It was a cold Monday, the night of August 9, and the clock had just struck 10pm. It was the end of an exhaustive debate at a special meeting of Sydney's Standing Committee, and a consensus had finally been reached. No law would be introduced at Synod allowing lay people the right to administer the Lord's Supper.

The Marriage Amendment Bill 2004 was passed in the Senate on 13 August by a vote of 38 to six, nine days after the Great Hall at Canberra's Parliament House overflowed with more than 1000 Christians, politicians, academics and concerned community members who gathered to express their support for ‘traditional' marriage.

On July 4 Donald Robinson Village (DRV), the newest Anglican Retirement Village at Kirrawee, celebrated independence by commencing its own 5pm Sunday church service.

Jason*, 17, from South-West Sydney, has a history of criminal behaviour including assault and drug use. After a series of cautions he was put into detention. While inside, Jason incited more violence. The teenager was put through a rehabilitation scheme run by the Department of Juvenile Justice. After a week, he was chosen to take part in Anglican Youthworks' Challenge Program, the result of a new partnership between Youthworks and the NSW Government.

In 1970 Ralph Bowles' father died. It was, says Ralph, a period of very great turmoil. In the midst of that pain and sadness, Ralph, aged 17, placed his life into the hands of his Heavenly Father. And Ralph couldn't wait to share the good news. He recalls, “very early on I was active in bringing some of my school friends to faith and into the life of the local church.”

What does the ‘New Capital Project' really mean? Archbishop Peter Jensen and Sydney Diocesan Secretariat CEO, Rodney Dredge, answer frequently asked questions and outline how it will contribute to the need to see Sydney evangelised.

Archbishop Peter Jensen is leading a major funding project aimed to supply finance for Christian work. It is known as the ‘New Capital Project' and involves discovering whether parts of the Diocese's asset base, which is estimated at $3 to $4 billion, can be used to raise the money needed for ministry.

A friend of mine used to say, “Only a good script promises a good result.” I can only wonder what he would have made of gems like, “Looks like blunt force brain surgery!”, and “I'm going ahead with this – minimum mercy; maximum sentence” – two of my favourite quotes from television's longest running criminal drama, Law & Order. Snappy scripts filled with lines like these have been the bedrock beneath fifteen seasons of Emmy Award winning episodes. Incidentally, they also serve as an excellent summary of the philosophies behind the show's prolonged success.