The Lutheran June-July 2025 Digital Edition

LUTHERAN

EDITORIAL

Editor Lisa McIntosh

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Executive Editor Linda Macqueen

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LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA

The Lutheran informs the members of the LCANZ about the church’s teaching, life, mission and people, helping them to grow in faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. The Lutheran also provides a forum for a range of opinions, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or the policies of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand.

Sunshine and memories!

Dubbed ‘the Sunshine Girl’ by the then editor of The Lutheran, Linda Macqueen, in 2006, Maria Rudolph was thrilled after her ordination as the LCANZ’s first female pastor in April this year, when Pastor David Christian pulled a copy of the edition in which she featured from his satchel. Pastors Maria and David reminisced with Linda about the article, which told the story of a young German backpacker who became a Christian after being befriended by Lutherans in Adelaide in 2005. Pastor David baptised Maria in 2006, and she says he and his wife Joy have been hugely instrumental in her faith journey. Learn more about Pastor Maria and the other seven new LCANZ pastors on pages 5 to 9. Photo Sam Winderlich

Send us a photograph featuring a recent copy of The Lutheran and it may appear on page 2 of a future issue and on our website at www.thelutheran.com.au

People like YOU bring love to life

This edition features three pastoral ministry students from Australian Lutheran College. Learn more about them and how you can support ALC on page 14.

Ben Lyons

Arise Lutheran Church Springfield Qld

School chaplain at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield, Qld, ALC pastoral ministry student

Most treasured Bible text: Job 2:10b – ‘Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ (pointing to Matthew 5:45b, ‘He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good …’)

Anastasia Kim

St Andrew’s Lutheran Church Brisbane Qld

Chaplain at Lutheran Services’ Tabeel Aged Care Laidley, assistant in Korean ministry at St Andrew’s, ALC pastoral ministry student

Most treasured Bible text: John 4:23 – ‘But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.’

Josh Hauser

St Philips Lutheran College (Wyndham Hobsons Bay Lutheran Church) Vic

Chaplain and Head of Ministry at Good News Lutheran College Vic, ALC pastoral ministry student

Most treasured Bible text: Romans 12:10 – ‘Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.’

Let the light of someone you know shine through their photo being featured in The Lutheran and LCA Facebook. With their permission, send us a good quality photo, their name and details (congregation, occupation and most treasured text) and your contact details.

It has been a big couple of months in the LCANZ! So much is happening, and there’s so much to be thankful for.

We’ve had seven new pastors join the church’s ministry ranks in that time, adding to one from earlier in the year. This diverse octet includes the first three women to be ordained in the LCANZ, two First Nations pastors serving Lutheran communities in Central Australia, and one Mandarin-language-speaking pastor in New Zealand.

We praise and thank God for each of these eight new ‘Servants of the Word’, who you can ‘meet’ and learn a little about in these pages.

While as members of ‘the priesthood of all believers’ we each have a responsibility and co-mission to witness to Jesus’ saving work, pastors are a God-given gift to the church, whose role is to pastorally care for and nourish God’s people with his lifegiving word and sacraments, and to share with us his love, grace and forgiveness.

We know Jesus as our Good Shepherd, and he points to this ‘shepherding’ role of pastors in the gospels. In John 21:15–17, we read of Jesus sending Peter out as a pastor to the early church, even as he releases him from the guilt of his triple denial of his friend and redeemer (‘Feed my lambs … Take care of my sheep … Feed my sheep’).

If, like me, you belong to a congregation currently without a pastor, you may be acutely aware that we should keep praying that God will raise up workers – both lay and ordained – for his harvest field. He does not always answer our prayers in the way or timeframe in which we think he should, but be assured that God has not forgotten us and resources and serves our faith communities in different ways.

Our 2024 Convention resolutions on ordination confirmed that each congregation may call a pastor who best fits their ministry needs. In some congregations, that may be calling a pastor who is male. In other congregations it may be either a male pastor or a female pastor.

We are also privileged to feature stories in this edition from Australian Lutheran College (ALC), which is thankful to God for the surge in student numbers and an increase in enrolment inquiries it is experiencing. Launching its annual appeal this month, ALC relies on our church's support as it continues to train and equip people to serve as pastors, teachers and churchworkers in our LCANZ.

Our Lutheran family’s 75 years of service through ALWS is another reason to be thankful, and you can catch up on the inspiring progress of its anniversary goal of supporting 75,000 children impacted by war and poverty.

Add to these uplifting stories, our popular regular columns, news from around the church and resources to support our congregational life, and there’s plenty to celebrate and give thanks for.

May God bless your reading,

Meet our new Servants of the Word

Ordination: What is it and why do we do it?

Praying for a gospel opportunity

New era dawns for ALC

Opening pathways to follow the call

What a great way to farewell an ‘old friend’!

Changing the lives of 75,000 children

Grant to boost your gift’s impact

Not all ministry looks the same

A school trip, a cyclone and the kindness of ‘family’

we bear your name: Bishop Paul’s letter

God’s word

Our cover: Design by Elysia McEwen

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following pages may contain images of people who have died.

Because we bear your name

Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said (2 Kings 5:2–4).

There is an extraordinary story in the Old Testament about a little girl who speaks up about her faith, despite what was most probably a very difficult context.

Even though she has been made a slave and taken away to a foreign land, this little girl opens her mouth and declares the wonders of God’s grace even for Naaman the leper, the non-Israelite military commander of Syria, who had recently defeated Israel in battle.

This little girl, who is not even named in the Scriptures, tells of God’s word and promise. She could have just prayed for Naaman, and she probably did.

BISHOP PAUL’S LETTER

REV PAUL SMITH Bishop, Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand

‘Go!’ and ‘Tell!’ Mary met with the disciples and said, ‘I have seen the Lord!’

In our Lutheran Church, we often struggle with this thing of ‘speaking’ about our faith, especially with our family, friends or co-workers. Often, we feel that those around us who do not believe in the gospel might run rings around us if we speak of our faith.

Certainly, we can always grow in our abilities to explain what we believe. Certainly, we need to continue asking God to guide and instruct us in this task. Some people in the church are trained in ‘apologetics’, which is the discipline of arguing the truth of the gospel.

WE ARE SENT TO BE HERALDS OF WHAT WE KNOW, LIKE MARY, WHO WAS SENT BY THE RISEN LORD TO ‘GO!’ AND ‘TELL!’

The fact that we are told that she was a ‘girl from the land of Israel’ and that she speaks of the prophet Elisha tells us that she is a person who walks by faith in the living God. To walk by faith means we can also speak what we know to be true.

The little girl spoke, pointing Naaman to our gracious God at work through the ministry of the prophet Elisha. Naaman goes to the prophet, and we are told that Naaman’s skin ‘was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean’.

The risen Lord Jesus told his followers that ‘repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem’. Then he said, ‘You are witnesses of these things.’

This is about ‘speaking’ our faith. We are sent to be heralds of what we know, like Mary, who was sent by the risen Lord to

But it is also important to remember the image of the courtroom. How many people are doing the arguing in the court? Usually just two. In the courtroom, there are lots of witnesses but just a couple of lawyers. Our risen Lord Jesus says, ‘You will be my witnesses’ (Acts 1:8). The form of that witness might be as simple as the situation in which a faithful Christian says to her or his friend, ‘Actually … on Sunday, I go to church.’

A simple word of witness from an earnest and faithful Christian heart can make the world of difference in this world, where so many do not know the loving heart of our Gracious God. You might ask, ‘What difference could my lone little voice make?’ That didn’t seem to bother the little Israelite slave girl who spoke of her faith for the healing of Naaman.

A wise person once wrote: ‘If you think you're too small to make a difference, you've obviously never been in bed with a mosquito.’

In Christ,

In this edition of The Lutheran, we are giving thanks to God for the ordained ministry and that he is raising up workers for his harvest field in the LCANZ. Eight people from across the church of varying ages, backgrounds and ministry journeys have been ordained in the first half of this year to serve in a wide range of contexts. Here, we learn a little about each of them –introduced in no particular order – as they embark on a new role of service in God’s kingdom. See page 29 for more ordination details.

AGE: 44

FAMILY: Wife Miriam, children Gwendolen, Dustan and Archer

HOME CONGREGATION: Our Saviour Lutheran Church Aberfoyle Park SA

SERVING AT: Our Saviour Lutheran Church Aberfoyle Park SA

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up?

Firstly, my mum, who was pretty much a single parent for my whole childhood, raised two boys with not many resources and always provided a household with love and support. Superman, who offered a view on servant leadership and positive role modelling, and pastors in my formative years who supported my faith journey: pastors Robert Voigt, David Schmidt and Michael Dutschke

Who are the most influential people for you now? A strong group of pastors who support me, also Michael Dutschke as my professional supervisor and Peter Steicke, who has been my mentor for four years. I listen to and read leadership thinkers such as Mark Sayers, Carey Nieuwhof, John Mark Comer and Tim Keller.

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? At Australian Lutheran College (ALC). I am still studying there.

What did you do before your pastoral ministry studies? My journey started as an intern at Our Saviour Lutheran Church

Aberfoyle Park (2002–2004), then as a church worker for Immanuel Lutheran Church Woden Valley ACT (2005–2014) and St John’s Unley SA (2014–2016), before serving as Church Worker Support Officer at the LCA Churchwide Office (2016–2022), and then as Training Support Officer at ALC (2022–2023). I again served as a church worker at Mawson Lakes Community Church (2023–2025) and Our Saviour (from 2023).

Who or what encouraged you towards becoming a pastor? I have always ‘hovered around it’ but it wasn’t until 2018, when my mother passed away from a brain tumour, that I felt God opening the pathway to follow this calling.

When did this journey begin for you? A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? Joshua 1:9 – That God is not just with us but before us, and that it is all about seeking him first in all we are, and he gives us the strength and courage to follow his will in this world

‘OUR IDENTITY IS IN KNOWING THE FATHER'S HEART FOR US, THAT WE ARE SAVED AND BELOVED BY HIM.’

The most important thing people need to know about God is … that our identity is in knowing the Father's heart for us, that we are saved and beloved by him through his Son Jesus, and we belong to his family and kingdom.

Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? Sharing the good news and helping people see their identity, their worth and their purpose in what God has invited them to be

What is your favourite leisure activity? I am a nerd, so I enjoy chilling with my wife through video games, movies and TV shows, especially fictional ones. I enjoy doing projects around the house and going to the gym when I can.

What is your favourite movie or TV show?

