Monday, November 19, 2012

Amazing Grace - Tribute to John Chapman


John Chapman (evangelist)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Chapman
John Charles Chapman (23 July 1930 – 16 November 2012) affectionately known as "Chappo", was an AustralianpreacherBible teacher and evangelist[1][2] associated with the Sydney Anglican church. He wrote several books including "A Fresh Start", "Know and Tell the Gospel", "Setting Hearts on Fire", "A Sinner's Guide to Holiness", and "Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life", all published by Matthias Media. The Australian edition of "A Fresh Start" has sold nearly 40,000 copies since 1999. (The UK edition has been published by The Good Book Company, who have also published Polish and French language editions.)
For 25 years he was the Director of the Anglican Department of Evangelism in Sydney, after beginning his career as a school teacher prior to theological training. In his 'retirement' he continued to teach at Bible colleges, to speak at conventions[3] around the world, and to find time for the occasional game of tennis and golf.
The single men's accommodation at Moore Theological College was renamed "John Chapman House" in Chapman's honour.
A biography written by Michael Orpwood was published in 1995 entitled Chappo: For the Sake of the Gospel (Russell Lea, Australia: Eagleswift Press, ISBN 1-875981-00-4). The Foreword was provided by Dick Lucas - formerly Rector ofSt Helen's Bishopsgate - a long-standing friend of Chapman.
In 1959, John Chapman was curate of Moree Anglican Church and held the Billy Graham Crusade landline services for the whole of Moree there. He started an interchurch prayer meeting in the Warriors Chapel of Moree Anglican in 1959 which is still going today. This is where he met Preston Walker, Aborigines Welfare District Officer and member of the Moree Methodist Church who later joined the British and Foreign Bible Society. John valued the Christian fellowship of Preston and Kath Walker as they were ex United Aborigines Mission missionaries from WA and were evangelical Christians. John taught woodwork in Moree TAFE before becoming a curate at Moree Anglican.

[edit]References

  1. ^ "New course to 'introduce' Australians to God"Worldwide Faith News. 2003-10-15. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  2. ^ "Evangelist John Chapman is home at last". Biblesociety.org.au. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
  3. ^ "Australians a hard mob to convert"The Age. 2004-05-13. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  4. ^ Walker, S Preston (2005). The Bible to thousands: fulfilling the vision with the Bible Society in Australia 1963-1979. S Preston Walker, Brisbane.
  5. ^ Walker, S Preston. Enriching Australia through educating indigenous people. KF Walker, Brisbane.

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Amazing Grace

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Amazing Grace"
Hymn
Olney Hymns page 53 Amazing Grace.jpg
The bottom of page 53 of Olney Hymns shows the first stanza of the hymn beginning "Amazing Grace!".
Music byin Southern Harmony
Lyrics byJohn Newton
Published
  • 1779 (words)
  • 1835 (melody)
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton (1725–1807), published in 1779. Containing a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, "Amazing Grace" is one of the most recognizable songs in the English-speaking world.
Newton wrote the words from personal experience. He grew up without any particular religious conviction, but his life's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by his recalcitrant insubordination. He was pressed into the Royal Navy, and after leaving the service became involved in the Atlantic slave trade. In 1748, a violent storm battered his vessel so severely that he called out to God for mercy, a moment that marked his spiritual conversion. However, he continued his slave trading career until 1754 or 1755, when he ended his seafaring altogether and began studying Christian theology.
Ordained in the Church of England in 1764, Newton became curate of Olney, Buckinghamshire, where he began to write hymns with poet William Cowper. "Amazing Grace" was written to illustrate a sermon on New Year's Day of 1773. It is unknown if there was any music accompanying the verses; it may have simply been chanted by the congregation. It debuted in print in 1779 in Newton and Cowper's Olney Hymns, but settled into relative obscurity in England. In the United States however, "Amazing Grace" was used extensively during the Second Great Awakeningin the early 19th century. It has been associated with more than 20 melodies, but in 1835 it was joined to a tune named "New Britain" to which it is most frequently sung today.
Author Gilbert Chase writes that "Amazing Grace" is "without a doubt the most famous of all the folk hymns,"[1] and Jonathan Aitken, a Newton biographer, estimates that it is performed about 10 million times annually.[2] It has had particular influence in folk music, and has become an emblematic African American spiritual. Its universal message has been a significant factor in its crossover into secular music. "Amazing Grace" saw a resurgence in popularity in the U.S. during the 1960s and has been recorded thousands of times during and since the 20th century, occasionally appearing on popular music charts.

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I was raised as an Atheist. I learned, after reading the Bible, that God loves me, and you. This is his song for you too. He loves you, and wants to be with you.
All the elements are me and mine. ARIA ISRC number AUAWN1200004

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