, , ,

New Assistant Bishop for NZ Lutherans

by Rosie Schefe

Pastor Nich Kitchen is the new Assistant Bishop for the Lutheran Church of New Zealand (LCNZ), following the unexpected early retirement of former assistant bishop, Pastor Jim Pietsch.

Elected to the position by his fellow pastors on 1 September, Pastor Nich said he accepted the nomination to the position to serve with Bishop Mark Whitfield because he had a heart for the Lutheran Church of New Zealand, where he grew up in faith. He felt this was a time when he needed to step up.

Ordained at the end of 2014, Pastor Nich served in the Victoria-Tasmania District: first in the Northern Tasmania parish and then as an interim pastor in Mildura.

He was installed as pastor at Mountainside Lutheran Church in Auckland in August 2018.

Mountainside is one of New Zealand’s larger congregations and is its most diverse in cultural identity, serving members from 26 different countries spread across all continents except Antarctica. Approximately 85 per cent of Mountainside’s members are bilingual.

The congregation is part of the LCANZ Cross-Cultural Ministry network, which intentionally links congregations with culturally diverse memberships. Pastor Nich himself has been a consultant to the LCANZ Department of Local Mission’s Committee for Cross-Cultural Ministry since 2021.

Pastor Jim Pietsch retired suddenly from active ministry and his call to St Paul’s Wellington early in August, in direct response to family need – to support his wife Grace as she cares for her ailing mother in Indonesia. Pastor Jim led his final service on 7 August, and the next day flew to join family members in Jakarta.

Pastor Jim was ordained in 1982, celebrating 40 years of ministry in January. He served in parishes at Whyalla and Waikerie in South Australia, and in the Melton, St Albans and Sunbury congregations in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne. He also served a term as manager of theological books at Openbook Publishers.

Pastor Jim arrived in Wellington on Anzac Day 2013 and served at St Pauls for more than nine years.

He served as pastors’ representative on the LCNZ’s Council of Synod from 2015, then assistant bishop from 2017 until his retirement. The appointment of the assistant bishop is made by the Synod of LCNZ on the nomination of the pastors, and as Pastor Jim’s retirement came between conventions, the Council of Synod has appointed Pastor Nich to this position on the nomination of the pastors.

Rosie Schefe is Lutheran Church of New Zealand District Administrator and former editor of The Lutheran.

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
, , ,

Child Safety reporting change

LCA congregations now only need to complete their Child Safety Self-Assessments and Plans once every two years instead of annually.

The General Church Board approved the change to the frequency of reporting at its August meeting, in response to feedback from congregations and districts. LCA Child Protection Project Officer Mary-Ann Carver said it was hoped that the change in reporting requirements would ‘assist congregations to meet their child-safety obligations and also help them to keep their workload manageable’.

The self-assessments and plans are part of the reporting requirements for the LCA Child Safety Standards (CSS) for Congregations. The CSS are designed to help congregations maximise the safety of children and young people. It is also envisaged that they will help the church to meet its regulatory responsibilities in response to an increasingly rigorous child safety landscape in Australia and New Zealand.

This is especially so in the wake of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

All congregations that have children participating in regular worship, prayer or children’s ministry are expected to implement the CSS.

Ms Carver said in addition to providing congregations with more time to implement their child safety plans, the extended reporting timeframe gives the church’s child protection support staff more time to raise awareness across the church about the importance of child-safe cultures and more opportunities to support congregations requiring assistance.

‘If you have already completed your Child Safety Self-Assessment and for 2022, you do not have to do this again until mid-2024’, she said. ‘Instead, you can focus on implementing your child safety plan and reviewing your progress.

‘If you have already completed your Child Safety Self-Assessment but are still developing your Child Safety Plan, once your plan is endorsed by your church council or leadership team, you will not have to undertake another Self-Assessment or develop another Child Safety Plan until mid-2024.’

A suite of resources is available on the LCA website to assist congregations as they prepare their Child Safety Self-Assessment and Child Safety Plan.

Go to the Child Safety Standards page at www.lca.org.au/governance/child-safety-standards and follow the links.

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
, , ,

Lutheran nurses visit Central Australia

Lutheran nurses from Australia, the USA, Singapore and Palestine spent six days in Central Australia in September on a Lutheran Parish Nurses International (LPNI) study tour. The group of 17 visited Hermannsburg (Ntaria) to learn about early mission history, while local Ministry Support Workers introduced them to the scope of ministry of Finke River Mission, and local nurses described health issues in the region. The visitors also joined Alice Springs congregation for English-Pitjantjatjara worship.

– Pastor Bob Wiebusch, LPNI Board of Management

 

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
,

Super merger to deliver ‘best retirement outcomes’

Lutheran Super members can look forward to some exciting retirement benefits as a result of the superannuation fund’s decision to merge into the Mercer Super Trust via a successor fund transfer later this year.

