Anglican Down Under: Mountainsong better than Hillsong? Sacred and Spiritual Links Monday 8 December 2014 [UPDATED]

Last night I was able to be at the Horncastle Arena in Christchurch for the second half of the inter church festival service celebrating 200 years of the gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand - the first revelation of the gospel on these shores was the preaching of Samuel Marsden on Christmas Day 1814. Everything was superbly done - great music, well composed presentations and talks. Towards the end we sang the full version of our national anthem together. What a wonderful and very Christian song we have for our anthem when we work through all the verses!

The song leader at that point made a very witty, patriotic comment which Australians (at least) will appreciate - Hillsong is great but Mountainsong is better. See verse 5 ...

God Defend New Zealand

1: God of Nations at Thy feet,; In the bonds of love we meet,; Hear our voices, we entreat,; God defend our free land.; Guard Pacific's triple star; From the shafts of strife and war,; Make her praises heard afar,; God defend New Zealand.

2: Men of every creed and race,; Gather here before Thy face,; Asking Thee to bless this place,; God defend our free land.; From dissension, envy, hate,; And corruption guard our state,; Make our country good and great,; God defend New Zealand.

3: Peace, not war, shall be our boast,; But, should foes assail our coast,; Make us then a mighty host,; God defend our free land.; Lord of battles in Thy might,; Put our enemies to flight,; Let our cause be just and right,; God defend New Zealand.

4: Let our love for Thee increase,; May Thy blessings never cease,; Give us plenty, give us peace,; God defend our free land.; From dishonour and from shame,; Guard our country's spotless name,; Crown her with immortal fame,; God defend New Zealand.

5: May our mountains ever be; Freedom's ramparts on the sea,; Make us faithful unto Thee,; God defend our free land.; Guide her in the nations' van,; Preaching love and truth to man,; Working out Thy glorious plan,; God defend New Zealand.

From the 'Anglicans could learn from Presbyterians' department, head to Jason Goroncy's thoughts on corporate episcopacy here.

From the 'God Defend NZ from Ungodly Hateful Pastors' department I note - for the sake of honesty about appalling tendencies in people claiming to belong to God's church - this link.

Here are the links for this week supplied by a colleague in the UK:

SERMONS AND TALKS

1. Children of the Light - Vaughan Roberts - St Ebbe's Oxford Audio [1 Thessalonians 5:1-11]

http://tinyurl.com/kc34k65

2. Approved by God - Richard Bewes - The Sermon Video [2 Timothy 2]

http://tinyurl.com/leo3j6f

3. Facing the Canon with Alister McGrath - J John - Philo Trust Video

http://tinyurl.com/l2jzsmo

Commentary for Sunday 7th December

4. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell

http://tinyurl.com/m8xgc66

5. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott

http://tinyurl.com/l3k5l3t

WORSHIP

6. The bells of St Mary and St Chad, Brewood in Staffordshire. - BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04tchvs

7. Choral Evensong from Westminster Abbey - BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04sv983

8. Advent Carol Service from Trinity College Cambridge [webcasted]

http://trinitycollegechoir.com/webcast/30112014-advent-carol-service/

9. Sunday Holy Communion livestreamed from St Helena's Church, Beaufort, South Carolina at 10:15 am Eastern Time, 3:15 pm London Time

http://www.sthelenas1712.org/

10. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04sy66r

11. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge

http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html

and Trinity College, Cambridge

http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/

and St John's College, Cambridge

http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts

and New College, Oxford

http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

PRAYER

Please pray for the Ebola Crisis and for those working for a cure; for Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Iraq; for the persecuted church and in particular in Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Egypt and Afghanistan; for peace in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

12. Topical Prayers - Church of England

http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk

Iraq: Canon White interviewed by CBN

http://tinyurl.com/l5mmv9o

Kenya: Al Shabaab kills 36 Kenyan Christians on Somali border – WWM

http://tinyurl.com/n6dajp6

Christian churches in Kenya struggle after being targeted by Islamist group - Christian Today

http://tinyurl.com/kkgavw5

Sudan: Church destroyed and young people arrested, pressure increases on Christians

http://tinyurl.com/q8zyho8

Afghanistan: Taliban murder four humanitarian aid workers in Kabul

http://tinyurl.com/ntslclw