Has the Archbishop’s call to Prayer for Connect09 got you thinking as well as praying?

The U2 Vertigo tour that went worldwide in 2005 and graced Australian shores in November 2006 is the second biggest selling concert tour of all time.

Skin-tight t-shirts, hip-swivelling moves, thumping base-beats, five-part harmonies, the prayer of St Francis of Assisi. Spot the odd man out.

Lara Goudie is one of this new guard and her debut CD, Out of the Depths, is a powerful testimony not only to her talent but, more importantly, to the grace of Christ.

The opening track immediately got my attention. It has a sparse, unusual introduction, suggestive of the Plain White T’s.

Richard’s new album, Free Running, provides a wonderful portrait of Richard’s gifts as saxophonist, composer and arranger, as well as his serious Christian conviction.