That’s the view of Lutheran Super Chair John Grocke, who said the move would broaden services, options and support for members of the $700m-plus not-for-profit fund, which was established by the Lutheran Church of Australia in 1987 to enable church employees to plan for their retirement. Any LCANZ member was able to choose Lutheran Super as their superannuation fund from July 2019, when it became a public-offer fund.

Mr Grocke said the merger, which was announced in August by Mercer Super and Lutheran Super, was in the best financial interests of Lutheran Super’s 5,600 members, including more than 340 pensioners.

‘From the outset, we have sought a merger partner that could deliver the best retirement outcome possible for our members’, Mr Grocke said.

‘Following a rigorous process, we’re pleased to have chosen the Mercer Super Trust, where our members will access a wider range of services, options and personalised support to get the most out of their super or pension. Importantly, the merger will ensure that members continue to benefit from our tailored balanced investment option as well as other characteristics of the existing plan.’

Lutheran Super’s Balanced Growth (MySuper) option has performed strongly against its peers over the past five years. It continues to exceed the MySuper median as of June 2022 reporting.

In October 2021, it was named as one of the Top 10 growth funds by Australian online investment advisor Stockspot. It will continue as the MySuper option for Lutheran Super members in the Mercer Super Trust.

‘From strong investment performance to competitive fees, we’re proud of what we have achieved on behalf of our members over the years’, Mr Grocke said. ‘We know that our members’ best interests will continue to be protected as they join Mercer Super.’

Mercer Super Chief Executive Officer Tim Barber said the firm, which has provided administration, investment management and consulting services for Lutheran Super over many years, looked forward to continuing its service to members.

‘Mercer is proud of its long-term partnership with Lutheran Super’, he said. ‘We know well the deep commitment they have to helping their members enjoy a healthy retirement, and we look forward to welcoming them to Mercer Super.

The Mercer Super Trust currently manages more than $30 billion in funds and leverages the scale of Mercer globally, which has US$346 billion in assets under management. Upon completion of the Lutheran Super successor fund transfer and the recently announced successor fund transfer of BT Super, the Mercer Super Trust will have more than $65 billion in funds under management.

Subscribe here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full

/by
, , ,

Super merger to deliver ‘best retirement outcomes’

Lutheran Super members can look forward to some exciting retirement benefits as a result of the superannuation fund’s decision to merge into the Mercer Super Trust via a successor fund transfer later this year.

That’s the view of Lutheran Super Chair John Grocke, who said the move would broaden services, options and support for members of the $700m-plus not-for-profit fund, which was established by the Lutheran Church of Australia in 1987 to enable church employees to plan for their retirement. Any LCANZ member was able to choose Lutheran Super as their superannuation fund from July 2019, when it became a public-offer fund.

Mr Grocke said the merger, which was announced in August by Mercer Super and Lutheran Super, was in the best financial interests of Lutheran Super’s 5,600 members, including more than 340 pensioners.

‘From the outset, we have sought a merger partner that could deliver the best retirement outcome possible for our members’, Mr Grocke said.

‘Following a rigorous process, we’re pleased to have chosen the Mercer Super Trust, where our members will access a wider range of services, options and personalised support to get the most out of their super or pension. Importantly, the merger will ensure that members continue to benefit from our tailored balanced investment option as well as other characteristics of the existing plan.’

Lutheran Super’s Balanced Growth (MySuper) option has performed strongly against its peers over the past five years. It continues to exceed the MySuper median as of June 2022 reporting.

In October 2021, it was named as one of the Top 10 growth funds by Australian online investment advisor Stockspot. It will continue as the MySuper option for Lutheran Super members in the Mercer Super Trust.

‘From strong investment performance to competitive fees, we’re proud of what we have achieved on behalf of our members over the years’, Mr Grocke said. ‘We know that our members’ best interests will continue to be protected as they join Mercer Super.’

Mercer Super Chief Executive Officer Tim Barber said the firm, which has provided administration, investment management and consulting services for Lutheran Super over many years, looked forward to continuing its service to members.

‘Mercer is proud of its long-term partnership with Lutheran Super’, he said. ‘We know well the deep commitment they have to helping their members enjoy a healthy retirement, and we look forward to welcoming them to Mercer Super.

The successor fund transfer is expected to take place in the final quarter of 2022.

The Mercer Super Trust currently manages more than $30 billion in funds and leverages the scale of Mercer globally, which has US$346 billion in assets under management. Upon completion of the Lutheran Super successor fund transfer and the recently announced successor fund transfer of BT Super, the Mercer Super Trust will have more than $65 billion in funds under management.

