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511

Change in format for General Synod

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In a first for the LCANZ, the church’s next Convention of General Synod will be held in two parts – an online meeting in October 2021 and an in-person meeting in 2022.

LCANZ Bishop John Henderson announced the change in a special eNews to the church on 10 June after the General Church Board (GCB) decided on the move on 9 June. The six-day face-to-face convention scheduled to be held in Melbourne from 28 September to 3 October will not go ahead.

‘After making every effort to hold the Convention by the usual means, ongoing uncertainty about travel restrictions, exacerbated by the recent lockdown in Victoria and its potential flow-on impact in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, meant the time had come to make the very difficult call on a COVID contingency plan’, Bishop Henderson said.

Taking into account the extraordinary circumstances relating to COVID-19, the GCB unanimously agreed to hold the 20th regular Convention of General Synod in two parts: an online meeting in early October 2021, which will then be adjourned until the meeting resumes in person at a location to be determined in September or October 2022.

‘The GCB has adopted this approach, a first for the LCANZ, so we can keep the regular constitutional cycle of three-year synodical terms and make the necessary decisions in a timely and orderly way, allowing proper opportunity for consideration and discussion’, Bishop Henderson said. ‘With the risks to travel at present, that will mean an online format in 2021 and an in-person meeting in 2022, God willing.’

The 2021 online component of the Convention, likely to be held over two days, will be for essential business items necessary for the regular transition into the next synodical term, such as the election of the LCANZ bishop, assistant bishop and GCB; board and council reporting; and voting on essential constitutional and other matters that for various reasons cannot be held over until 2022.

Delegates will receive the Book of Reports, which also contains proposals to General Synod, before the 2021 online meeting.

The 2022 in-person component of the meeting, likely to be held over two to three days, will be for matters of a theological or doctrinal nature and the proposals that will require robust ‘live’ debate in the usual Synod format.

‘The planning team will do its best to make sure all delegates can participate in both the online and in-person components of the Convention’, Bishop Henderson said.

The General Pastors Conference (GPC), scheduled for 6–8 July 2021 in Tanunda South Australia, will now take place as an online conference on Tuesday 6 July.

GPC will still need to ensure that nominations for LCANZ bishop and assistant bishop reach the opening session of Convention of General Synod in 2021 and that its advice on theological and doctrinal issues reaches delegates suitably in advance of the second meeting of Synod in 2022.

Regarding General Synod, GCB was mindful of the financial risk to the LCANZ and its parishes in the event of a snap COVID lockdown in Melbourne. Also taken into account was the considerable burden a physical Convention of General Synod in Melbourne would place on ‘already exhausted leaders, pastors and people in Victoria, the state that has borne the brunt of the COVID pandemic in Australia’.

‘In making this weighty decision, the GCB has considered not only the potential impact on delegates and others but also the risk to the wider church’, Bishop Henderson said. ‘While the financial risk is one factor, there is also the possibility that any decisions made by a depleted Convention of General Synod might later be contested as not being fully legitimate.’

As details about the online component of the convention become available, registered delegates will be informed via the Synod eNews, and there will be regular updates in LCA eNews for the wider church.

Bearing in mind that specific details for the new format for Convention of General Synod are not yet available, if you have questions or concerns, please contact the General Synod planning team via synod@lca.org.au

For more, go to www.lca.org.au/changes-to-general-synod/

512

Ethical shopping: How do our choices demonstrate love?

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by Nick Schwarz

When you consider buying something, what factors do you weigh up? Necessity? Price? Quality? Style? Features? Benefits or usefulness?

These considerations and others may come into play whether we are looking to buy a small item or service such as a book, fresh food, movie tickets or a haircut; a more costly purchase such as a mobile phone, household appliance, furniture or holiday; or even when we make a major financial commitment in buying a car or house.

Advocates for ‘ethical shopping’ encourage us to also weigh up the ‘ethical status’ of things we buy. They say that some products are morally better than others and that where possible, we should choose them.

By ‘ethical status’ they most commonly mean how ‘responsible’ a product is in terms of its:

  1. environmental impact (at all stages of the life of the product);
  2. social impact (its effect on people, relationships and morals); and
  3. corporate governance (does the producer of this product deal honestly and fairly with suppliers, employees, contractors and consumers?)