Quality sci-fi, superhero or Star Wars movies, comedies like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Scrubs, Ted Lasso and Community

If you could chat with any famous person, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Mark Sayers, the late Tim Keller, George Lucas or even Martin Luther over craft beer

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up? My mum and dad and my schoolteachers

Who are the most influential people for you now? My children and husband (I learn from them every day), various pastors and theologians

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? At ALC, first a Bachelor of Theology from 2007 to 2009 and then a Bachelor of Ministry from 2020 to 2022.

What did you do before your pastoral ministry studies? I began pastoral ministry studies at 19 after a gap year backpacking around Australia. Between and after my theological degrees, I worked at Lutheran Care Foster Care and City Care Network in Adelaide, cared for my children and supported my husband as a pastor, served as a lay worker, pastoral associate, on LCA committees, commissions and working groups, and as a Synod delegate, as well as creating prayer and devotional resources.

AGE: 37

FAMILY: Husband Michael, children Julia, Sophia and Vincent

HOME CONGREGATION: Bethlehem Lutheran Church Adelaide SA

SERVING AT: St John’s Lutheran Church Perth WA

Who or what encouraged you towards becoming a pastor? God’s persistent call to pastoral ministry is the only thing that leads me on. Countless precious people have encouraged me and have discipled, taught and nurtured me. My godmother Kathy Thompson, Glenice Hartwich, Pastor David Christian, Joy Christian and my husband Pastor Michael Rudolph have been there through all the ups and downs, along with many people I love and cherish.

When did this journey begin for you? In December 2005, during my conversion to the Christian faith and journeying toward baptism. God called me to serve as a pastor and has never let this call grow less urgent, despite my trying to follow alternate paths when the journey seemed too hard or impossible.

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? Psalm 27:1 – ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?’ I cherish this verse. It tells the story that I am utterly nothing without God.

‘MY FAVOURITE PART OF THE BIBLE IS IN GENESIS, CHAPTERS 12–22 [INCLUDING GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM].’

‘ “ THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION, WHOM SHALL I FEAR?” … I CHERISH THIS VERSE. IT TELLS THE STORY THAT I AM UTTERLY NOTHING WITHOUT GOD.’

The most important thing people need to know about God is … how utterly transformational the hope and new life is that we receive through the saving grace of Jesus. Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? To be able to do what I am called to do, with my call as pastor of the church legitimately confirmed by the laying on of hands at ordination, it will be an immense privilege to serve and love my people.

What is your favourite leisure activity? Spending time with my kids and my husband

What is your favourite movie or TV show? A German TV series ( In aller Freundschaft), because it is filmed in and around my hometown of Leipzig

If you could chat with any famous person, living or dead, who would it be and why? St Paul, toward the end of his life. I would love to sit at his feet and listen to his experiences on missionary journeys, his glimpse of Jesus on the road to Damascus, and to ask him about specifics he wrote about in his epistles.

AGE: 50

FAMILY: Wife Eva Hayes, son Stefan Poulson and daughter Daniellyn Poulson

HOME CONGREGATION: Utju/Areyonga Community NT

SERVING AT: Utju/Areyonga Community NT

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up?

Margaret Poulson (mother)

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? Utju/Areyonga; Finke River Mission bush courses

What did you do before and/or have you done since your pastoral ministry studies? School groundsman, community representative on the MacDonnell Regional Council; Areyonga Store Committee Chairperson

Who or what encouraged you towards becoming a pastor? Family, pastors Djala Kurkara Andrews and Charlie Chirrup and an inner word from God

When did this journey begin for you? January 2022

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? My favourite part of the Bible is in Genesis, chapters 12–22 [including God’s covenant with Abraham].

AGE: 42

FAMILY: Wife Patsy, children Howard, Ryan and Charlotte

HOME CONGREGATION:

Botany Lutheran Church Auckland NZ

SERVING AT:

Botany Lutheran Church Auckland NZ

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up?

That would be my dad – he is my first mentor and taught me the importance of being a faithful man and responsibility.

Who are the most influential people for you now? The Apostle Paul. I had the privilege of visiting Türkiye and walking the very paths he took in the Book of Acts. That journey was truly transformational – it gave me a profound glimpse into the life and sacrifice of a missionary.

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? I completed my Diploma of Theology online through Australian Lutheran College (ALC) from 2022 to 2023, studying part-time. I'm now continuing my studies part-time, working toward a Bachelor of Theology with ALC.

What did you do before your pastoral ministry studies? I trained as an electrical engineer and worked in engineering for four years. I then transitioned into working in real

‘THE MOST IMPORTANT THING PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GOD IS GOD’S INFINITE LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE, WHICH IS FOR EVERYONE.’

estate sales and development – a field I remain active in.

When did your journey towards becoming a pastor begin? In 2017 when I left New Zealand to return to my Taiwan hometown, for business reasons. I had no idea that God was beginning to lead me onto a new path. He guided me to a church that placed a strong emphasis on the Bible, and I came to deeply understand that his word is the true source of power and faith. My faith was renewed, and I grew significantly closer to God through that experience.

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? Psalm 127:1 – ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.’ The verse says it all ☺

The most important thing people need to know about God is … he loves you as who you are, right now. We do not need to earn his love. Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? As a bi-vocational

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up? My parents, my godmother and my mentors

Who are the most influential people for you now? My family, my colleagues and all those people in the world who advocate for those in need

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? I studied a Bachelor of Theology at Luther Seminary in the late 1990s and have nearly completed a Master of Theology through ALC.

What did you do before and/or since your pastoral ministry studies? After studying at Luther Seminary, I worked as a lay worker in the areas of music, pastoral care and adult education. I then worked in hospital chaplaincy and as a clinical pastoral education supervisor and educator for more than 10 years.

Who or what encouraged you towards becoming a pastor? My mentors, my family and my colleagues

When did this journey begin for you? At the age of six

‘GOD’S WORD … EQUIPS US TO SERVE FAITHFULLY IN BOTH THE SECULAR AND SPIRITUAL REALMS.’

pastor, I firmly believe that God’s word is fully relevant and applicable beyond the walls of the church. It equips us to serve faithfully in both the secular and spiritual realms. I hope to draw from my experiences in the business world to enrich the teaching and application of Scripture – bringing biblical truths into everyday decisions, relationships and leadership, wherever God places us.

What is your favourite leisure activity? Exercise always helps. I’m practising the martial art of aikido and it feels great after a hard training session.

What is your favourite movie or TV show? I'm a fan of the Marvel superhero series – anything with Iron Man in it is a personal favourite.

If you could chat with any famous person, living or dead, who would it be and why? The Apostle Paul. I’d love to hear his story firsthand – how he encountered Christ, how that transformed his life, and how he managed to plant so many churches.

AGE: 53

FAMILY: Husband Peter, son Jonathon

HOME CONGREGATION:

St Paul’s Lutheran Church Box Hill Vic

SERVING AT: St Paul’s Lutheran Church Box Hill Vic

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? Isaiah 43:1,2. It reassures me that God is always with me.

The most important thing people need to know about God is … God’s infinite love, mercy and grace, which is for everyone.

Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? Caring for people pastorally and sacramentally

What is your favourite leisure activity? Playing the piano

AGE: 28

FAMILY: Wife Olya Kaltiugina

HOME CONGREGATION: St John’s Lutheran Church Perth WA

SERVING AT: Goombungee–Maclagan Lutheran Parish Qld

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up? My family, including my mum (Jenny), brothers (Liam and Lloyd), Oma (Irma), and Opa (Michael). Also, the pastors who confirmed me in my faith, Pastor Andre Meyer and Pastor Greg Pfeiffer.

Who are the most influential people for you now? All of the above people. Also, my wife Olya, my vicar father Matt Bishop, pastors Fraser Pearce, Michael Prenzler and Tom Pietsch, and other people who have supported me on my faith journey

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? I started my studies online in Perth for the first two years, from 2020. In my third year, I moved to Adelaide with Olya to study on-campus and completed my studies there in 2025.

What did you do before your pastoral ministry studies? After high school, I first studied for one year at Perth Bible College. Then I worked for several years as a cleaner

at a Christian school and then as a processing worker at a Steggles factory outlet.

Who or what encouraged you towards becoming a pastor? My call began as a thought – that maybe I would love doing the work of a pastor – in church, when I was 16 years old in 2013, while listening to Pastor Greg Pfeiffer preaching. Already deeply interested in theology, the Bible and Christian apologetics, I continued pursuing my interests, getting involved in church, and received encouragement from people along the way.

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? Jesus’ words: ‘And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20). It’s one of the greatest Bible truths revealed to humanity: the continual, faithful and loving presence of Jesus in our daily lives, and to eternity. Knowing this helps me get through everything.

The most important thing people need to know about God is … that God created you for

AGE: 57

FAMILY: Four adult sons Sebastian, Tristan, Braydon (pictured) and Saverio, and grandchildren

HOME CONGREGATION: Papunya Community NT

SERVING AT: Papunya Community NT

Who were the most influential people in your life as you were growing up?

Extended family, and particularly Mantuwa Napanangka (my mother), Anymanarri Napanangka and Billy Murnane Tjangala (my father). My father passed away when I was still a boy, so Jimmy Andrew Tjangala helped to bring me up. A whitefella named Neil Bell had a big positive influence on me.

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? I began semi-formal bush course studies in 1998. I was taught by various people, but mainly Pastor Norm Wurst, linguist Ken Hansen and, most recently, Pastor Paul Traeger.

What did you do before and/or have you done since your pastoral ministry studies?

‘JESUS’ WORDS: “AND BEHOLD, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE END OF THE AGE” [IS] ONE OF THE GREATEST BIBLE TRUTHS.’

the purpose of enjoying eternal fellowship with him – a relationship that is based on God first loving you, and then you loving and trusting him in return, bearing fruits to his glory by the power of the Holy Spirit, in obedience to his word, and on the sole basis of the grace of Jesus Christ.

Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? Helping people in their time of need by bringing them the Lord Jesus Christ, and in this way, being a servant of Jesus.

What is your favourite leisure activity? Creating animated short films

What is your favourite movie or TV show? Kiki’s Delivery Service is a favourite.

If you could chat with any famous person, living or dead, who would it be and why? The Lord Jesus Christ. I would want to sit with him in a quiet place (e.g. by a campfire or on a hill under a starry night sky) and talk with him about anything and everything.

Formerly, I did typing at the school, then general community store work. Nowadays I sometimes do traditional paintings.

Who or what encouraged you along the journey towards becoming a pastor? As a young man, living a not-always-responsible life, I saw a cross in the sunset. I believe God was speaking to me. (Traditional Indigenous people used to believe that if you saw a beautiful sunset, it meant that someone had had a curse put on you. To see the cross, God’s promise of blessing in the middle of, or taking the place of, a portent of cursing, is therefore really something!)

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? I do not have a favourite Bible verse as such. My favourite story is the gospel

accounts of Jesus offering his body and blood on Maundy Thursday.

