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Hedley Scholz credits dairy farming for giving him his strong voice. To be more precise he says it’s a credit to the cows and the working dogs which herded them. It’s this upbringing that has established a voice perfect for lay reading, a service that Hedley has provided to his local Lutheran congregations for the past 70 years.
Pastor Richard Schwedes will be the next bishop of the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory District of the LCANZ. Pastor Richard, who will also have oversight of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand, was elected during the district’s 40th Convention of Synod at Wagga Wagga NSW in March.
In the Hoff family, teaching isn’t the only thing that runs in the blood. So does the sentiment embroidered on a family tapestry hand-sewn by Rob Hoff’s maternal grandmother Elsa Sickerdick: ‘Faith without service means nothing.’ It is a motto that Elsa’s grandson Rob Hoff takes to heart.
With the Lutheran Church of New Zealand unable to elect a bishop at its 2023 Synod, the LCANZ’s College of Bishops has asked the NSW and ACT District to provide oversight for the LCNZ until the next synod in two years, including the NSW-ACT bishop making two-week visiting tours of all New Zealand churches twice yearly.
While it’s not overly long, I know my nose has long been the butt of jokes (perhaps a mixed metaphor…) among some of my friends and family.
You see, I gained a chickenpox scar on the end of it at around the age of four, took a fine slice off the tip at 15 when I fell through a glass door, began sporting a crooked septum after a run-in with a flyball during a softball game in my 20s and, more recently, was left with a dent at the end from shingles.
I’ve tried at times over the years to disguise these flaws – none of which wiped out the others, unfortunately – with make-up. But I’ve since given up worrying about them. Scars are meant to add character after all. And there are my crooked teeth, weak chin and many more things to add to my list of imperfections, in any case.
What about you? When you look in the mirror, do you focus on the wrinkles or age blotches on your face? If you’re still on the younger side, perhaps it’s difficult to see past the pimples or acne pocks.
Do you examine the stretchmarks on your body, or try to extend your neck to eradicate your double chin? Do you curse the grey or unwanted hairs, or despair at a receding hairline?
Perhaps rather than focusing on all of your so-called imperfections – like my nose – you instead smile at the visage reflected back at you, knowing that those attributes are just part of the physical you, the body God gave you (and fearfully and wonderfully made – Psalm 139) to house your mind, soul and spirit. A body and face he adores so much that he gave up his Son for each of us, as we’ll reflect on especially in the upcoming seasons of Lent and Easter.
Most of us are taught when we’re young that looks aren’t everything. That having a beautiful heart is more important than a beautiful face. That being kind is better than being good-looking or fashionable.
But do we really believe those things? Or do we fall for the ‘beauty myth’ and the pressure that advertising, social media and our peers can put on us? Do we waste time, energy and money on trying to look the way models, actors, sportspeople or ‘influencers’ do?
In this edition, members of our Lutheran family address some of these questions, as well as Christian views on self-worth and how we see ourselves as beloved children of the Creator. We also introduce you to our newest General Ministry Pastors, as they begin parish ministry and update you on the LCANZ’s Way Forward project.
As usual, too, we bring you the latest news from across the church, a range of resources to support home and congregational faith life and our popular regular columns.
God bless your reading,
Lisa
by Libby Krahling
Lutheran Education Australia (LEA) has launched a new website and print resources to support worship and devotions in LEA learning communities.
Throughout 2023, the Worship and Devotions Project team engaged with staff in all regions to determine how best to encourage and support staff and students in their faith life. The team identified the need for clear, practical guides in everyday language, as well as supporting resources that assist staff working with students of all ages to implement devotions in classrooms and regular worship services.
The resulting LEA Guides to Worship and Devotions provide a general overview of both worship and devotions, as well as detailed advice specific to the Early Years (0-3 years, pre-school and Junior Primary), Primary and Secondary communities. The guides were printed and distributed to every LEA early childhood service and school in Australia late last year, with additional copies made available to school boards and pastors of supporting congregations.
LEA Director, Associate Professor Lisa Schmidt, said: ‘Lutheran schools and early childhood services, as part of the mission of the Lutheran church, are communities of worship and service, sharing and living the good news of Jesus Christ.’
The guides’ content is at https://worshipanddevotions.lutheran.edu.au/
The site, also launched late last year, features digital and downloadable versions of each guide, as well as a host of resources for Bible stories, Bible themes, seasonal and special occasions, prayers, planning, music and much more.
Libby Krahling is LEA Worship and Devotions Project Leader.
Australian Lutheran College (ALC) have farewelled two dearly loved colleagues who have faithfully served the college over many years – ALC principal, Pastor James Winderlich and vice-principal and former academic dean, Dr Stephen Haar.