How nice that by just shopping we can benefit people and the environment!

Christians look first to Jesus’ life and teachings and the Bible more generally for guidance on ethical matters. Concerning business practices, the Bible teaches that:

  • bosses are to treat their workers with respect and pay them fairly (see Deuteronomy 24:14,15; Colossians 4:1; James 5:4). (Slavery was common and accepted as part of life in biblical times but is never presented in the Bible as ‘God-approved’. The prophets warn that God will judge harshly masters who treat their slaves as mere possessions and exploit and abuse them. Christians have always been at the forefront of campaigns to eradicate slavery);
  • primary producers are to take care of the land and waters so that they remain fruitful (see Genesis 2:15; Leviticus 25:2–5); and
  • merchants are to deal honestly with their suppliers and customers (see Deuteronomy 25:13–16; Proverbs 11:1).

Jesus weighed up our lives and found them so valuable that he gave his life to save us. Now he calls on us to love others as he loves them. He wants us to help people in need – including people who are strangers to us and people we are accustomed to thinking of as enemies (see Luke 10:25–37).

Jesus said that God will bring into his glorious presence forever people who follow his example of helping the needy, but people who could help, but don’t, risk being left out (see Matthew 25:31–46).

Lutherans also look to the confessions of our faith for ethical guidance. In Martin Luther’s explanations of the Fifth, Seventh and Eighth Commandments (against killing, stealing and lying) in his Small Catechism and Large Catechism, he says that in positive terms, these commandments call on us to treat our neighbours with dignity, respect, honesty and fairness.

So, it seems we can make a good case for Christians to demonstrate love for their neighbours and care for God’s earth by considering the environmental and social impacts of the products and services they buy and the way the companies that produce them do business.

However, discerning a product’s ethical status is not always easy or straightforward. Sometimes it is confusing and disheartening. Let’s consider three ways that this can be so, then look at the motivation for shopping ethically.

  1. THE ETHICAL PICTURE IS INCOMPLETE OR A MIXED BAG

Producers know that ethically minded shoppers are a growth sector with substantial spending power, so they advertise their products’ ethical virtues prominently. Some make environmental claims, e.g. ‘organic’, ‘non-toxic’, ‘unbleached’, ‘compostable’, ‘biodegradable’, ‘recyclable’, ‘sustainable’, ‘earth-friendly’, ‘climate-friendly’ and ‘ozone layer friendly’.

Some describe how well they treat their suppliers and workers or how well they treat any animals involved in production, e.g. ‘fair trade’, ‘slavery-free’, ‘child-labour free’ or ‘cruelty-free’. Some tell us that money from the sale of the products will go to good causes, such as schooling for poor children, cancer research, or the preservation of endangered species.

How can we trust that these claims are true? Fortunately, Australia and New Zealand have advertising standards and consumer protection bodies to investigate suspicious marketing claims and penalise companies for falsely labelling products with ethical certification.

We can’t be certain that every claim is absolutely true, but we can be confident that they aren’t all bogus. If our photocopy paper is certified ‘made from plantation timber’, that is very likely true.

We live in a fallen world, however. If we look hard enough, products marketed as ‘ethical’ often turn out to be tainted in some way.

Research the climate-friendly electric car’s batteries and discover mining-related social and environmental harms in poor countries. Research claims of carbon offsets and find creative accounting.

Somewhere along a product’s life from ‘cradle to grave’ there will likely be some ethical hiccups.

We will never have all the information about products we need to assure ourselves that ethical claims are absolutely true. Still, that shouldn’t make us throw up our hands and reject ethical considerations as a waste of time.

  1. COMPETING GOODS

We can also find ourselves stuck trying to decide between products that make different ethical claims. There may be no obvious ‘right’ answer to the question of which claims carry the most ethical weight. For example, should I prioritise environmental responsibility by buying my fruit and veggies from local growers (on ‘food miles’ grounds) or from growers who farm organically (on soil protection grounds)? Or should I prioritise social responsibility by buying them from poor growers (on charitable grounds) who may not farm organically or live nearby? What if there are no poor local organic farmers to make my choice easy?

Again, this is a situation in which there is no clear answer. We are free to weigh things up for ourselves, and we should be slow to judge others who choose differently from us.