The most important thing people need to know about God is … the importance of living by faith – ‘For we live by faith, not by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? Encouraging people in the Christian faith

What is your favourite leisure activity? Playing music – guitar and keyboard – and singing songs

What is your favourite movie or TV show? The only TV I watch is Australian Rules football and Christian movies.

Where and when did you study for the pastoral ministry? I began study with Lutheran Teachers College when I was a youth worker in the early 80s and did further study and in-service training with various institutions in Adelaide. Supported by a Lutheran World Federation scholarship, I completed a Master of Divinity degree at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa and, on my return to Australia, a PhD in preaching through Flinders University.

What did you do before and since your pastoral ministry studies? Coordination and management roles in community service, domestic violence prevention, nature conservation and public health; pastoral roles within congregations, universities and hospitals; and academic roles in community health, counselling and theology. I have served

AGE: 69 and a half

FAMILY: Husband Leigh Newton and much-loved children and grandchildren (Stephen, Freya, Tim, Keeley, Erin, Jasmine, Jacqui, Isaac, Karl, Skye, Chris)

HOME CONGREGATION: St Stephen’s Lutheran Church Adelaide SA

SERVING AT: St Stephen’s Lutheran Church Adelaide SA

as a research coordinator and academic dean at the Adelaide College of Divinity, taught courses in preaching, pastoral care, and research, and most recently coordinated ministry at St Stephen’s.

Who or what encouraged you towards becoming a pastor? A cloud of witnesses affirming my call, including my parents, my husband and children, other relatives and friends, my pastors, congregational members, colleagues and random strangers, for the past 45 years or so.

When did this journey begin for you? The earliest memory I have of confidence in being called to ordained ministry was as a four-yearold, annoyed that others didn’t realise it.

What is your most relied-upon Bible verse and why? Matthew 11:28–30. I particularly like

The Message version. Jesus calls us out of the heaviness of life to live freely and lightly within the unforced rhythms of grace.

The most important thing people need to know about God is … that you are a precious, beloved child of God.

Which privilege of being a pastor have you most looked forward to? I am honoured by the trust that people put in me, sharing the ups and downs in their lives, and the preaching life is also an absolute privilege.

What is your favourite leisure activity? I’m hoping to find more time for reading fiction and to learn to play vibrato on the cello. Leigh and I have celebrated special occasions by going for long walks, and one of our favourite holidays was walking on the Cumbrian Way in England and the Scottish Highlands.

Tour date: 15-25 May 2026

Stand at the foot of the Acropolis where Apostle Paul preached, challenging the ‘Unknown God’ of Greek philosophy (Acts 17:16-34). Here was the beginning of Christianity in Europe. Follow in the evangelist Paul’s footsteps, as we journey from the majesty of the Acropolis to Thessalonica, Corinth and more. Take time to enjoy the beauty of picture-perfect islands of Mykonos, Santorini and Patmos as we sail across seas that Paul traversed.

The LCANZ has welcomed eight new pastors this year, celebrating ordinations in most districts. These women and men bless us through their service of pastoral care in the name of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, which is why we call our ordained ministers ‘pastors’. As the Lord said to Peter, ‘Feed my sheep’ (John 21:15–17). But what is ordination, and why does the LCANZ ordain people to serve as its pastors?

Q. Why does the LCANZ ordain pastors?

A In Bishop Emeritus Greg Pietsch’s ‘Ministry Future Summary Report for the Church’, we read: After proclaiming the central teaching of ‘justification by grace alone, through faith, for Jesus’ sake’ in its fourth article, the Augsburg Confession [the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran church] goes on to teach, ‘So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the gospel and administering the sacraments was instituted’ (i.e. by God).’

Q. What is ordination?

A. According to the LCA’s Doctrinal Statements and Theological Opinions (DSTO) Vol 1, Section D, ‘Ministries in the church’, ‘Ordination is the church’s setting apart, authorising and vesting with authority and responsibility in the name of Jesus Christ and his church qualified persons for the office of the public ministry.’

The LCA’s Theses of Agreement, VI.8 states: Ordination, though not a sacrament, is the solemn ecclesiastical rite in which a duly qualified person (1 Tim 3:2–7; Titus 1:5–9), having accepted a call by a congregation or the Church, is received by the Church as a gift from the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 4:11: Titus 1:5).

Q. What does the public ministry entail?

A The LCA’s Theses of Agreement, VI.1 states:

The New Testament ministry is the office instituted by Christ for the public administration of the means of grace, that is, the preaching of the gospel and the administering of the sacraments, through which … the Holy Ghost works saving faith in the hearts of men and women. The office of the ministry is therefore an office instituted not by men and women, but by God (2 Cor 5:18–20; Eph 4:11; Acts 20:28 … ).

Q. Who can be received into public ministry?

A. Vol 1, Section D, ‘The right to use the title “pastor”’ says: Ordination presupposes that the candidate is fit for the public

office. It also presupposes that the candidate has received and accepted a call from a congregation, parish, the church (district or national), or a board of the church which has the authority to call. Ordination does not give the candidate a special status ... ordination does not make a person permanently and irrevocably a pastor.

In the LCA Constitution Article 5. ‘The Ministry’, we read that the church:

… shall receive into its ministry, by ordination or by colloquy of ministers ordained elsewhere, men or women whose qualifications for the office have been established and who: (a) accept and hold the confession of the church; (b) accept the constitution and by-laws of the church; and (c) undertake to participate in the work of the church and to promote its objects.

Q. Where is ordination mentioned in the Bible?

A. Although the New Testament does not use the specific term ‘ordination’, it does detail the commissioning or appointing of individuals for ministry, including with the laying on of hands (Acts 6:1-6; Acts 13:3; 1 Timothy 4:14).

Q. What is ‘the priesthood of all believers’?

A. The teaching of ‘the priesthood of all believers’ is primarily associated with Martin Luther, though he didn't use the exact phrase. However, the concept is one in which all believers have a call to serve God in their lives and vocations.

DSTO Vol 2, Section D, ‘The relationship between the ministry of the people of God and the public ministry’ says: Pastors do not cease to be part of the priesthood of all believers at ordination. The ordained exercise the office of the ministry among the priesthood of all believers, serving them with the gifts granted to the office. However, the priesthood of all believers exercise their priestly role predominantly in diverse vocations … the office of the ministry and the priesthood of all believers can be distinguished but never separated. One cannot exist without the other.

The introduction of women’s ordination in the LCANZ can be ‘a new opportunity to share the gospel with all people’, says Rev Dr Vic Pfitzner.

Pastor Vic, who is a former chair of the churchwide Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations (CTICR) and a former principal of Luther Seminary (now Australian Lutheran College), has been an advocate for change to the church’s teaching on the ordination of women and men for more than four decades.

However, even now that three women have joined the LCANZ’s pastoral ministry ranks in recent months (see also pages 24, 28 and 29), his hopes and prayers for the church remain unchanged.

‘My hope all along has been for change while at the same time preserving the unity of the church,’ he says.

‘I hope for renewal in the LCANZ, that all congregations become

increasingly inclusive communities of love and care open to all people in our society, and that we come to a new appreciation for the service of women in the church.

‘This is, in a sense, a new beginning, a new opportunity to share the gospel with all people.

‘I hope also that there will be increasing agreement that women should share in this wonderful task of publicly proclaiming the gospel and celebrating the sacraments. I hope that past animosities can be healed and that we can face the real challenge to speak the gospel to all.’

Another long-term supporter of removing the prohibition on women pastors in the LCANZ, Margaret Hunt, agrees.

‘THIS IS, IN A SENSE, A NEW BEGINNING, A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH ALL PEOPLE.’

‘I believe that there is now so much potential for the LCANZ to proclaim the gospel and administer the sacraments to more people in more areas of service,’ says Margaret, a retired former nurse, staff member of Lutheran Teachers College, volunteer LCA parenting and marriage educator and Lutheran Care parent educator, who graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from Luther Seminary in 1997 and completed a doctorate in theology at Flinders University in 2010.

‘Now, with falling church membership and [until this year] fewer pastoral candidates, more members of the LCA may be seeing what I believe the Holy Spirit is prompting us to remember. It is the following: that the primary task given by Jesus to his followers is to tell, through word and action, the good news to all the world.

‘The change in teaching also means to me that the church as the body of Christ can now, with ever-greater energy, turn its gifts of the Spirit towards care for the least, the lost and the last in the thousands of suffering communities within Australia and beyond.’

Margaret prays that any ongoing differences between LCANZ members and congregations over ordination are ‘expressed and heard in a spirit of kindness and grace’.

‘And when these aims fail … that forgiveness and reconciliation will be foremost,’ she says.

‘I also hope and pray that every member and congregation of the LCANZ will continue to embrace the inspirational message it has chosen to represent its values and purpose, namely, that it is a place ‘where (God’s) love comes to life’.

Pastor Vic says while as a young pastor he ‘simply accepted the traditional [ordination] practice of our church’, his view on the matter was first challenged as a postgraduate student in Germany in the 1960s. ‘For the first time in my life, I experienced firsthand the pastoral care of an ordained woman,’ he says. ‘Yet at that time it was not a real issue for me, nor when I returned to Australia to serve as a pastor in our Lutheran Church.

‘The move to a new understanding was gradual and always attended by concern for the unity of our church. There is grace in accepting new understandings of how the Lord's will is to be proclaimed today, in ever-changing situations facing the church.’

His current view was already in place but confirmed during a guest lectureship he undertook at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Ohio in 1986–1987, where he participated in preparing women for ordained ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

‘For decades now, I have been convinced that the ban on women being ordained for the public ministry rests more on tradition and a male-oriented culture in our church than on the clear teaching of Scripture.’

It was a case he made to, and on behalf of, CTICR, which in 1999 concluded in the majority that there was no biblical impediment to the ordination of women.

Margaret says that before joining the staff of Lutheran Teacher’s College in 1974, she ‘had not really considered’ the issue of women’s ordination.

‘I discovered that for my whole life until the mid-1970s, I had been reading and studying the gospel stories and the letters of the apostles in a kind of sleepwalk,’ she says.

‘It was not until 1974, when Dr John Koch jolted me out of that stupor with a lecture on unconditional forgiveness, that I began to read the Bible – particularly the stories of Jesus – with “new lenses”. The “ah ha” moments grew as I realised that Jesus was not interested in rules, but in communicating his great news that God’s love infuses every scriptural command, every interpersonal interaction and every connection on Earth and

Margaret Hunt (left), who joined Rev Dr Tanya Wittwer (centre) and Helen Lockwood (right) at Tanya’s ordination last month, believes ‘the church can now, with ever-greater energy, turn its gifts of the Spirit towards care for the least, the lost and the last’.

