In St Andrew’s Cathedral (located in Sydney), the 4th February 2006 would be an eventful day for the families and friends of the ordained workers of Christ, whose faces were beaming with joy as Archbishop Peter Jensen confirmed their position in an elaborate ordination ceremony.
Archbishop Peter Jensen quoted by the Southern Cross, described feeling, ‘overwhelmed with joy at the record number of deacons being ordained.’ He said: “They represent the increasing number of people who are sacrificing to be trained to go into (the) ministry.”
The Sydneyanglicans.net reported more than 50 Sydney Anglicans being ordained with some coming as far as Sudan had either completed their theological studies at Moore College or were involved in planting new churches.
Sydneyanglicans.net reported the increasing number of workers being ordained was attributed to the 2002 Anglican Diocesan Mission, ‘of converting 10 per cent of Sydney in 10 years and establishing them in Bible-based churches.’ Part of the strategy used to achieve this monumental goal was an equally ambitious plan to ‘deploy 1,000 full time and 10,000 part-time pastoral workers (both ordained and laypeople) over the next decade.’
Reverend Mark Charleston the senior assistant to the director of ministry training and development, Dean Phillip Jensen told the Sydneyanglicans.net: “The ordination was a celebration and a reminder to Sydney about Jesus Christ being made known to all people. But preparation and training was the most important thing and it underscored the crucial nature of the gospel work.”
The ordination ceremony sermon found in Romans 1:1-17 and Joshua 1:1-9 was preached by the Reverend Dr Mark Thompson, the academic dean of Moore Theological College. The Bishop of Chile, Bishop Hector Zavala was a special guest at the ordination ceremony. Archbishop Peter Jensen described the inclusion of Bishop Hector Zavala as ‘a signal that we are committed not just to Sydney but to all of the world.’