Tim Patrick's Commissioning

Tim Patrick was commissioned as Senior Associate Minister at St Jude's 5pm Congregation last Sunday. Tim took the Anglican Oaths and Declarations as part of his commissioning. We did this in public, to underline how important it is that we have confidence our ministers believe the biblical faith and commit to live their lives according to his word.

Here is part of what Tim said:

“I..................... firmly and sincerely believe the Catholic Faith and I give my assent to the
doctrine of The Anglican Church of Australia as expressed in the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordering of Bishops, Priests and Deacons and the Articles of Religion, as acknowledged in section 4 of the Constitution, and I believe that doctrine to be agreeable to the word of God.

I declare my assent to the Fundamental Declarations of The Anglican Church of Australia as set out in sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Constitution."

The Fundamental Declarations are as follows:

FUNDAMENTAL DECLARATIONS

1. The Anglican Church of Australia, being a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, holds the Christian Faith as professed by the Church of Christ from primitive times and in particular as set forth in the creeds known as the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.

2. This Church receives all the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the ultimate rule and standard of faith given by inspiration of God and containing all things necessary for salvation.

3. This Church will ever obey the commands of Christ, teach His doctrine, administer His sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, follow and uphold His discipline and preserve the three orders of bishops, priests and deacons in the sacred ministry

Tim has committed himself to some pretty serious stuff. We ought to uphold him in prayer.