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It is in giving that we receive

Going GREYT! 1 Peter 4:10

In Going GREYT! we feature stories of some of our ‘more experienced’ people within the LCA, 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, with whatever gifts and opportunities we’ve been given.

by Helen Beringen

Some people just get on and do. No fuss, they just find a place where they can quietly help out.

For one such septuagenarian, Annette Wessling, it has been a case of finding not one but several places to lend a helping hand and a listening ear.

But through this quiet service, Annette feels strongly that she gets more than she gives – the joy of being around people, a sense of appreciation and a sense of belonging.

Just ask the folks at the Lutheran Media office in North Adelaide, where she has volunteered for almost 17 years. Her helping hands have stuffed many an envelope, packaged up CDs and bundled brochures to mail out to congregations.

Annette’s stewardship gives her purpose.

‘I enjoy everything, and they tell me I am doing a good job and it makes me feel really appreciated’, she says.

She has seen much change in Lutheran Media’s outreach methods over her weekly Monday visits, from a focus on large mail-outs of booklets to online resources and social media channels.

‘I have been astounded at the difference over the years in how they reach people’, Annette says.

She is still kept busy these days, stamping addresses on postage, and filling bags of children’s faith resources for Happyland – Lutheran Media’s online game designed to share God’s gift of Jesus.

‘All the ministers involved have their heart in the right place and they just want to share the gospel with everyone’, Annette reflects.

Annette started volunteering with the team when she was asked by a fellow church member at Bethlehem, in Adelaide’s city, to help with a mail-out to supporters.

And she’s been doing it ever since, travelling by bus, as she doesn’t drive. She even walked to her weekly shift once, from her suburban home in Fullarton, about 7 kilometres away. Leaving home at 7.30am, she arrived at 9am after taking a lovely stroll through the Adelaide Botanical Gardens on the way.

Annette feels at home doing office work, which had been her career throughout her adult life.

‘Most of my stuff is behind the scenes and I am happier being a “washer-upper”’, she says. ‘I love being around people, but I am not a good talker, I just like to belong.’

Annette also loves to volunteer at Fullarton Lutheran Homes, in Adelaide’s inner south-eastern suburbs. This stems from an almost 20-year association with the residential aged-care facility, which began on her arrival from Brisbane as a newlywed to her husband of 47 years, Besil.

Annette landed a job at Fullarton on arrival, a job she describes as ‘the most amazing place to work’. ‘That’s why I like to go there, as they were just so generous to me’, she says.

‘I had some wonderful women who looked after me so well’, she recalls of her 19 years there, which include working part-time while bringing up her young family of three children.

Fullarton was an early adopter of the work-from-home practices now normalised in the COVID-era. In 1978 when she was due to have her first child, Elise, they installed their electronic accounting machine in her house (it was the days before home computers were common), so that she could work from home.

‘I have been very blessed to work in Lutheran institutions and God’s love has shone through that institution to me’, Annette says.

Now twice a month on a Wednesday, she volunteers at Fullarton’s coffee shop which provides an opportunity for residents to meet socially. The shop also displays craft that is sold for fundraising.

Annette’s also a member of one of the craft groups that makes the items each Tuesday morning, where residents are also invited to join them for a cuppa and a chat.

That’s one of the outlets for Annette’s passion for knitting. ‘I am learning patchwork and crochet, but I am a knitter first and foremost’, she shares.

Toys, hats, scarfs – Annette has multiple projects on the go at once. ‘I have a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) as I like to have a bit of a challenge to keep my brain active’, she says.

Her favourite creations have been a series of unicorn jumpers for two of her granddaughters. She knits for charity and for her family, whose current wish-list is for two toy dogs, a blanket and a panda.

‘Anything about knitting I could talk the leg off an iron pot, but when it comes to talking to someone about my faith, I get so tongue-tied I’d probably end up in a knot’, she shares. ‘I was never good at talking … but I can listen to people.

‘If I stayed at home, I would probably mope about, but if I can keep getting out and meeting with other people, then I don’t get down in the dumps.’

And amongst all the busyness, Annette takes comfort from her favourite Bible verse, Psalm 46:10 – ‘Be still and know that I am God’.

‘It makes me stop and think that God’s in control and I am not, and I have to let him take me where he wants to take me.’