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
, , ,

Young adults hopeful for LCANZ

When 24 young Lutherans gathered in Adelaide for the LCANZ’s Young Adult Forum last month, their sense of hope for their church’s future inspired presenters and participants alike.

Aged between 18 and 26 and representing rural and city congregations from across Australia, forum participants heard about and discussed key issues facing the church and gained a deeper insight into how the church functions.

The event was also an opportunity for LCANZ leaders to hear the needs and thoughts of our young people,

Facilitated by Grow Ministries, the forum also included sessions about worship, the work of the LCANZ in local and international mission, ministry support and public theology, issues to be discussed at next year’s Convention of General Synod and conversation time with Bishop Paul Smith.

Grow Ministries Director Jodi Brook said being among the young adult participants was ‘a blessing’. ‘To listen to the passion that they have for their church, to see their understanding of how the church functions grow and to be inspired by the hope, generosity and positivity which they spoke about the church was such a blessing’, she said.

Bishop Paul said while discussion tables during the forum each included a church leader to guide conversation among the young adults, ‘they really didn’t need the guide’. ‘Each time the groups were assigned a task, they launched into discussion and collaboration with passion and pastoral support for one another’, he said.

‘It was a joy to serve with them. They will certainly be praying for their church.’

Participant John Hillier from South Australia said he ‘gained a sense of hope about a wide range of things’ at the forum. ‘It was good to hear the wisdom and experiences of others’, he said. ‘It took a lot of the sourness I had when I think about the future of the church. It was great to see that our church has many people who are aware of the challenges we face. To me, it was a good reminder that no matter what happens, the church can and will prevail.’

Other participants also said they were encouraged to do more in their home congregations and communities, thanks to their experiences at the forum. Stephanie Swift, from Western Australia, said, ‘I am feeling encouraged to find ways to serve my congregation, such as joining a committee or starting a small group’, while Queensland participant Christian Hansen said: ‘I think being enthusiastically involved in the body of the church is something I’m looking forward to doing more of.’

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
, , ,

Lutheran artists freely share their talents

More than 100 artists from three Australian states have shared their creativity and talent through this year’s second annual LCANZ Churchwide Simultaneous Art Exhibition under the theme ‘Free Indeed’.

People who took part in the 2022 exhibition ranged from small children at Lutheran playgroups, school students and youth groups, to congregation members, school staff and parents and people in aged-care communities, with the eldest artist involved being 98, organiser Libby Krahling said.

Coordinated and facilitated by LCA Visual Arts, which is part of the Commission on Worship, the event this year featured seven exhibitions and workshops held across August. These were based in Rochedale in Queensland, Port Macquarie and Sydney in New South Wales, and Nuriootpa, Mount Torrens, North Adelaide and Aberfoyle Park in South Australia. The exhibition theme was based on John 8:36: ‘So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!’

While there were fewer exhibitions staged than for last year’s inaugural event, Libby said that ‘some participating schools and congregations used the event resources to run workshops and to minister to groups within their communities’.

‘Across all the exhibitions we saw a huge variety of media, including paintings, drawings, cartooning, lino-cuts and other print-making, photography, textile art, crochet and knitting, 3D installations and sculptures, woodwork, metal work and floral art’, she said. ‘LCA Visual Arts are planning to reveal the 2023 theme soon, so keep your eyes peeled for announcements.’

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
,

Remembering Strehlow a hundred years on

by Pastor Neville Doecke

It would seem a rather sad occasion to spend two consecutive Sundays commemorating the death of an important person, particularly if their life was cut short at the age of only 50 years.

But that is what happened at Hermannsburg in Central Australia recently, as the community celebrated the life and work of Lutheran missionary Carl Strehlow. Carl and his wife Frieda are remembered for their service among the Western Arrarnta people of the region, and Carl’s legacy includes extensive Bible translation work and writings on First Nations languages and cultures.

Commemorative worship services on 24 and 31 July 2022 were held at two locations, one at Hermannsburg and the other 300 kilometres south-east at Horseshoe Bend on the Finke River.

The sermon text for the Hermannsburg service, Isaiah 55:8,9, was preached by Ingkaarta Neville Doecke and translated into Arrarnta by Pastor Marcus Wheeler to nearly 300 people gathered outside the Old Church at Hermannsburg. It leads us to think of God’s thoughts and plans. God’s big picture takes in more than the present. ‘All things work together for good’, as Romans 8:28 reminds us.

In 1922, Carl Strehlow died while trying to reach medical help after becoming seriously ill with dropsy. His tragic journey to Horshoe Bend, viewed 100 years later, reveals God’s ‘big picture plan’. Hermannsburg Mission did not close down. Frieda found fulfilment in six valuable years working as matron of Immanuel College. Their young son Theo grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps and continued to make huge linguistic and anthropological contributions. Most importantly, the Western Arrarnta people, led by the strong faith and commitment of ‘Blind Moses’ and other evangelists, continued to preach, teach and spread the message of God’s amazing love for his people.

