The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, has described Australians as "short on hope' because of the global recession, but says the message of Jesus at Easter brings "real
hope'.

"Australia used to be such a hopeful nation. What's come over us?" asks Dr Jensen in his annual Easter message.

Referring to the global financial crisis, Dr Jensen said "People are asking, what is there to look forward to? The good times are over and we fear the future."

He went on to say that the new US President, Barack Obama, had been described in newspaper headlines as the "Hope of the world' but, he said, "we only ever had one
Messiah that good. And it's a bit hard to live up to Jesus."

Archbishop Jensen said real hope was "born in the grave' and that at Easter Jesus "broke the power of death and came out of the grave to show us that it can be done."

The Anglican Church in Sydney has begun a major outreach for which more than one million gospels have been printed in English, Chinese and Arabic.

Demand from churches has forced a new print run of more than a quarter of a million copies.

The campaign, known as Connect09, aims to encourage Anglicans to connect with neighbours across the diocese, which stretches from Ulladulla on the south coast, west to
Lithgow and east to Norfolk Island.

Dr Jensen urged people to reach out to Jesus.

"When it comes to your present and your future, when it comes even to death and judgement, Jesus will stand by you, stand for you, stand with you. Do you want to connect
with Him? You only have to ask.”