Helen Beringen is a Brisbane-based writer who is inspired 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  

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Editor’s letter

When we hear or read the term ‘ethics’, we may think of the disciplines of medicine or law and the big questions of life and death. But ethics come into play in all areas of life.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines ethics as: ‘a system of moral principles, by which human actions and proposals may be judged good or bad or right or wrong’. And the Australian not-for-profit The Ethics Centre says: ‘Ethics is a branch of philosophy that aims to answer the basic question, “What should I do?” It’s a process of reflection in which people’s decisions are shaped by their values, principles, and purpose rather than unthinking habits, social conventions, or self-interest.’

So, ethics involves choices, decisions and weighing up right and wrong, in pursuit of the good, the pure, the beautiful, the perfect.

Looking at ethics from a Christian perspective, we know God as the giver of all goodness and the Creator of all beauty. And that Jesus is the only example of perfection the world has seen. In Christian ethics, Scripture is the guide – especially through the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount and the lived example of Jesus – when it comes to right and wrong.

In the 1990s, the acronym ‘WWJD’ – short for What Would Jesus Do? – became a popular slogan among young Christians, widely seen printed on wristbands, t-shirts, caps and stickers. (Its origins reportedly date back to the late 1800s in the US as the result of the popular Charles Sheldon book, In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?

Asking ourselves ‘What would Jesus do?’, consulting Scripture and praying when confronted by a dilemma directs us back to God for his wisdom in our decision-making.

Of course, not all decisions are straightforward, even after prayerful consideration. We know only too well that, in some things, our option may need to be ‘the lesser of two evils’.

And we can’t always do exactly what Jesus would, even if we knew for sure what that was. We also know that no matter how many ‘right’ choices we make, they won’t save us. Only Jesus does that.

So how do we live an ethical life as Christians? And should we even try? Well, as we see on our cover of this edition, God’s word exhorts us to ‘never grow weary of doing good’ as we seek to serve others.

In these pages, we feature stories and a Bible study on this subject and how our everyday decisions are informed by our faith and led by Scripture and Jesus’ example. I pray that you will be blessed by them, as I have been.

And remember, The Lutheran is now available as a digital edition. Go to www.thelutheran.com.au/subscribe to register for free access as an existing print subscriber or to give a subscription as a gift today.

Lisa

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Dwelling in God’s word – Living ethically

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Prayer calendar – August dates

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Church@Home July 2021

CHURCH@HOME www.lca.org.au/churchhome

Keeping faith at the forefront of everyday life

Regular devotions can be a great foundation for our home-worship life. They can help nurture our faith and even that of our families, as they strengthen our relationship with Jesus, increase our trust in God and our openness to the call of his Spirit. We pray that you will receive blessings from the devotional materials here and in the Church@Home resources collection collated and shared on the special webpage at www.lca.org.au/churchhome. There are also other faith-building and practical resources available through this webpage. If you have internet access and a printer, why not print some and mail or deliver them to those who may otherwise miss out?

– Lisa

Psalm 9:9 

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

DEVOTIONS FOR HOME WORSHIP

These reflections are from a fresh set of devotions written for our LCANZ family and friends to help us to keep our eyes on Jesus. They can be used by families and individuals as part of the Church@Home resources. You can find these and more on the LCA website at www.lca.org.au/daily-devotion

Eucatastrophe! by Sal Huckel

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest (Isaiah 32:18).

Read Isaiah 32:14–20.

Let’s start with a quote from JRR Tolkien about a literary device that features in his writing: ‘I coined the word “eucatastrophe”: the sudden happy turn in a story which pierces you with a joy that brings tears’.

Tolkien refers to the resurrection as the greatest eucatastrophe producing that essential emotion: Christian joy which produces tears because it is qualitatively so like sorrow, because it comes from those places where Joy and Sorrow are at one, reconciled, as selfishness and altruism are lost in Love (Letter 89).

We see the same effect in our reading today.

When the Lord’s Spirit is poured out from on high, we are promised the transformation of deserted cities and wastelands and the dwelling of justice and righteousness, bringing life-giving fruit! In Isaiah’s day, as in ours, we see a stark contrast between the messianic kingdom that is to come and the worldly government. Perhaps we feel that the present day is the worst we have seen in our lifetimes – though, of course, generations have struggled before in times of great hardship and crisis. Famine, wars, genocide – earthly troubles are not new. But we have an assurance and a hope, both now and in eternity.

We see that there is only one source of security for an insecure world. We pray for the renewal that will eventually come, bringing peace, quietness, confidence, security, rest and blessing. While we look forward to God’s kingdom reigning on earth, we can also pray for renewal and an outpouring in our lives right now. Pray for the Lord to reign in your heart, in your life, in your home. God’s kingdom ruling in our hearts brings his reign closer for others too.