  1. OTHER VALID WAYS OF DETERMINING WHAT IS ‘ETHICAL’

If you have a low income and/or a family to support, the cost of goods and whether they are essential or optional will loom large in your thinking. You will likely prioritise your duty to your family over your duty to distant strangers, wild animals or future generations. The reality is that ethically certified products are unlikely to be the cheapest on offer. Ethical production comes at a cost and ethical certification adds to the cost. If ethically certified products are just as affordable as others, the case for choosing them strengthens. But if not, the ethical (or morally right or good) choice for a low-income shopper is probably to buy the cheaper items so that their money stretches to buy as many of the essential items on the shopping list as possible.

Wealthier shoppers who want to be able to maximise their charitable giving might also feel justified in buying cheaper options.

Will you judge them and tell them they are wrong?

Some people might argue that it makes no practical difference whether I buy an ‘ethical’ product for altruistic reasons or selfish reasons. That’s true. In either case, the purchase of the product (hopefully) contributes to some environmental or social good. Christians believe, however, that motivation is important. We think there is virtue in buying an ethical product out of a desire to make some small change for the better in the world. But we also think the virtuous act loses its shine if it is done to bask in a glow of moral superiority or show off our virtue to others. Advertisers of ethical products don’t make this distinction, however. They flatter shoppers by saying every ethical purchase is virtuous.

In Matthew 6:1–4, Jesus warns against making a show of our righteousness so that others may see and praise us. Luther’s explanation of the First Commandment (we are to fear, love and trust God above all things) warns against making an idol of our reputation.

So, yes, even show-offs do good. And they often receive the feel-good praise they want. But Jesus encourages us to do good without fanfare and leave any rewards up to our Father in heaven.

Christians seek to please God by making good choices. But they realise that a few (or even a lot) of good choices don’t earn us our salvation. Our ‘best ethical life’ falls far short of God’s standards. We try to please God out of gratitude for saving us already through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus, and because we want to follow Jesus’ example.

So, take some time to think about how you spend your money. Reflect on your motivation for buying what you buy. And be slow to judge others who might choose differently to you.

Nick Schwarz is the LCANZ’s Assistant to the Bishop – Public Theology and a consultant to the church’s Commission on Social and Bioethical Questions.

WEBSITES FOR MORE ON ETHICAL SHOPPING

513

Honour Christ, praise God and respond to evil with good

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JESUS IS GOD’S LOVE.

HE GIVES US NEW HEARTS –

TO LAY ASIDE OUR OLD WAYS,

TO BELIEVE AND FOLLOW HIM,

TO LIVE WITH HIM EVERY DAY.

HEARTLAND

Rev John Henderson

Bishop Lutheran Church of Australia

‘Honour Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope’ (1 Peter 3:15 CEV).

The first letter of Peter in the New Testament is addressed to Christians scattered across Asia Minor in the first century after Christ. It is a practical manual on how to survive persecution.

We live very different lives to believers back then, but we, too, could soon face more active opposition or even some type of persecution. Even if that doesn’t eventuate, Peter’s guidance is timely. Society is marginalising Christian faith and churches are losing their privileges. We should not take our freedoms as Christians for granted. Popular pressure is forcing governments to abandon the Christian moral order that not so long ago was the norm. The uncovering of deceit and abuse in church institutions has disgraced us in the public square.

Are you one of those who fear what could be coming? St Peter’s letter is a good place to start if you want help with that. It takes the reader back to the basics of the Christian faith, encouraging us to hold on to the essentials that give all Christians strength and hope.

Peter begins with praise. ‘Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear. You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do’ (1 Peter 1:3–5 CEV).

Peter calls believers living stones, a chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. These titles are not descriptions of our worldly circumstances or achievements. They flow only from God’s gracious choice. He then describes at length the holy life that flows in turn from that choice: ‘… all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you’ (1 Peter 3:8,9 CEV).

Importantly, Peter says nothing about fighting back and defeating enemies. He even tells believers to obey the emperor and Christian slaves to obey their masters. We might be shocked by that, but this is about survival. Peter doesn’t say to attack wrongdoers. His teaching is like that of Jesus, ‘I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek …’ (Matthew 5:39 CEV).

