From New Zealand-
Christchurch Anglicans were forced to hold their Christmas services outdoors as yet more earthquakes rocked the city on 23 December, causing even more damage to the cathedral and, among other casualties, spelling the death knell for Bishop Victoria Matthews’ home.
The quake came only a few weeks after the Dean of Christchurch Cathedral, the Very Revd Peter Beck, announced he was resigning to seek election to the city council, amid media reports of a rift between him and Bishop Matthews, and only days before the Church’s insurer, ANSVAR, withdrew from New Zealand.
On Christmas Eve, the Bishop announced: “Because there isn’t the time to have every church checked and cleared by engineers before Christmas services begin, we have decided to ask the Anglican churches of greater Christchurch to hold their services outdoors, ‘where sheep may safely graze’.
“Late services on the 24th will be BYOT or ‘bring your own torch’. One parish has said that they’ll have carols by candlelight (or rather, carols by torchlight because candles and quakes don’t go well together) and a simple celebration of the Eucharist.
“We just don’t want large numbers of people – including the very young, the elderly and infirm – in close-confined quarters in the event of another 5.5 or 6. Gathering outdoors, away from tall buildings, will allow for community but not crowding.
More here-
http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/NewsAndViews/TMA/Pages/2012/2012-02/Around-Melbourne-Quakes-and-aftershocks-of-various-kinds-afflict-NZ-Anglicans-001213.aspx
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