Father God, pour out your Spirit from on high today. Transform my life with your justice and righteousness. I long for your peace, quietness, rest and blessing. Reign in my heart and give us patience and peace in the struggles of this world. May your people share their hope with others as we look for your coming in glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Loving God with all my heart by Norma Koehne

Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Read Deuteronomy 6:4–13.

Lately, I have been watching a series on Netflix called Shtisel, which is about Orthodox Jewish families in Israel. What I have found most interesting is the way they constantly remind themselves of God and his words.

I was puzzled by why they touch the doorframe as they enter the house until I read in this text that they write this commandment on their doorframes and gates.

At prayer time, small books containing God’s word in the Old Testament are wrapped onto their hands and tied on their foreheads.

We are blessed that we have God’s full revelation of his love and salvation in the New Testament as well as the Old Testament. How do we, in our busy modern lives, make sure that we love God with all our being, that he is first in our lives and our love? We can take the opportunity to worship God through word and sacrament in church and our homes through morning and evening devotions. We can try to have reminders of God and his goodness around us at all times. Perhaps we can print out Bible verses and put them on the door of the refrigerator, a place we all look at often. Maybe you spend a lot of time travelling and can put a Bible verse in your car where you can see it easily. And, of course, we keep close to God through our prayers throughout the day. Be creative!

There is a warning here to the people of Israel. ‘When you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord’ (verses 11b,12). Sadly, that has become the case in so many countries in our affluent western world. We are blessed with so many good things. It is easy to be like the unwise farmer, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink and be merry’ (Luke 12:19). God preserve us from such arrogance and indifference.

Lord, you know how hard it is for us to love you with our whole heart. Help us through your Spirit to immerse ourselves in your word so we are constantly reminded of your love and goodness. Amen.

PRAYER
SERENITY PRAYER

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as you did, this world as it is,
Not as I want it,
Trusting that you will make all things right,
That I may be content in this life,
And joyful with you forever in the next.

– Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) from justprayer.org

Nehemiah 8:10

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Christ the Conqueror by Pastor Reid Matthias

Because everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world (1 John 5:4a).

Read 1 John 5:4–12.

If I write the word ‘conqueror,’ who first comes to mind?

Throughout history, there have been military leaders who have, through often brutal means, enlarged their territory. Genghis Kahn, the Mongol leader, conquered territory from eastern Europe across the entirety of Asia to Japan in the east. According to history, his superior military tactics, along with the Mongols’ expertise on horseback and with bow and arrow, allowed him to subdue any group that tried to stand in his way.

From the Apostle John’s perspective, though, conquering the world is not about taking territory, but actually giving it up. Or, as the NIV translates, ‘overcomes’ the world.

How does this happen? Is it by our superior tactics? Our war-like tendencies? Cutting the world down with weapons of destruction?

No, it is by the power of God and his empowerment of love to his children. ‘Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God … and everyone who has been born of God [i.e. received the Holy Spirit] overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith’ (1 John 5:1,4,5).

This is the victory. Christ the Conqueror through love. The free gift of grace through our faith in Christ Jesus allows us to give up our aspirations of conquering territory and allows God to conquer the terror of sin, death and the devil.

What things has the Holy Spirit helped you conquer in life? What are some things you’d like to ask for help with?

Heavenly Father, thank you for your amazing gift of faith. Thank you that it allows me to see that you have conquered the world so I might live freely in it. Your victory is immense! Praise Christ the Conqueror! 

God uses sights and sounds to get attention by Pastor Steve Liersch

And suddenly from heaven, there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting (Acts 2:2).

Read Acts 2:1–21.

In mid-April 2021, my state of Western Australia experienced severe weather when Cyclone Seroja hit.

It was a deadly tropical cyclone that brought historic flooding and landslides to portions of southern Indonesia and East Timor and later went on to impact WA’s Mid-West region. People who had never experienced a cyclone told of sheltering in their homes and being terrified by the sound outside of the powerful winds. The cyclone wreaked havoc and caused massive destruction and, sadly, well over 100 fatalities in parts of Indonesia.

When wind and rain combine, the last thing we would expect is for a fire to survive. Water quenches the flames, and they are extinguished.

Wind without rain can indeed fan a small spark into a bushfire, which we’ve also seen so often in Australia. The power of the wind is an amazing energy source that, when harvested, can also produce electricity that we can use to benefit our way of life in so many ways.

