JASWANTH KUKATLAPALLI
Age: 27
Home congregation: St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Wellington, New Zealand Assigned to: Wodonga Vic
How did your call happen? First, the sickness I had as a child and miraculous recovery led my parents to commit me to God’s work. It wasn’t easy becoming a pastor in India, but God had a different plan. I ended up in Auckland, then in Wellington the call was renewed, which led me to Adelaide.
Any ‘aha’ moments during your pastoral minister studies? Given my faith journey consisted of worshipping in various churches (Lutheran, Church of South India, Pentecostal, Baptist), I had quite a few. To name one: an investigation of an article on justification helped me immensely since it answered most of my questions and doubts.
Your favourite meal: besides fish’n’chips (or fush’n’chups)! Hyderabadi Biryani at the Paradise restaurant in Hyderabad, India (if possible), or if not, Paradise restaurant in Auckland, NZ.
You get angry when: I have to do the same thing over andover again. For example, casting fishing line again and again and just reeling in seaweed gets me big time!
TONY CASTLE
Age: 46
Family: wife Helen and Bethany (12)
Home congregation: St John’s, Dernancourt SA
Assigned to: Gippsland parish, Vic
Any ‘aha’ moments during your pastoral ministry studies? There’s always plenty of ‘aha’ moments when you study God’s word, even the same texts. God never ceasesto speak to us as we grow.
Five words your ALC teachers use to describe you: Dr Zweck introduced me to a PNG pastor in pidgin. I can’t speak pidgin but I guessed what he said; ‘This one here is a very naughty boy!’
The Bible verse/s you turn to when life gets you down: Love the psalms … 23, 24, 46, 91, 121 …
Funniest thing you ever did: Fishing with classmate Jaswanth ‘Tangles’ Kukatlapalli would have to be a recent highlight!
Why you want to be a pastor: When I considered all of the things that I could study to become, the only thing that made sense was to help people receive the gift of eternal life from God through Christ: decision made
