The last week of May was ‘reconciliation week’ in more ways than one for nine members of the LCANZ.
From 24 to 28 May, Chris Antonini (Duncraig Western Australia), Judy Butler (Mount Gravatt Queensland), Michael Eckert (Warradale South Australia), Alicia Graham (St Johns Bundaberg Queensland), Sue Housego (Wodonga Victoria), Diane Kleinig (Tea Tree Gully South Australia), Lynette Priebbenow (Middle Park Queensland) and pastors Adam Eime (Peace Lutheran College Cairns Queensland) and Carl Richter (Mildura Victoria) attended a biblical reconciliation intensive in Adelaide. Conducted by the LCANZ’s Reconciliation Ministry department, the week-long study gathering was part of the Training to Teach Biblical Reconciliation course.
The intensive concentrated on learning styles, key aspects to teaching, and the content of what is delivered in a biblical reconciliation workshop. Participants prepared and delivered a section of a workshop and produced workshop material specific to their own contexts.
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COURSE?
The two-part course aims to fulfil the need to have at least one person to teach biblical reconciliation in each district of the LCANZ, according to Pastor Paul Kerber, Assistant to the Bishop for Reconciliation Ministry.
‘The course is seen as the first step in growing local biblical reconciliation ministry people to serve the church with teaching and practical skills’, Pastor Paul says.
‘Our life comes from a relationship with God and our relationship with him is to affect our relationships with each other. Therefore, biblical reconciliation is really “Lutheran spirituality”, grounding people in teaching and practical aspects to living out their identity as a forgiven child of God in relationship with him and in relationship with each other.’
TRAINED TO TRAIN OTHERS
Pastor Paul adds that a key benefit of the course is that many more people and whole church and school communities will have better access to biblical reconciliation teaching.
‘It also equips God’s people to live their faith with others in the wider community and grows people to know how to speak the gospel of the forgiveness of sins to others so that they are effective in the mission of the church.’
WHAT SOME PARTICIPANTS SAY
Chris Antonini: ‘(Biblical reconciliation) is a really necessary part of Christian relationship … It’s about how we are called to be different.’
Judy Butler: ‘I started with no expectations, but I knew that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit would be immense here.’
Michael Eckert: ‘It’s a pleasure to have a big picture of how the church can benefit … from knowing more about biblical reconciliation.’
Alicia Graham: ‘I hope I have the confidence and skills in communicating with others about how we can better live [and] reconcile with one another in the way that God wants us to.’
Sue Housego: ‘I was despairing because I couldn’t see Christians being Christians to each other, I saw a lot of pain. I didn’t choose to do this course, [God] threw me into it … and it’s a real blessing.’
Diane Kleinig: ‘We need to be able to love each other through forgiveness and repentance and live the gospel, so that the church becomes alive and is not just something that happens on a Sunday.’
Lynette Priebbenow: ‘Some doors were closing in my life … having this course was a God-given opportunity and a door being opened.’
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