We know what the normal effects of wind combined with other things can do.

To get Jerusalem’s attention that first Pentecost morning, the sound of a mighty wind was heard. The amazing sight of small tongues of fire could be seen. Speaking in strange languages connected with many nationalities of people.

God used the sights and sounds to get people’s attention long enough for Peter to bring God’s word to the masses.

The Holy Spirit was unleashed into the world and is still doing what it does best – leading people to hear about Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

What has God used to get your attention to be drawn closer to Jesus?

Come, Holy Spirit. Come and pour yourself anew into my life so that I may be drawn closer to Jesus and be used to help in the work of God’s kingdom. Amen.

Complete conversion by Pastor Stephen Abraham

‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him’ (Acts 10:34,35).

Read Acts 10:34–43.

What would it take for you to completely, wholeheartedly stop barracking for your favourite sporting team? I mean ‘complete conversion’, dropping your team for the one that is your team’s arch-nemesis? Imagine dropping support for Australia and barracking for the USA in Olympic swimming, swapping from Ford to Holden, or the Wallabies to the All Blacks.

I’m what’s called an ‘Apple fanboy’. I’ve used Apple computer technology for 30 years. I know I’m biased, but it would take a miracle for me to switch to another brand!

It was the same for the early church. It took a miracle for Peter to switch from accepting ‘Jews only’ as Christians to ‘Jews and Gentiles’. Simon Peter, a Jew from birth, had been taught his whole life that only the Jews had access to the one true God.

From Acts 10:9, Peter had a God-given vision, where God allowed the eating of unclean animals. And after he woke up, he had an encounter with an unclean enemy, a Roman officer (and you know how the Jews felt about their unclean national captors, Rome!).

Acts 10 is about two conversions: the Roman officer Cornelius’ conversion to Christianity and Peter’s (and the early church’s) conversion to accepting non-Jews as followers of Christ.

The Greek word katalambanomai (Acts 10:34) normally translates as ‘I understand’, but it literally means ‘I am gaining the understanding’.

It’s a word of change, of ‘the lights coming on’ to a new way of thinking. I think this stands not only as a witness to this historical change of acceptance in the early church, but it highlights that God’s community of faith is dynamic. It changes – even if those changes are challenging and confronting. You keep your theology intact, of course. But as the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand, we have been led to make many changes, from presidents to bishops, from hymns only to hymns and songs, from communing at confirmation to a younger-aged first communion (and I could go on – answer the rest for yourself!).

It begs the question: where is God taking us next?

Change can be confronting and painful. But there are times where God shatters our preconceived notions and opens his church up to new possibilities of growth, new ways of being a light to the world and a new acceptance of others.

Heavenly Father, you delight in the wide-eyed wonder and joy of children. Help us adults to strip away our hard edges built from fear and uncertainty, and restore to us the uncomplicated, unquestioning trust that we had as children. Amen.

PRAYER
NOTHING TO FEAR

Heavenly Father,
you have not made us for darkness and death,
but for life with you forever.
Without you we have nothing to hope for;
with you we have nothing to fear.
Speak to us now your words of eternal life.
Lift us from anxiety and guilt
to the light and peace of your presence,
and set the glory of your love before us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

–  from justprayer.org

 Matthew 6:25

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear …

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Directory – July

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Blessed by mission connections

Supporting our LCANZ missionaries serving overseas is easier than you may think, with LCA International Mission offering opportunities to connect with them via internet conferencing. Here we share stories from two such ‘gatherings’.

SERVING ‘SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW GOD’

On June 2, we connected virtually with Hanna Schulz, who has been serving as a linguist and Bible translation advisor in Papua New Guinea since 2012. Why does Hanna serve there? ‘So that people will know God, know life, know hope and know joy – now and always’, she says. It was inspiring to hear from Hanna that even when things are constantly changing, God is still faithful and good. Thank you to everyone who joined us online and prayed with and for Hanna and God’s work through her. To see her presentation, go to https://vimeo.com/559793354

– Nevin Nitschke, LCA International Mission program officer

FELLOWSHIP OFFERS ENCOURAGEMENT 

A few months back, I made a quick trip to Papua New Guinea (PNG) – virtually that is! Approximately 20 of us spent an evening with Mick Hauser, his wife Milka and son Kelly, through Zoom (pictured above right). Mick, our only LCA missionary in PNG, teaches at Martin Luther Seminary, Lae. The only Australian in the area, he sometimes keenly feels his isolation, so our fellowship made it a pleasant evening for all.