‘I BELIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PROMPTING US TO REMEMBER … THAT THE PRIMARY TASK GIVEN BY JESUS TO HIS FOLLOWERS IS TO TELL THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL THE WORLD.’

in heaven. So, from that time, it was natural to see the world through the lens of the gospels, and to see women and men leading the church in the way of Jesus.’

Advocacy began for Margaret in 1991, after she attended a ‘Justice Weekend’ at Luther Seminary, during which presenters called for justice in three areas of the church: for Aboriginal people, for those enduring the ‘rural crisis’, and for women’s ordination. Among the speakers was the now Rev Dr Tanya Wittwer, whose ordination Margaret recently attended. Margaret says the ‘passion and clarity’ with which Tanya spoke at that gathering ‘galvanised’ her into joining an informal women’s ordination support group within the LCA, which later became known as the Women’s Ministry Network and grew and spread from Adelaide interstate.

‘I can now thank and cheer those who faithfully stayed the course until women would be welcomed as ordained pastors in the public ministry of our church,’ Margaret says.

While Pastor Vic says it’s important that last year’s General Synod decision gave LCA members the freedom to remain in or join a congregation that holds to the practice of men-only ordination, he also believes the acceptance of women in the public office ‘is to be not merely granted but to be celebrated with great joy’.

For the 87-year-old, that joy was realised when he was part of the ordination service for Pastor Maria Rudolph, the first woman ordained in the LCANZ. ‘It was such a moment of joy that I became quite emotional,’ he says. ‘I had long hoped to see this day before I die. Now I can say with a full and thankful heart, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace … ”’

The Australian Lutheran College (ALC) community has plenty of reasons to be excited in Semester 1 this year – 18 of them in fact! That’s the number of current students seeking to enter ordained ministry in the LCANZ. The changing landscape – figuratively and literally – heralds a new era for the college and the church it serves, says Dr Merryn Ruwoldt.

Sometimes institutions are presented with an opportunity to take stock and reset. Last year served that purpose for ALC. It was undoubtedly the end of an era.

There is considerable grief associated with the relocation to a non-residential site, as the college will do when it moves to the new Church House in the Adelaide CBD. However, ALC no longer requires a traditional campus. Its conviction is that pastors and other church workers are best trained in situ, under the mindful and loving eye not only of their lecturers, but their congregations, pastors, mentors and critical friends.

ALC students of the modern era study theology while grounded in their local communities. They pray and worship with their congregations, they examine, wrestle and explore coursework material in context, and acknowledge that the Holy Spirit works to form them through their lecturers, classmates, mentors and congregational members.

backgrounds and previous theological study experiences. Each is on a pathway to the ordained ministry that contains academic and formational components specifically designed for them. Additional students are preparing to begin their courses in Semester 2.

One new student shares that the change in the way ALC delivers courses has opened up access to pastoral ministry studies. ‘Last time I inquired, I had to move my family to Adelaide,’ the student says. ‘I can’t believe how flexible training to be a pastor is now. This is so much better for our family. It is the right time for me.’

LAST YEAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE END OF AN ERA, BUT IT IS ALREADY CLEAR THAT 2025 IS THE START OF A NEW ONE.

It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. ‘At ALC,’ says principal Rev Dr Tim Stringer, ‘we believe it takes a congregation to raise a pastor or lay worker. There is academic work, of course, but this learning is more effective when embedded in a community of practice.’

In Semester 1, 2025, there are 18 students at ALC who have indicated they are discerning a call to the ordained ministry. Including women and men, part-time and full-time students, the cohort ranges in age from 31 to 65, and comes from a variety of

We are hearing such comments more and more often. The faculty and the students have begun to define a new institutional culture. This is underpinned by quality teaching, respectful engagement, explicit individual pathways and robust, contextual assessment practices.

Last year might have been the end of an era, but it is already clear that 2025 is the start of a new one. There is considerable excitement and confidence in the training programs and the people who are engaging with them. ALC looks forward to partnering with many more congregations as, inspired by the Spirit, members continue to encourage potential pastors and lay workers to embark on formal training for ministry.

Dr Merryn Ruwoldt is ALC Academic Dean.

Anastasia

The changes in Australian Lutheran College’s (ALC) learning model and the widening of ordination pathways are making studying to become a pastor more accessible and appealing, say members of the current student cohort.

Josh Hauser serves as a chaplain and head of ministry at Good News Lutheran College at Tarneit and Mambourin, Victoria. He studied at ALC in 2014 for a Graduate Diploma of Theology, but this year has returned and hopes to become a Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP), now that the option is available for part-time and off-campus students.

‘I see this as a potential pathway for chaplains to study and become SMPs,’ he says. ‘For me, this is a special and valuable calling that I do not take lightly.’ For Josh, the more diverse cohort of people discerning a call to ordained ministry at ALC is ‘a wonderful thing’. ‘I think ALC is implementing a culture that is respectful, supportive, inclusive and full of God’s grace. Much like a person who lived 2000-plus years ago, perhaps!’

The option of becoming a pastor in the LCANZ only opened up for Brisbane-based Anastasia Kim after last year’s General Synod decision on the ordination of women. She had completed a Bachelor of Theology through the Anglican Church, because the LCA did not ordain women. Now serving in aged-care chaplaincy within a Lutheran congregation, she is now pleased to be studying a Master of Theology Degree.

‘Returning to Lutheranism feels like returning home, where I have discovered both theological integrity and liturgical depth,’ she says. ‘My experience at ALC has been deeply affirming. It’s a space where Scripture, tradition and lived faith are held together with care.’ Her prayer now is to serve in word and sacrament ministry, particularly in congregational and chaplaincy settings.

Like Josh, Ben Lyons is a school chaplain, at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield, Queensland, where he also teaches. In 2014–2015, Ben studied pastoral ministry full-time at ALC. In 2016, he left to do youth work at Immanuel Buderim, which aligned with his call, but later completed his Bachelor of Theology externally. In 2025, he is studying a Graduate Diploma in Divinity part-time and hopes to become an SMP or a General Ministry Pastor. ‘My first stint at ALC required me to conform to a specific model,’ he says. ‘I wanted to work in a school or youth space, but (the pastoral ministry program) didn’t have space to explore that call within the then framework. Now, the flexibility to participate in ministry in my context is a huge plus!’

PRAYER

POINTS

1–7 JUNE

Participants and organisers of the NSW-ACT District Mission and Ministry conference (3 June) and this month’s LCNZ Convention of Synod (20–22 June)

8–14 JUNE

Pastor Sean Hotinski and Queensland’s Goombungee/ Maclagan Lutheran Parish, where he has been installed to serve

15–21 JUNE

The congregation of Botany Lutheran Church Auckland NZ, and their new shepherd, Pastor Mark Tung

22–28 JUNE

Pastor Maria Rudolph and her first parish at St John’s Lutheran Church Perth WA, including Bishop Peter Hage

29 JUNE–5 JULY

Pastor Sue Westhorp and the faith community of St Paul’s Lutheran Church Box Hill Vic, including Senior Pastor Neville Otto

6–12 JULY

Members of the Lutheran community at Papunya NT and newly ordained Pastor Justin Allen

13–19 JULY

Pastor Abraham Poulson and the members of the Utju Community NT, in which he serves

20–26 JULY

The faith family of St Stephen’s Adelaide, and their newly ordained pastor, Rev Dr Tanya Wittwer

27 JULY–2 AUGUST

Pastor Adam Morris and the members at Our Saviour Lutheran Church Aberfoyle Park SA, where he has been ordained and installed

BY DAVID CHRISTIAN

Karl Barth was one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century. He wrote volumes of theology on God’s word. Near the end of his life, he was asked to sum up his theology in one sentence. He replied, ‘Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’

To me, ‘Jesus Loves Me’ is not just a hymn we sing, but a great summary of the key message of the Bible and of what we believe, teach and confess.

Read Psalm 103, Isaiah 43:1–4, John 3:16, Romans 5:8 and Galatians 2:20.

How do you see these verses speaking of love as central to God’s word?

Do you think we dwell on the love of God enough or too much?

The good news of Jesus Christ is not just sentimental or a nice feeling of love. According to 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the good news of the word of God describes events that really happened when Jesus died and rose again for us and revealed himself to his first followers. Sometimes this revelation of the love and grace of God comes suddenly, as did the eye-closing and eye-opening experience of Saul in Acts 9. I once read of a man who gave his new neighbour a Christian book. The man wasn’t interested and placed it on his bookshelf. But 30 years later, when his wife died, he remembered the book, read it and became a believer.

In the Bible, the resurrection stories tell us how Jesus reveals himself to his followers and how they respond.

Notice the different responses in John 20:1–29 and in Mark 16:1–8.

Who do you identify with? Mary Magdalene? The disciples? Thomas? The women?

There are many responses detailed in these passages, from sorrow, fear and doubt, to joy, faith and bold confession.

How have you struggled with these same responses when God seems very absent or very present in your life?

This great news of the love of God in the death and resurrection of Jesus is to be passed on. ‘Go and tell my brothers,’ Jesus says to Mary Magdalene, who seeks to hang on to him for herself. Every resurrection story tells those

who have seen Jesus or heard that he is alive to ‘go and tell’.

Read Matthew 28:19,20 and Acts 1:8.

In these texts, Jesus sends people on his mission to tell the whole world. This is a mammoth task. Who is to do this? Is anyone excused because of age, race, gender, busyness, education or ordination?

How do you think we, as individuals and as congregations, are doing at ‘going and telling’ the message of the death and resurrection of Christ?

Thankfully, we can celebrate the outpouring of the missionary Holy Spirit upon the early disciples and upon the world. When the Spirit comes, mission happens, as we see in Acts 2.

Read Acts 8, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4.

Acts 8 shows how, through persecution, the Holy Spirit scattered the settled church to spread the gospel ‘wherever they went’, while the other verses show the Holy Spirit giving gifts for spreading the gospel of God’s grace.

Have we focused too much on called and ordained pastors to spread the gospel? Have you heard of the 2.2 Principle? 2 Timothy 2.2 calls for Timothy to pass on the word to others, who will pass it on, who will pass it on.

How does this speak to you as a pastor, or as a parent, or as a neighbour?

The word of God is the story of the love of God for all people and his desire for all to be saved through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit calls and gifts us all, in different ways, to spread this good news to every person, to the ends of the world.

Come, Holy Spirit, renew your church to cherish your word and spread it to the ends of the earth, beginning with me. Amen.

A HUB OF SUPPORT FOR YOUR CONGREGATION

The Congregational Life Hub is a newly launched online resource designed to support and nurture congregational life across our church.