How can this be a manual on surviving persecution? If we follow St Peter’s guidance, won’t we be run over, crushed and broken? Is that what we fear? But isn’t that Christ’s way? He submitted to the powers of his day, unjust though they were. Is the example of Christ, who did not return evil for evil but responded to evil with good, really our key to surviving whatever may come, including persecution? Peter thinks so. And when Christians suffer, let it be for doing good and not evil.

The courage to face persecution, then, begins with the praise of God and our hope in Christ. It continues with practising love in all we do. Whatever we fear losing will turn out not to have been so important. In Christ, we will always have more than we could possibly hope for. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

514

New bishop for LCA’s Queensland District

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Pastor Mark Vainikka will be the next LCA Queensland District bishop. He was elected unopposed during the District Convention of Synod at Eight Mile Plains last month.

He will succeed Bishop Paul Smith, who has served in the role since June 2015 and did not seek re-election.

Ordained in 2002, Bishop-elect Mark has served in parish ministry, school ministry and as the full-time first assistant bishop. He was the vice-president/assistant bishop for eight years, first assistant bishop since 2018 and the full-time first assistant since 2019. Addressing District Synod after his election, he said: ‘It’s very humbling. You have entrusted me to be your bishop. It is a call to serve you.’

Pastor Ben Hentschke of Ipswich Parish will succeed Pastor Mark as the District’s first assistant bishop, while Pastor Nathan Glover of St Andrews Lutheran College Tallebudgera is the new second assistant bishop.

Meanwhile, Pastor Matthias Prenzler of Goulburn Murray Parish is the new assistant bishop of the Victoria-Tasmania District, which held its Convention of Synod at Geelong on 22 May. Victoria-Tasmania District Bishop Lester Priebbenow, who has served in that role since 2017, was not up for re-election.

Also in May, Pastor David Altus was re-elected unopposed for a further two-year term as bishop of the South Australia – Northern Territory District at its Convention of Synod at Tanunda. Bishop Altus first led the district in late 2009. Pastor Andrew Brook of St Johns Unley was elected to serve as first assistant bishop, while Pastor Joel Cramer of The Ark Salisbury is the SA-NT second assistant bishop.

The Lutheran Church of New Zealand Synod met at Upper Moutere in June. LCNZ Bishop Mark Whitfield is halfway through his third four-year term and was not up for election. The incumbent assistant bishop, Pastor Jim Pietsch, of St Pauls Wellington, was re-elected.

Earlier this year, Bishop Mike Fulwood was returned for a third two-year term leading the Western Australia District in a part-time capacity, along with serving in parish ministry at Parkwood. WA Assistant Bishop Peter Hage of St Johns Perth was also returned for a further two-year term in his role.

The New South Wales District will not hold a Convention of Synod this year.

Read the full story at www.lca.org.au/new-bishop-for-lcas-queensland-district/

515

Sharing care and counsel saves lives

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The LCANZ has a long-standing relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia (ELCM) through LCA International Mission. One of the ways the ELCM serves its community is through the Women’s Care & Counselling Centre, which supports pregnant women who may be considering abortions or baby-dumping. Those who serve there share the story of this life-saving ministry.

In the late 1990s, there was a growing need to help young single mothers facing unplanned pregnancies. The fact they were turning to the church for help meant we had to act. The ELCM does not believe in abortion as a solution for family planning, and to put our beliefs into practice, Bishop Emeritus Dr Solomon Rajah moved to set up a safe home for care and counselling.

Established in 2010, the Women’s Care & Counselling Centre (WCCC) is located in Port Klang, southwest of Kuala Lumpur. Under the able care of Deaconess Elizabeth Gopal, it has been a beacon of hope for many women – more than 100 women have seen the kindness of Christ made manifest in their lives.

Deaconess Elizabeth receives pastoral support from Holy Cross Lutheran congregation’s pastor and council, while WCCC also works closely with Malaysia’s national welfare ministry and has a good relationship with local authorities. We are also thankful for the generous gift from Lutheran Women of Australia in support of our diaconal ministry.

Our primary concern is for mothers to be able to have and raise their child without a stigma attached to being a single mother. Therefore, we provide a safe home for them until they are ready to leave. The women are often subjected to violence and abuse, and WCCC is committed to providing security, counselling and exposure to useful skills. We also help with accessing financial aid from government agencies, legal papers and medical and food aid for the care of the babies.