Mick and Milka spoke about PNG life and his work at the seminary. We also discussed the importance of being solid in his Lutheran confessions, PNG people finding ‘prosperity gospel’ concepts attractive, the influence of evil spirits, magic and sorcery, and safety and security issues.

We encouraged Mick through our presence, asking questions before breaking into small groups for discussions and prayer. Please consider taking up an invitation from International Mission to encourage our overseas missionaries – after all, they are only (several) mouse clicks away.

– Gillian Heintze, LCA International Mission Committee member

For information on upcoming opportunities to connect with missionaries, email lcaim@lca.org.au

VOLUNTEER TO TEACH ENGLISH ONLINE

Another way to engage with and support our overseas partners in mission is to volunteer as an English language mentor. LCA International Mission and Wycliffe English online trainer Margaret Borneman are providing an online English program for Abdi Sabda Seminary in Indonesia from 12 July to 11 August and need

40 volunteers to mentor participants for 30 minutes after the sessions. If you love meeting new friends, have a teaching gift, have a talent for working with others, or you just love talking, International Mission wants to hear from you. Contact Nevin Nitschke: 0447 337 186 or nevin.nitschke@lca.org.au

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Family life and faith woven together

God always intended that our formation in the Christian faith would be at the heart of family life. As they enter the promised land, Moses tells the families of Israel to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength’ (Deuteronomy 6:5) and to keep these commands on their hearts, to ‘impress them on their children. Talk about them when they sit at home and when they walk along the road, when they lie down and get up’ (Deuteronomy 6:6–8).

Reading a devotion together is wonderful, but God’s vision also sees families sharing faith – and Jesus meeting us – through life’s everyday activities. We show love by sharing not only joys, but also struggles and disappointments, and by bringing all these things to Jesus in prayer.

As leaders in family ministry, the team at Grow Ministries is always asking: ‘How can we support parents in this journey?’ For some, family faith conversations haven’t been a part of their own story. It is our responsibility in our congregations to provide parents with the support they may not even be asking for!

HOW CAN WE SUPPORT PARENTS TO PASS ON FAITH?

  1. Give parents a plan:

We know that parenting these days is often reactive, yet we desire to be more proactive. Therefore, giving parents a plan will give them a system of support, consistent influence and a steady flow of relevant information and resources.

  1. Show them how it works:

Parents need to be influenced as much as children do and they desire to be engaged in a process that will help them take the best next step. As leaders, we have the opportunity to educate and create a network of support for families to connect with.

  1. Tell them what to do:

If we are to truly partner with parents, we need to provide them specific instructions or resources to use each week. Sometimes parents have a lack of vision, but often they just don’t know where to start.

NEW RESOURCE WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES

To support congregations in their partnership with parents and families, Grow Ministries has created a new resource that will help parents to nurture the faith of their children. It’s called Woven Together, with the aim that it will encourage families to make faith conversations and practices part of their everyday life without it being too arduous.

Woven Together draws us into God’s big narrative by beginning at Genesis and continuing through to Revelation in one year. In it, we see how God’s story of love and redemption is woven through the lives of the people in the Bible, and we hear how his story is also woven through our lives, in our families.

It is designed to be simple. A simple story to read. A prayer to say. A blessing to give. A rhythm to develop within the lives of those you love.

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Chance to support work of ALC

Australian Lutheran College (ALC) has launched its annual appeal for 2021, with the theme ‘Connecting through faith’. The LCANZ’s provider of tertiary theological education, ALC relies on direct financial and prayer support to continue its work in partnership with the church, Principal James Winderlich says.

‘At ALC we prepare people to serve as pastors, teachers and lay workers in the LCANZ’, Pastor Winderlich says. ‘This includes Aboriginal pastors and evangelists in Central Australia along with other culturally diverse church workers; teachers and leaders in Lutheran schools and colleges; and lay people who serve in both paid and voluntary roles in diverse contexts. When you support ALC’s annual appeal you keep these vitally important connections in front of all of us.’

ALC appeal packages are available through congregations and parishes. Donate online at https://payments.alc.edu.au/donation.html, by phone on 1800 625 193 (SA business hours), or in person at 104 Jeffcott St, North Adelaide SA, during business hours. Donations of $2.00 or more are tax-deductible and accepted year-round.

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Spreading the message of reconciliation

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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