Our congregations are where we gather as the body of Christ to worship and grow in faith. They are our primary mission fields, where we love and serve each other and our communities. This online resource hub (www.lca.org.au/clh) is the place to visit if you are looking for existing churchwide resources, covering areas such as mission, ministry, pastoral care and congregational governance.

TOOLS AND GUIDANCE ONLINE

Whatever your role in the congregation, you’ll find tools and guidance to support and strengthen your contribution to congregational life. We are constantly updating the Congregational Life Hub with new resources as they become available. If you can’t find what you need, please let us know at lca.comms@lca.org.au

LOOKING AFTER CHURCH WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS

Ministry can be stressful for church workers and volunteers. It’s important to look after your wellbeing. To be in a position to minister to and serve others, you need to be in a good place yourself.

It's important that all aspects of support and development for our people are addressed holistically. This includes the spiritual, vocational, relational, financial, physical, mental and emotional areas of wellbeing.

As Christians, we are God's new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), strengthened by his grace and the Holy Spirit to walk in newness of life toward wellbeing. Our relationship with God and our spiritual wellbeing are at the core of this and impact all the other areas. When all seven areas are nurtured, experience suggests that church workers and their employers have better wellbeing, more successful relationships, and more effective work environments. They also have better family relationships, improved physical health and a richer spiritual life.

AND ACCESS TO SUPPORT

On the LCANZ’s online Congregational Life Hub, there are a variety of health and wellbeing resources aimed at supporting church workers and volunteers. These include self-care resources, support and tips for managing mental health, information about the importance of support structures and time management, and links to the Church Worker and Family Wellness and Support Program and church worker online retreats.

Find all of this and more on the Congregational Life Hub at www.lca.org.au/health-wellbeing

HOPE FOR KIDS TOO!

BY JOANNE CHAMBERLAIN

In conjunction with our 80th anniversary, Lutheran Media has launched a new chapter of digital resources for children and families. Let me introduce you to Messages of hope – Hope for kids. Hope for kids will showcase stories of hope and faith for families, grandparents and congregations to share with children. This new ministry is already having great success. Within days of its launch, a regional congregation ordered 200 show bags to share Hope for kids at a community fair. It is heartwarming to see our resources reaching rural and even remote communities. Find out more at www.messagesofhope.org.au/hope-for-kids

CHILDREN'S BOOKS ARE ON MESSAGE

Lutheran Media has teamed up with Christian writer and illustrator

Andrew McDonough to showcase his resources on our Hope for kids website. His beautiful and hilarious Lost Sheep books are also in our show bags, with colouring-in sheets, bookmarks and more. For some, this may be their first encounter with the hope of the gospel, which is why we love the way congregations are embracing this outreach opportunity. We love to hear your outreach stories, too. Find out more and contact us at www.messagesofhope.org.au

Joanne Chamberlain is Lutheran Media Communication Coordinator.

LECTIONARY READINGS

1–7 JUNE Acts 16:16–34 Psalm 97

8–14 JUNE Acts 2:1–21 Psalm 104:24–34, 35b

15–21 JUNE Proverbs 8:1–4,22–31 Psalm 8

22–28 JUNE Isaiah 65:1–9 Psalms 42 and 43

29 JUNE–5 JULY 2 Kings 2:1,2,6–14 Psalm 16

6–12 JULY 2 Kings 5:1–14 Psalm 30

13–19 JULY Amos 7:7–17 Psalm 82

20–26 JULY Amos 8:1–12 Psalm 52

27 JULY–2 AUGUST Hosea 1:2–10 Psalm 85

Revelation 22:12–14,16,17,20,21

John 17:20–26

Romans 8:14–17

John 14:8–17(25–27)

Romans 5:1–5 John 16:12–15

Galatians 3:23–29

Luke 8:26–39

Galatians 5:1,13–25 Luke 9:51–62

Galatians 6:(1–6)7–16 Luke 10:1–11,16–20

Colossians 1:1–14 Luke 10:25–37

Colossians 1:15–28 Luke 10:38–42

Colossians 2:6–15(16–19) Luke 11:1–13

For more prayer and devotional resources, including a listing of daily Bible readings for each day of the church year, go to www.lca.org.au/ wpp/prayers-devotions • Lutheran Tract Mission also provides the readings in a booklet, which can be accessed electronically at www.ltm.org.au/tract/view/70648-daily-bible-readings-for-2025 or as a printed booklet through the LTM office (phone 08 8360 7222) for a donation of 20c per copy.

CALLED INTO GOD’S SERVICE

BY ANNE HANSEN

Australians and New Zealanders used to be known for their tenacity and for giving things a go. Is this still true today? Or do we sit back and let others do all the work? Have we truly all been called to be missionaries and disciples of Jesus in a world hostile to Christianity? The answer is: yes! 1 Peter reads: ‘We have been chosen by God himself.’ And in the Great Commission, Jesus proclaimed that we are to ‘make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’.

HOW CAN WE PARTICIPATE?

We celebrate with those entering the ordained ministry. But we also need to ‘have a go’ and participate in God’s service as a ‘priest of the King’. Lutheran Tract Mission (LTM) has many resources to help you in your service to God. Visit the LTM website today at www.ltm.org.au

Anne Hansen is LTM’s Tract Development Officer.

for audit or credit.

While every Walk My Way event is a special chance to show practical support through Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) for children whose lives are impacted by war and poverty, there was another reason this year’s Adelaide event was extra special.

The 3 May event doubled as the public farewell to the North Adelaide site of Australian Lutheran College (ALC), which will relocate to the LCANZ’s new Church House in the Adelaide CBD this year, along with the Churchwide Office (see also pages 13, 14 and 25).

The site has been home to Lutheran theological education since 1923, when Immanuel College and Immanuel Seminary began operating on the property bounded by Jeffcott and Ward streets, North Adelaide. In subsequent iterations, it has been known as Luther Seminary, Luther Campus (also incorporating Lutheran Teachers College and the Lutheran School of Theology) and, since 2004, ALC.

Along with two walks, a giant ALC garage sale, Lutheran ministry stalls and the launch of Dr Brian Neldner’s memoirs detailing the founding of ALWS, the Adelaide Walk My Way event included tours of the heritage-listed Hebart House, which dates back to the early 1880s and has housed seminary student accommodation and living facilities, lecture theatres, chapel spaces and faculty offices over the past century.

ALC Principal Dr Tim Stringer says it was a fitting way for the Lutheran community to say ‘goodbye’ to a site that has an important place in the history of the church. ‘This event not only supported the work of ALWS but provided an opportunity for those who have been connected with the campus over the past century to visit, reminisce and say their farewells,’ he says.

ALWS Community Action Manager Jonathan Krause says it was ‘a privilege for the LCA’s overseas aid and development agency to bring together so many Lutheran ministries, each of us standing on the shoulders of our shared history but looking forward to what we are called to be in today's world’.

Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) is turning 75 this year and wants to celebrate the milestone by supporting 75,000 vulnerable children with the essentials for a happy, healthy life, including food, school and safety.

Requiring AUD$1.875 million to fulfil that commitment, even ALWS admits it’s an ambitious goal that will require support from right across the LCANZ and beyond.

However, as of mid-May, this campaign is not only on target, but actually ahead of schedule! So far this year, from a variety of ALWS programs, enough funding has been raised ($1,035,150) to support 41,406 children impacted by poverty and war with some of life’s basic necessities.

Walk My Way events are a big part of this campaign, and they are still attracting donations from near and far, even though most of the major walks have already been held (see adjacent page and page 25). Funds raised through Walk My Way and through other gifts will support vulnerable children in countries including Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Bangladesh, Nepal and Ukraine.

ALWS Community Action Manager Jonathan Krause says it was a joy ‘to be part of a church willing to step out to bring love to life’.

‘For ALWS, seeking to support 75,000 children to give thanks for 75 years of ALWS service, was a bold step of faith,’ he says.

‘Yet, as has happened so many times before, the love and compassion of our Lutheran family shine through – quietly caring for others, humbly doing the hard work no-one but our Father sees, authentically living the values our faith unlocks in us. Following where the Spirit leads, we can look forward in confidence.’

When ALWS began 75 years ago, war-scarred people from Europe needed new places to live, and Australia needed new workers. The combination of circumstances led to a 20-year exodus of more than 300,000 Northern Hemisphere people to Bonegilla Migrant Centre near Albury, New South Wales, after World War II.

The journey from Europe took weeks. Arriving at Port Melbourne, weary families boarded a train for an eight-hour journey to Bonegilla – which materialised as just a few lights in a siding in a paddock. These people were looking for a better

life and must have wondered where they’d ended up! Yet our Lutheran family was there, led by the caring ministry of Pastor Bruno Muetzelfeldt, welcoming the new arrivals and helping them find their feet.

Seven-and-a-half decades years later, the people of our church still help vulnerable folk find their feet.

Just $25 can provide a school kit for a refugee child in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya, or 5 kilograms of maize seeds so that four families in Burundi can feed their children. The same amount can provide a hygiene kit for a young child in South Sudan, or clean drinking water for a month for a child impacted by war in Ukraine.

In Bangladesh, $25 can provide emergency food assistance for school children, while in Nepal it can provide school kits for children affected by floods and in Somalia, $25 can provide a one month’s porridge ration for a family.

Each edition, we will follow the fundraising tally ‘thermometer’ until 75,000 are supported through ALWS. Learn more at www.alws75.org.au

achieved with support from our Lutheran Church through ALWS, and an Australian Government grant. Photo: ALWS

In good news for our Lutheran family’s ministry to the poor and oppressed, Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) is blessed to be offered a new grant from the Australian Government.

While details are still being finalised at the time of going to print, ALWS Community Action Manager Jonathan Krause says it is hoped the grant will provide more than $2.5 million worth of support for ALWS international aid and development programs.

Delivered through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), the grant is conditional on ALWS contributing to the funding. Donations made to the project will be combined with funding from the Australian Government to reach more people. ALWS has committed to contributing $1 for every $5 received from the government.

forgotten by the world’s decision-makers and media,’ Jonathan says. ‘That’s what is happening now. It’s heartbreaking to see food rations in a refugee camp have to be halved because of these USAID cuts, to the point where a meal allocation may consist of only 40 grams of lentils.’

ALWS plans to direct the new Australian Government grant to projects in Ethiopia, Somalia and Burundi in the Horn of Africa, and Nepal, Indonesia and Myanmar in Asia.

‘THAT IS LIFETRANSFORMING, AND A POWERFUL WAY OUR CHURCH CAN BRING LOVE TO LIFE IN REAL AND PRACTICAL WAYS.’

Jonathan says the new grant is a wonderful opportunity for the Lutheran Church. ‘Everyone knows these are tough times,’ he says. ‘Our farm families face drought down south and floods up north. And many people face cost-of-living challenges.