The gospel message did not die with Carl Strehlow! Aboriginal pastors from all the language groups in Central Australia continue to sow the seeds of the gospel. ‘“The words I speak,” announces the Lord, “will not return to me without producing results”’ (Isaiah 55:11).

The sermon text for the Horseshoe Bend memorial is etched on the base of the cross on Carl’s grave – Hebrews 11:25,26. Sixty people travelled four hours from Alice Springs to gather in the dust and burrs at the bottom of a small hill to ponder Carl’s fateful journey and hear God tell us that his big picture plan includes two important details. For believers in Jesus, there will be hard times and suffering, but we must look ahead to the gift God has for each of us – life forever with him. The grandson of Carl and Frieda, John Strehlow, who had made his own rather difficult journey to travel from the UK to Alice Springs, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

We praise and thank God for his big picture plan that wove together the lives of Carl, Frieda and the Western Arrarnta people for his continuing work of growing the gospel.

This story was first published on the LCA South Australia – Northern Territory District website and through Online Together eNews.

Subscribe here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full

/by
, , ,

Remembering Strehlow a hundred years on

by Pastor Neville Doecke

It would seem a rather sad occasion to spend two consecutive Sundays commemorating the death of an important person, particularly if their life was cut short at the age of only 50 years.

But that is what happened at Hermannsburg in Central Australia recently, as the community celebrated the life and work of Lutheran missionary Carl Strehlow. Carl and his wife Frieda are remembered for their service among the Western Arrarnta people of the region, and Carl’s legacy includes extensive Bible translation work and writings on First Nations languages and cultures.

Commemorative worship services on 24 and 31 July 2022 were held at two locations, one at Hermannsburg and the other 300 kilometres south-east at Horseshoe Bend on the Finke River.

The sermon text for the Hermannsburg service, Isaiah 55:8,9, was preached by Ingkaarta Neville Doecke and translated into Arrarnta by Pastor Marcus Wheeler to nearly 300 people gathered outside the Old Church at Hermannsburg. It leads us to think of God’s thoughts and plans. God’s big picture takes in more than the present. ‘All things work together for good’, as Romans 8:28 reminds us.

In 1922, Carl Strehlow died while trying to reach medical help after becoming seriously ill with dropsy. His tragic journey to Horshoe Bend, viewed 100 years later, reveals God’s ‘big picture plan’. Hermannsburg Mission did not close down. Frieda found fulfilment in six valuable years working as matron of Immanuel College. Their young son Theo grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps and continued to make huge linguistic and anthropological contributions. Most importantly, the Western Arrarnta people, led by the strong faith and commitment of ‘Blind Moses’ and other evangelists, continued to preach, teach and spread the message of God’s amazing love for his people.

The gospel message did not die with Carl Strehlow! Aboriginal pastors from all the language groups in Central Australia continue to sow the seeds of the gospel. ‘“The words I speak,” announces the Lord, “will not return to me without producing results”’ (Isaiah 55:11).

The sermon text for the Horseshoe Bend memorial is etched on the base of the cross on Carl’s grave – Hebrews 11:25,26. Sixty people travelled four hours from Alice Springs to gather in the dust and burrs at the bottom of a small hill to ponder Carl’s fateful journey and hear God tell us that his big picture plan includes two important details. For believers in Jesus, there will be hard times and suffering, but we must look ahead to the gift God has for each of us – life forever with him. The grandson of Carl and Frieda, John Strehlow, who had made his own rather difficult journey to travel from the UK to Alice Springs, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

We praise and thank God for his big picture plan that wove together the lives of Carl, Frieda and the Western Arrarnta people for his continuing work of growing the gospel.

This story was first published on the LCA South Australia – Northern Territory District website and through Online Together eNews.

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by
, , ,

Lutheran choir members lend voices to TV history

Five years after the feature documentary film The Song Keepers, which told the remarkable story of the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir, the talented group has been back in the national spotlight this year.

The choir was among performers in a TV and online rendition of the song ‘I Am Australian’, recorded for the 90th anniversary of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Made up of mostly Lutheran Indigenous women and men, the choir is a great witness for their church and their culture.

To see the ABC promo online, go to https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=410910410965125 or watch and listen to it with Pitjantjatjara lyrics, translated by Caroline Windy and Pastor Rob Borgas, at https://www.facebook.com/abc/videos/488247613102595

Already a subscriber? Click here to login and read this article.
Not a subscriber? Click here to receive stories & upcoming issues in full
/by