For mothers who choose to give up their baby for adoption, we assist in the legal process to find a good home.

Sadly, baby-dumping still occurs, and we have staff to care for babies while we arrange legal adoptions. Thankfully, however, there have been no recent cases.

Since government COVID-19 restrictions on movement and gatherings were introduced in Malaysia in March 2020, WCCC’s ministries have expanded. These include monthly food assistance to single mothers and their families, transportation for medical care for single women and help for single mothers to procure cheap housing in government projects.

We don’t advertise our services, but WCCC has developed a community presence through activities such as medical camps.

This puts WCCC on the radar of the local medical community, who are often first to encounter pregnant mothers in distress.

In 2021, WCCC has extended its premises to accommodate more women and to provide sufficient space for activities.

God has been good to us, and this ministry is a rich and rewarding experience. We serve our Lord with joy and respect for life.

516

Queen’s birthday titles for Lutherans

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LCANZ members Nancy Fox and Oscar Joppich have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List.

The vice-chair of the LLL Board, Nancy, of Kirribilli New South Wales, has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her ‘significant service to the financial and banking sector, and to women in business’, while Oscar, of Tanunda South Australia, has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his ‘service to the Lutheran church and to the community’.

As well as having been a member of the LLL Board since 2002, Nancy has served the LCANZ at congregational, district and churchwide levels in various volunteer capacities. A former trial lawyer turned banker from the US who is today a full-time non-executive director, her current service includes being a member of the LCANZ Constitution Review Committee, a consultant to the LCA’s Committee for International Mission, and a member of the LCA Judicial Tribunal.

A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Nancy has served on not-for-profit organisations for 20 years, including mentoring several men and women. A volunteer firefighter with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, she is a member at St Paul’s Sydney.

Oscar Joppich has been assistant chair of the resident committee at Tanunda Lutheran Home (TLH) since 2014 and was previously its chairperson. He worships with his wife Irene and is a volunteer at TLH and St Pauls Tanunda.

A retired teacher who taught in state schools from 1954 to 1991, Oscar served on volunteer assignments in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from 1958–1959, 1992–1994 and in 1996. On the first trip to PNG, he taught the children of Lutheran missionaries at the Katherine Lehmann School in Wau, while from 1992, he and Irene were volunteer managers of the Lutheran Guest House, Goroka. In 1996, they returned to Katherine Lehmann to support the attempt for it to become an international school.

Oscar’s recent community service includes volunteering for the Barossa Community Transport Service and packaging association Barossa Enterprises, regional SA’s largest disability employer.

The congratulations of the church are offered to Oscar and Nancy and any other members honoured with awards.

517

Lutheran nurses honoured

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by Pastor Bob Wiebusch

Wayne Kroker, of Nundah, Queensland, is the Lutheran Nurse of the Year. Wayne was one of two Queensland nurses honoured by the Lutheran Nurses Association of Australia (LNAA) in May. Shirley Klinge, of Laidley, Queensland, was awarded LNAA Life Membership.

Wayne is employed in the Thoracic Ward at Prince Charles Hospital at Chermside in suburban Brisbane. During the coronavirus pandemic, he has provided nursing care for the most seriously ill COVID-19 patients in his ward. During the height of the COVID lockdown, Wayne was diagnosed with cancer. After a break for treatment, he returned to nursing. Wayne is an active member of St Pauls Lutheran Church Nundah. He and his wife Misiel are managers of St Pauls Lodge on the church campus, where units are rented at reduced rates to people in need.

After completing four years of nursing training at Dalby General Hospital, in Queensland, Shirley Klinge moved to Mt Isa. She first worked at the Mt Isa Base Hospital, then served as director of St Paul’s Lutheran Child Care Centre.

Returning to Dalby, Shirley worked in ICU there for five years, then in 1983, she was appointed director of nursing at Tabeel at Laidley Lutheran aged care.

From 1998 until September 2020, Shirley served as part-time parish nurse at Redeemer Lutheran Church Laidley. She was also a pastoral care nurse at Faith Lutheran College, Plainland.

518

It is in giving that we receive

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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  

519

Chance to support work of ALC

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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.

520

Spreading the message of reconciliation

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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.’