‘That’s why this new grant is such good news. It stretches the value of whatever donations people feel called to give and increases the impact six times.’

The new grant comes at a critical time as USAID cuts, implemented by the new US government, are having a devastating impact on aid and development work, including programs supported by ALWS. ‘Our calling is to stand up for those who are poor and oppressed, and who too often are

‘The grant will support women farmers in Nepal to grow, process and market spices,’ Jonathan says.

‘In Ethiopia, farm families will be taught how to make and use worm compost, build fuel-efficient stoves and construct irrigation canals.

‘While the work may be hard and humble, people see an immediate impact. Their harvest increases, their produce is of better quality, and so the prices they receive are higher.

That translates into better health for their children and a secure education. That is life-transforming, and a powerful way our church can bring love to life in real and practical ways.’

ALWS welcomes donations of any amount from congregations, schools and individuals to help meet the required ALWS ‘match’ for the full 5:1 grant to be realised. Donations are tax-deductible, with the government grant increasing the impact of gifts six times. To make a donation go to www.alws.org.au or call ALWS on 1300 763 407.

BY BETHANY MARSH

‘Ministry’ is probably not the first word people typically associate with the area of Professional Standards.

However, to Dave Biar, who recently retired after 12 years as a Professional Standards Officer for the LCA, that’s how it should be regarded. The leader of more than 300 congregational training sessions about ethical behaviour and child safety, and the church’s related policies and procedures, has viewed his work as much more than a job.

‘For many people, when they hear “ministry”, they think of a worship service or pastoral care,’ Dave acknowledges.

‘Professional Standards doesn’t sound like ministry. But it is, and it certainly has been a ministry to many in this church. And because of that, it has been more than just a job to me.

‘You just have to look at Scripture to see how extensively it talks about how we treat others. What matters is not just what we say, but how we behave.’

survivors’ stories firsthand. ‘But the hard parts have also been the most important,’ he says. ‘We’ve walked with congregations through difficult moments and supported them in developing safer practices. And we’ve seen good changes. Congregations now proactively seek out training.’

Most of all, Dave says the best moments came when healing began. ‘Encountering someone who had been hurting and seeing them start to heal, because someone listened, because something changed, that made it all worthwhile,’ he says.

Even so, it’s a role that drew on every bit of his previous 33 years working in business in the audiovisual industry. ‘I’ve used all of it: technical knowledge, people skills, relationshipbuilding,’ he says. ‘But more than that, it’s grown my faith.

‘WHEN OUR WORK IS GROUNDED IN LOVE, IT TRANSFORMS EVERYTHING.’

Over his time in the role, which has spanned both LCA District and Churchwide Office level responsibilities, Dave has helped hundreds of Lutheran congregations understand that safe practice isn’t just about compliance – it’s being Christ-like.

‘Some forms of training, like the government-mandated ones, are only focused on ethical behaviour,’ he says. ‘If you look at safety training as compliance, then it’s hard work. But once you bring it back to Scripture, and the message of the gospel … [the outcomes are] going to exceed any government requirement.’

Dave admits, though, that the role came with its share of emotional weight. He’s read court documents and heard abuse

‘While I didn't avoid sharing my faith in my previous roles, it was not something that would have been tolerated if I did it in an overt, unprompted way. But when I started working at the SA-NT District, it was an entirely different culture ... and that rubbed off!

‘I started sharing much more openly about what God was doing in my life. I started listening much more closely to what God was doing in others' lives. And my casual conversations with God became more frequent, and more about others.’

Fittingly, Dave’s inspiration to work has come from something many in the LCANZ know by heart: the church’s tagline, ‘where love comes to life’. ‘It might sound corny to some, but it has real depth,’ he says. ‘When our work is grounded in love, it transforms everything.’

Special Convention of the 21st General Synod Online, Saturday 18 October 2025

Delegates have been sent further information. More details are at https://www.lca.org.au/synod2025

1 PETER 4:10

In Going GREYT! we feature stories of some of our ‘more experienced’ people within the LCANZ, who have been called to make a positive contribution in their retirement. We pray their examples of service will be an inspiration and encouragement to us all as we look to be Christ’s hands and feet wherever we are.

For more than 60 years, retired teachers Trevor and Liz Winderlich have been working together to plant and grow schools in Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), sowing seeds of faith for God to harvest.

It was a match made in heaven when the pair met in 1959 while studying teaching at the then Concordia Seminary, at Highgate, in suburban Adelaide. Trevor still recalls their first date – a night at the movies to see Darby O' Gill and the Little People, starring Sean Connery.

After their graduations in 1961, Trevor was unexpectedly called to a teaching post in PNG. Liz had been awaiting a teaching position with the SA Education Department, but once she heard Trevor’s news, she changed her plans. ‘I had always wanted to go there,’ Liz says, because her father, Pastor Fred Noack, had been a missionary there.

So, in 1962, they went to Melbourne to study at the Wycliffe Institute of Linguistics, before marrying. Three weeks later, they flew out to PNG.

Their five-year adventure began at Gelem school on Rooke Island, where Liz taught Grade 2 students and the school’s student teachers, while Trevor taught Grades 7 and 9 students. After they arrived in PNG, the Winderlichs overcame their language barrier with Pidgin English, and within weeks, they were using Pidgin to write Maths books for the students.

Only when the first pay cheque arrived did they realise that although Liz and Trevor both worked full-time, they received only a single wage. Church policy at that time meant that wives of married teaching couples did not receive a wage!

‘WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR SPHERE WHO JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO AND WHO JUST NEED TO BE LOVED.’

BY HELEN BRINKMAN

However, that didn’t dint their enthusiasm, and the couple went on to work in Menyamya District, in the PNG Highlands southwest of Lae, where Liz supervised indigenous teachers and Trevor became a teaching principal and taught Year 4s. Beyond teaching, they loved being part of the community, helping to develop local gardens and expand dietary options by bringing in vegetable seeds and building a dam to support local aquaculture.

They even developed a travelling Christmas slideshow for surrounding villages featuring their students in the costumes of the Nativity, narrating the Christmas story in their native tongue. To power the projector on their journeys, they carried a battery in a wheelbarrow, with a borrowed sheet for the screen. ‘The good Lord had so many ideas for us,’ says Trevor.

One of the students who featured in the nativity play, Jesse Tanggwo, joined the family on a visit back to Australia. He later became a Lutheran pastor, and Trevor and Liz also supported his son Nicholas through PNG’s Martin Luther Seminary to become a pastor.

Their own son James was born in Lae in May 1964, followed two years later by their first daughter Kathy, now Matuschka. James, pastor of St Johns Southgate Lutheran congregation in Melbourne, was Australian Lutheran College principal from 2014 to 2023.

In 1967, the family left their peaceful Highlands life and headed to Tanunda in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, where Trevor became the teaching principal of Tanunda Lutheran School. ‘What a culture shock,’ Liz says about having to reacclimatise to a more structured life. Along with the birth of their youngest child, Christine, in 1969, another highlight for Liz of their new base was playing pipe organs at their Langmeil church and other surrounding Lutheran congregations.

Over the following decades, Trevor and Liz were called to establish three new Lutheran schools. Starting with Murray Bridge from 1978 to 1987, Trevor remembers visiting a dusty plot on the edge of town, which would soon become the primary school, where he became a teaching principal, and Liz established the library and later taught.

Right: Married for more than 60 years, retired Lutheran teachers Trevor and Liz Winderlich worked together to plant and grow schools in Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) for many years.

Far right: Lutheran Pastor Jesse Tanggwo was a student at a PNG school where Trevor and Liz taught in the 1960s and joined the Winderlichs and their young son James on a trip back to Australia in 1964, as reported by the New Guinea Times Courier (bottom right).

Below right middle: Trevor Winderlich and son James meet with a Highlands local woman during the Winderlich family’s time in PNG.

In 1988, both Trevor and Liz were called to establish Golden Grove Lutheran Primary School, co-located with the Wynn Vale state primary school. In their first year, the Winderlichs were the only school staff until a secretary joined them that October to help with administration. They established their classes in a large composite room, which, on the weekends, became the worship area. That required the weekly stacking of school furniture to make room for Sunday services!

By 1995, their three children had grown up and headed to Queensland, so Trevor and Liz moved north and set about expanding the Caboolture Lutheran Primary School on the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast remains their community following their retirement in late 2004.

As well as being active members of Living Faith Lutheran Church, Murrumba Downs, for the past two decades Liz has been a part of the Streams in the Desert network of Lutherans, which supports women’s contributions to God’s ministry.

After retirement, relief teaching over the next few years supported their next adventure, volunteering for Finke River Mission and travelling around Queensland congregations to promote and fundraise for the Central Australian LCA ministry.

Today, their hall walls reflect their pride in their six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. They are also honorary grandparents to their young neighbour, Hugo, whose father, Glen, suffered burns to 70 per cent of his body in a road accident in 2020, underwent approximately 20 surgeries and lost his lower legs. Trevor and Liz have stepped in to co-parent Hugo, now 6, and continue to support his mum, Roni, while Glen recovers. ‘Glen’s now able to walk and drive a car with his prosthetics,’ says Trevor joyfully.

Trevor and Liz’s wedding text from Psalm 37:5, ‘Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act’, reflects God’s continued grace as they tend to his earthly garden.

‘We’ll always have people in our sphere who just need someone to talk to and who just need to be loved,’ Trevor says. ‘I think God’s not finished with us yet. I’m tipping I’ll be around ‘til I’m 120. I’ve got so much left to do.’

by the many GREYT people who serve tirelessly and humbly in our community. By sharing stories of how God shines his light through his people, she hopes others are encouraged to explore how they can use their gifts to share his light in the world.

Know of any other GREYT stories in your local community? Email the editor lisa.mcintosh@lca.org.au

NEWS FROM AROUND OUR CHURCH ...

Ordinations bring joy across the LCANZ

Joyful praise has rung out among Lutheran communities across Australia and in New Zealand in recent months, as the LCANZ has welcomed seven new pastors – bringing to eight the total of ordinations so far this year.

Seven people joined the LCANZ’s ordained ministry ranks within six weeks in April and May, including three women in what has been a first for the church.

Following the decision by the Convention of General Synod in October last year to remove from the church’s teaching a paragraph that previously prohibited women from being ordained, Maria Rudolph, Sue Westhorp and Tanya Wittwer were determined by Australian Lutheran College and the College of Bishops as properly prepared for the rite of ordination and became the church’s first female pastors.

The octet, who are now serving in five of the church’s six districts, also includes a Mandarin-language pastor and two First Nations pastors.

Following the ordination of General Ministry Pastor (GMP) Sean Hotinski by LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith at Blair Athol, South Australia, on 16 February, Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Mark Tung and GMPs Maria Rudolph and Sue Westhorp were ordained in April.

Pastor Sean has begun an assignment serving Queensland’s Goombungee/ Maclagan Parish, while Pastor Mark has been installed to serve Botany Lutheran Church, Auckland, in Aotearoa – New Zealand, a predominantly Mandarin language-speaking community. He was ordained in Auckland on 6 April. Pastor Maria was ordained on Palm Sunday, 13 April, at Concordia College, Highgate, in South Australia. The church’s first

Above left: Rev Dr Tanya Wittwer (front) is received by the gathered congregation at St Stephen’s Adelaide during her ordination service on 10 May. She was ordained by LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith (back, second from left), with SA-NT District Bishop Andrew Brook, Pastor Sue Westhorp and Pastor Bob Kempe assisting.

Above right: Adam Morris (kneeling) is ordained by Bishop Paul Smith (centre back), while LCANZ Assistant Bishop Stephen Schultz, SA-NT District Bishop Andrew Brook and Pastor Chris Mann take part in the laying on of hands during Pastor Adam’s ordination service at Our Saviour Aberfoyle Park on 11 May.

female pastor, she has been assigned to serve St John’s Lutheran Church Perth, alongside Western Australia District Bishop Peter Hage. She and her husband, Pastor Michael Rudolph, who serves at Duncraig in suburban Perth, are the first pastor couple in the LCANZ. Two weeks after Pastor Maria’s ordination, Sue Westhorp joined the Roll of Pastors through her ordination on 27 April at Luther College Croydon in Victoria. Pastor Sue has been assigned to serve St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Box Hill, in suburban Melbourne, alongside Pastor Neville Otto.

In the following fortnight, four more pastors were welcomed by the church. Justin Allen was ordained as Pastor to the Papunya community in the Northern Territory on 3 May at Papunya NT, while Abraham

Poulson was ordained as Pastor to the Utju community NT on 4 May at Areyonga NT.

Dr Tanya Wittwer was next to be ordained as a GMP on 10 May at St Stephen’s Adelaide, where she also has been assigned to serve; while Adam Morris was ordained on 11 May at Aberfoyle Park SA, where he will serve as Specific Ministry Pastor.

All eight candidates were ordained by LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith, who encouraged the church to pray for the new pastors.

‘In our Lutheran Confessions, we declare that those who bear these offices stand in the stead of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ he said. ‘Please pray for these newly ordained pastors that they would faithfully nourish God’s people with the gospel.’

Our Lutheran family steps out for vulnerable kids

More than 1,300 LCANZ members and friends have stepped out on the footpaths, roads and tracks around Australia in this year's Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) Walk My Way events held to support children impacted by war and poverty.

To date, approximately $194,000 has been raised to support 7,760 children with food, schooling and shelter in countries including Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Bangladesh, Nepal and Ukraine. The events are part of an overall ALWS campaign to support more than 75,000 children this year as the LCANZ’s overseas aid and development agency celebrates 75 years of serving vulnerable people, including refugees (see also page 19)

The most recent Walk My Way, held in Brisbane on Saturday (10 May), saw almost 600 participants take part in a ‘riverside ramble’ and has, to date, raised almost $76,500, which translates to support for around 3,060 children. The Adelaide event on 3 May doubled as a public farewell to

Australian Lutheran College’s (ALC) North Adelaide campus (see also stories on pages 18,19 and below) and drew more than 600 visitors and walkers, who have, to date, raised almost $79,500, supporting almost 3,180 vulnerable children.

Walk My Way events were also held in Bonegilla Victoria near Albury-Wodonga on 22 March and in Melbourne on 30 March.

New home for ALC library

The Australian Lutheran College (ALC) library is moving to a new home at 22 Pulteney Street, Adelaide.

The announcement was made recently after months of searching for new premises by ALC and the LCANZ’s Churchwide Office. Both entities will relocate to the new LCANZ Church House at 139 Frome Street, Adelaide, this year. However, that building, like most in the Adelaide CBD, is not constructed to carry the weight of large library collections.

The search, which ALC Principal Tim Stringer said had been ‘a challenging process’, included Matt Brew-Bevan (LCA Senior Property Adviser) reviewing approximately 30 properties based on the college’s criteria for the new library location and undertaking approximately 20 test-fit assessments.

The process of moving from the current North Adelaide location has begun, with settlement on the existing ALC property scheduled for 30 June 2025. ‘The new location promises to offer

quality facilities, ensuring that the library continues to serve the community effectively,’ Dr Stringer said.

He said the prominent position in Adelaide would provide continued access to the library for students and professionals and provide potential for greater community engagement.

As part of a farewell to the college’s North Adelaide site, Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) and ALC co-hosted a Walk My Way event on 3 May on the ALC grounds (see stories on this page and pages 18,19)

More than 300 walkers took part in the two March events, and to date, together have raised more than $38,000, supporting more than 1,520 children. At least five Lutheran schools are hosting Walk My Ways in 2025 and are adding to the funds raised, as are people doing individual walks.

It's not too late to donate to Walk My Way. Go to www.walkmyway.org.au

80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

21 June 2025 – Thank You Lunch Kies Family Wines, Lyndoch, SA 31 August 2025 – High Tea Concordia College, Toowoomba, Qld 2 November 2025 – Worship Service and Lunch

St Michael’s Hahndorf, SA

All welcome!

For more details and to register to attend, go to: www.lutheranmedia.org.au/events

A SCHOOL TRIP, A CYCLONE

I want to tell you a story.

A story about the very best parts of being connected to the body of Christ, and the limb that is the Lutheran Church of Australia. It is one of amazement and suspense, God’s providence and a man named Dean.

Earlier this year, I was part of a Year 6 school excursion group flying to Canberra from Queensland’s Gold Coast. Included in this menagerie of awesome human beings were 84 children and eight adults. As we did every year, we took the opportunity to travel to Canberra to experience the Australian Government, Federal Parliament and their locales.

But this year was different because looming over us was the threat of Cyclone Alfred. Ironically, there was an Alfred and an Alfie on the trip, and I smirked at the comparisons of their cyclonic abilities.

BY REID MATTHIAS

That world belonged to the children. The reality of the situation was, as the calendar ticked over from Sunday 2 March to Tuesday 4 March, Alfred’s threat was becoming more serious.

Our return tickets were for Thursday 6 March: the day Alfred was scheduled to whirl from the ocean and wreak havoc on shore. I watched the faces of my compatriots, each wanting to know if we could return early, but the airline was loathe to change flights for us, and it would be incredibly difficult to place 92 people on flights already booked. The options the airline gave us were for Wednesday night, Thursday (our original flight), or Friday (during the heart of the cyclone).

DEAN DID NOT KNOW ME FROM A BAR OF SOAP IN THE SHAMPOO AISLE, BUT WHAT HE DID KNOW WAS THAT I WAS A FELLOW LUTHERAN CHRISTIAN IN NEED OF AID.

As we flew from the Gold Coast, the parents waved to us, as parents always do, with tears and fears and blown kisses; their arms crossed on their chests holding their hearts as their treasures were ushered through security and onto the waiting plane. A plane that would take us far, far away – away from the threats of storms and into the dreams of constant activity.

None of these options were optimal, but to add to the stress was the fact that our hotel in Canberra could not house us past the Friday night. We would have to find accommodation either at the airport (and hope that we could fly out), or at a hotel, which would be enormously expensive (not to mention stressful) for 84 children and eight adults.

Enter Dean.

Well, there were events leading up to it. As I spoke with our team leader, a thought came to my mind.

‘What about Warrambui?’

I’d never been to this Lutheran retreat and conference centre before, but I knew that it was in the vicinity of Canberra. On the night we talked about it, it was well past closing hours, and I didn’t have a direct connection. So, I called some people in Queensland from Lutheran Education. No, they didn’t have a number. Then, I thought about Bishop Richard Schwedes from New South Wales. I checked my phone. Nope, no number. But I did know a bishop who could set me up – South Australia – Northern Territory Bishop Andrew Brook. Thus, the chain of connections.

Aaron to Christine to Andrew to Richard and, finally, to Dean, the director of Warrambui. All these great Lutherans ready to lend a hand in time of need. I left a message for Dean at 8.45pm on Monday 3 March, hoping for emergency housing for two nights. Imagine if you got the call, three days ahead, from someone you had never met before asking, ‘Hey, would it be possible to house three classes of school kids and their teachers for a weekend?’

And yet Dean’s first response was to help.

Immediately, this Scripture verse came to mind:

‘… there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it’ (1 Corinthians 12:25,26).

Though Warrambui was hosting another group on campus already, Dean said he would call me back to see if they could figure something out. And he did, an hour later – well after business hours had closed. He said that they could negotiate a space in the Dome, a circular building containing a dining room, dormitories and a large meeting area, which would house all of us, and he would call us back the next day to work on catering. When I mentioned we had no linens, the response was, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll take care of it.’

‘… its body parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it …’

ISN’T THIS THE BEST PART OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND? … IN TIMES OF STRIFE, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WILL STAND UP AND DELIVER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF CHRIST’S BODY.

Dean did not know me from a bar of soap in the shampoo aisle, but what he did know was that I was a fellow Lutheran Christian in need of aid. He and Warrambui were up to the challenge of keeping the body of Christ safe.

The next day, the airline told us they had worked out another flight to Brisbane that would unload us before Alfred unleashed his fury.

Here is Dean’s response (paraphrased) when I told him we probably wouldn’t need the emergency housing after all:

‘We will continue to prepare for you just in case. When you land in Brisbane, we’ll celebrate with you, but if you need us, we’ll welcome you with open arms.’

‘If one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it …’

Isn’t this the best part of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand? Though we are sometimes accused of parochialism, and seemingly everyone knows (or is related to) every other Lutheran, we also know that, in times of strife, our brothers and sisters in Christ will stand up and deliver for the common good of Christ’s body.

People like Dean.

I’m so very proud to be part of the LCANZ and can’t wait for the day when I can meet Deano in person.

Reid

CALLS

Extended

• Rev Michael D Dutschke

Bridgewater SA to Para Vista SA

• Rev Paul A Hage

Redeemer Toowoomba Qld to Emerald Qld

• Rev T O ‘Fin’ Klein

Hahndorf SA to Novar Gardens SA

• Rev Joel E Pukallus

South-West Queensland to Manawatu NZ

Accepted

• Rev Michael D Dutschke

Bridgewater SA to Para Vista SA

• Rev James N Leach

Central West Parish NSW to St Pauls Caboolture Qld

Declined

• Rev Paul A Hage

Redeemer Toowoomba Qld to Emerald Qld

• Rev Paul A Hage

Redeemer Toowoomba Qld to Tabeel

Retirement Village Laidley Qld

• Rev T O ‘Fin’ Klein

Hahndorf SA to Novar Gardens SA

• Rev Lee S Kroehn

Rochedale Qld to Novar Gardens SA

• Rev Joel E Pukallus

South-West Queensland to Manawatu NZ

GRADUATE ASSIGNMENTS

• Maria Rudolph – Assigned to St Johns Perth WA

• Sue M Westhorp – Assigned to St Paul’s Box Hill Vic

• Tanya L Wittwer – Assigned to St Stephens Adelaide SA

INSTALLATIONS

• Rev Matthew P Bishop – Installed as ALC Lecturer and to Bethlehem Adelaide SA on 16 March 2025 at Bethlehem Adelaide SA by Assistant Bishop Stephen Schultz and Bishop Andrew Brook

• Rev Mark Tung – Installed to Botany Lutheran Church Auckland NZ on 6 April 2025 by Bishop Richard Schwedes

• Rev Mark A Gierus – Installed to Alberton–Woongoolba Parish Qld at St Peters Alberton on 13 April 2025 by Qld Second Assistant Bishop Luke Spilsbury

• Rev Leon N Rosenberg – Installed to SA–NT District (12-month interim call to Elizabeth SA) on 13 April 2025 by Bishop Andrew Brook

• Rev Nathan E Hedt – Installed to Luther College Croydon Vic on 28 April 2025 by Bishop Lester Priebbenow

• Rev Justin Allen – Installed as Pastor to the Papunya Community NT on 3 May 2025 by Bishop Paul Smith

• Rev Abraham Poulson – Installed as Pastor to the Utju Community NT at Areyonga NT on 4 May 2025 by Bishop Paul Smith

• Rev Maria Rudolph – Installed to St John’s Perth WA on 11 May 2025 by Bishop Peter Hage

• Rev Adam C Morris – Installed to Aberfoyle Park SA on 11 May 2025 by Bishop Andrew Brook

ROLL OF PASTORS

• Rev Guntars Baikovs – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 21 May 2025

• Rev Mark O Demmer – Removed from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 25 March 2025

• Rev Mark A Hampel – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 1 April 2025

• Rev Mathew D Ker – Granted a peaceful dismissal from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 30 March 2025

• Rev Peter D Koehne – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 31 March 2025

• Rev Samuel D Modra – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 11 April 2025

• Rev Joshua F Muller – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 12 May 2025

• Rev Andrew Neumann – Granted a peaceful dismissal from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 24 March 2025

• Rev Mark A Nitschke – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 17 April 2025

• Rev Martin Scharnke – Granted a peaceful dismissal from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 6 April 2025

• Rev Walter L Schiller – Resigned from the LCANZ Roll of Pastors, effective 30 April 2025

IN MEMORIAM

• Mrs Eunita Rose Pietsch nee Traeger, widow of Pastor James Pietsch, died on 31 March 2025. Her funeral was held on 9 April 2025 at Immanuel Lutheran Church Woden Valley ACT.

• Mrs Elfriede Irmtraud Wilksch nee Proeve, widow of Pastor Ronald Wilksch, died on 21 April 2025. Her funeral was held on 2 May 2025 at St Paul’s Lutheran Church Ararat Vic.

• Mrs Jean Jarick nee Stanke, widow of Pastor Vincent Jarick, died on 16 January 2025. Her funeral was held on 30 January 2025 at St Luke’s Lutheran Church Nambour Qld. A memorial service was also held on 24 January 2025 at Immanuel Gardens Buderim Qld.

In Memoriam

Rhyall ‘Jim’ Klein

Rev Rhyall Whenan ‘Jim’ Klein born 28 Dec 1933 (Albury NSW); ordained 20 Jan 1957 (St Johns Jindera NSW); married Noreen Klein nee Heinrich 23 Jan 1958 (Pella Vic); served Renmark SA (1957–1960), ELC-PNG Menyamya, Awelkon, Mt Hagen Seminary Ogelbeng, Mt Hagen Town (Missionary 1960–1978), Port Adelaide SA (1978–1986), Onkaparinga SA (1986–1994), Adelaide Aboriginal Lutheran Fellowship Ferryden Park SA (1994–1998); retired 27 Dec 1998; died 11 April 2025; funeral 29 April 2025 (Trinity Lutheran Church, Hope Valley SA); mourned by wife Noreen, children Richard, Kerri, Kym and Julie and families

FORMER PNG MISSIONARIES INVITED

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea’s Siassi District invites former missionaries to Umboi (Siassi Island) and family members to: the 35th ELC-PNG Synod 19–23 January 2026 at Awalkon Mission Station, Siassi.

RSVP by 21 November 2025 to: LCA contact Gordon Samuel Email: gcsamuel@bigpond.com

Chairman Michael Som Email: michael.som@postpng.com.pg

SALISBURY LUTHERAN KINDERGARTEN SA is celebrating its

50th Birthday

on Sunday, 10 August 2025. Past students, parents and staff are welcome to join us for worship at The Ark Church at 10am, followed by a bring-andshare lunch and kindergarten tours.

10 Waterloo Corner Road, Salisbury SA

Mark Tung (third from left) was ordained as Specific Ministry Pastor on 6 April 2025 at St Columba Presbyterian Church Auckland New Zealand by Bishop Paul Smith (fourth from left). Also joining Mark – who has been installed to serve Botany Lutheran Church Auckland – were Pastor Joel Cramer, LCNZ Bishop Emeritus Mark Whitfield, Pastor Nich Kitchen, District Bishop Richard Schwedes, Pastor Phil Husband and Pastor Andy Marr

Sean Hotinski (third from right) was ordained as General Ministry Pastor on 16 February 2025 at St Paul’s Lutheran Church Blair Athol SA by LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith (second from right). Sean, who has been assigned to serve Goombungee-Maclagan Queensland, was also joined in his ordination service by Rev Dr Tim Stringer, Rev Dr Andrew Pfeiffer, his vicar father Pastor Matt Bishop, and SA-NT Bishop Emeritus David Altus

Sue Westhorp (third from left) was ordained as General Ministry Pastor by Bishop Paul Smith (second from left) at Luther College Croydon Vic on Sunday 27 April 2025. Sue, who has been assigned to serve Box Hill Vic, was joined for her ordination service by Pastor Neville Otto, LCANZ Bishop Emeritus John Henderson, Pastor Brett Kennett and Pastor Basil Schild. Photo: Bernard Dana

Justin Allen (fourth from right) was ordained as Pastor to the Papunya Community NT on 3 May 2025 by LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith (third from right). Also taking part were (from left) pastors Roderick Kantamara, Rodney Malbunka, Graham Poulson, Paul Traeger,

Maria Rudolph (fourth from left) was ordained on 13 April 2025 by Bishop Paul Smith (fourth from right) at Concordia College Highgate SA. Assigned to serve St John’s Perth, she was joined in her ordination service by Pastor David Christian, WA District Bishop Peter Hage, her husband Pastor Michael Rudolph, St John's Unley's Pastor John Strelan, Dr Tania Nelson and Rev Dr Vic Pfitzner. Photo: Sam Winderlich

Areyonga

Jeffrey

‘The

IN A FEW WORDS …

AUSTRALIAN

ACTIVIST, EVANGELIST, AUTHOR, AND PUBLIC SPEAKER CHRISTINE CAINE

SUDOKU

Every number from one to nine must appear in each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal columns and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. No number can occur more than once in any row, column or box. The solution will be printed in the next edition.

April – May’s solution

3

6

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LCANZ COMPLAINTS

Many complaints can be resolved before lasting hurt is caused, by addressing them quickly in a non-threatening manner and by raising the issue directly with the relevant person or organisation in a thoughtful and courteous manner. If this is not applicable or possible in your situation, you may lodge a complaint with the Professional Standards Department in any of the following ways: Phone the free-call number (Aust 1800 644 628 NZ 0800 356 887), email complaints@lca.org.au or write to Confidential, PO Box 519, Marden SA 5070.

Lutheran Media has been richly blessed to be a blessing to many.

Grab a copy of our history book Lutheran media ministry in Australia and New Zealand: 80 years of blessings and join with us in celebrating God’s mission through media.

Copies are available from our website at www.lutheranmedia.org.au or order by phone on 1800 353 350

Sharing hope for 80 years

Phone FREECALL 1800 353 350

luthmedia@lca.org.au

youtube.com/messagesofhope @luthmedia

‘For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.’

‘At 38, I had a stroke. The right side of my body was paralysed. Before, I was teaching small children. After the stroke, it was too difficult to move around and care for the children. It was so hard to take care of myself, and my family. Everyone had to do things for me. I felt bad.

That’s when I received support to start a shop.

This has been a remarkable resource for my family. I also home-tutor some students. Now, my children regularly attend school, and I am growing my business.

I became a believer after this incident. Through the power of Jesus Christ, I believe I can overcome difficulties. Keep on going, keep doing what you are doing and have hope.’

Puspha Rai, Nepal

You can bless others like Puspha by dedicating a gift in your will to keep on helping people through ALWS. As you do, those you love will see the values precious to you live on.

1300 763 407 * alws.org.au

alws@alws.org.au

Thank you!

Silo manufacturer Andrew Kotzur saw firsthand the impact of our Lutheran farm training work in Nepal, along with Program Coordinator Eleanor Trinchera (right) …

I’ve been an ALWS board member for five years, and a supporter for longer. What I never fully realised was just how much impact you and I make on people’s lives.

This really came home to me in Nepal.

I visited ALWS projects on the way to trek to Everest Base Camp – a personal bucket-list item. While Everest was full of wonders, I was just as overwhelmed when I talked to a women’s farmers group you support.

Our ALWS support teaches modern, climate-friendly farming methods, provides pest-resistant seeds, and supports women to work together in cooperatives to increase profits and savings.

Chillies. Tomatoes. Cucumbers. Corn. As you can see in the photo, technology is basic. Yet crops are thriving, and

the women told me they can earn $750 per year from the increased yield they produce!

What really struck me was the impact our help makes on families’ happiness.

You see, the women farmers you support come from groups marginalised and forgotten in Nepal. They often suffer awful discrimination.

Now, thanks to our Lutheran ALWS action, that’s changing. One woman said she now gets invited to events at her children's school. Previously, she was excluded. The women’s goal is to end child marriage for their girls. What a privilege to be part of such profound change! Perhaps we can’t change the world, but we are changing the world for these people.

GOOD NEWS!

The Australian Government is providing a 5:1 grant for ALWS work in Nepal. Your donation of $25 to provide school, food and safety for a child has SIX TIMES the impact! alws.org.au * 1300 763 407