According to ALC eNews, during their time at college, both men ‘consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with servant hearts – often prioritising the needs and wellbeing of their team above their own, never seeking attention or recognition for themselves, and always caring for and encouraging their colleagues’.
‘Together they have faced many challenging and difficult situations, throughout which they have supported, guided and ably led the ALC community’, the report said.
‘As they leave ALC to commence a new chapter in their life’s journey – James to return to parish ministry and Stephen to commence retirement – we pray that God will go with them and keep them safe in his care always. They will be missed!’
The new principal, Rev Dr Tim Stringer, will be installed on Sunday 18 February at the 9.30am service at St Michael’s Hahndorf in South Australia.
Sign up to receive ALC eNews at www.lca.org.au/enews under the Churchwide tab.
With the Lutheran Church New Zealand (LCNZ) unable to elect a bishop at its 2023 Convention of Synod, the LCANZ’s College of Bishops has asked the NSW and ACT District to provide oversight for the LCNZ until the next synod in two years.
Leaders from the NSW District Church Council and the LCNZ Council of Synod have met twice, agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) of how this would work and approved the arrangement.
The MOU states that the NSW and ACT bishop will make a two-week visiting tour of all New Zealand churches twice yearly and provide other oversight by email, phone calls and internet meetings from NSW.
The two tours will coincide with the New Zealand Church Workers Conferences and two of the Council of Synod meetings.
The LCNZ assistant bishop will cover other occasional events, such as special anniversaries, the installation of pastors and pastoral care intervention.
NSW and ACT Bishop Robert Bartholomaeus has completed one trip around the 14 New Zealand churches, including meeting with pastors and leaders. He also attended the LCNZ Church Worker Conference, where people shared their learnings of mission and ministry.
Bishop Robert said he saw many things on his tour that would be useful learnings for the NSW and ACT District. He has also shared experiences from the NSW and ACT District with several New Zealand leaders.
NSW District Administrator Russell Veerhuis and Office Secretary Kaye Simpfendorfer assisted locally in NSW while Bishop Robert was away.
New LCNZ District Administrator Debbie Venz and all other administration staff meet weekly via internet conferencing system Zoom, working together to provide mutual support for each other and the LCNZ.
LCNZ Bishop Emeritus Mark Whitfield said the agreement reflected a Māori proverb or whakataukī. ‘Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourouka ora ai te iwi – which translates to “with your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive”’.
Bishop Robert, who served as a pastor in New Zealand from 1983 until 2001, said: ‘This whakataukī encapsulates the notion that while working in isolation might result in survival, working together can take people beyond survival and onto prosperity. It is with this expectation that the Lutheran Church of New Zealand and the NSW and ACT District are working together.
‘May God continue to bless our two districts as we share our “food baskets” – the gifts and capacities God has blessed each district with – so that the gospel may flourish and the people who receive it may thrive. May this partnership of love and support in ministry be a mutual blessing.’
‘Whakapaingia te Atua e whakamine nei i a tātou. Whakamoemititia te Atua kua kotahi nei tātou. Blessed be God who calls us together. Praise to God who makes us one people’, Bishop Emeritus Mark said.
This story is adapted from one first published in the December edition of the NSW and ACT District magazine Contact and is printed with permission.
Nominations close next month (March) for the Lutheran Nurse of the Year award for 2024 – so get your nominations in now.
The annual award recognises faithful and outstanding service during the preceding calendar year by a registered or enrolled nurse who is an active member of a Lutheran congregation in Australia or New Zealand.
Nominations may be submitted by congregations, schools, aged-care facilities or other bodies or agencies within the LCANZ. More information and nomination forms are available from Pastor Bob Wiebusch via email at revbob@ozemail.com.au or from the LCA website at www.lca.org.au/ministry-groups/lutheran-nurses/
Nominations close on 31 March 2024.
The LCANZ’s General Church Board (GCB) has provisionally approved a trial framework for a new LCANZ disciplinary system and complaints handling process.
The resolution, made late last year, is subject to the approval of General Synod, at its convention in October 2024, as amendments to the LCANZ Constitution and By-laws are required.
The new framework addresses the findings of the Review of the LCANZ’s Ecclesiastical Discipline, Adjudication and Appeals, and Provisions, Policies and Processes.
This review was requested by the 2018 General Synod and its findings were received at the in-person sessions of the 2021–23 General Synod held in February 2023.
In the new framework, roles and responsibilities are more clearly separated and defined than in the previous model, with the intention that disciplinary processes are as transparent, effective and fit for church purposes as possible.
A key change to how disciplinary matters are addressed is the separation of the LCANZ’s Professional Standards team from the process of substantiating accusations against church workers (including pastors), employees and volunteers. Under the new system, the team will still be the intake point for formal complaints, but a Complaints Triage Committee will review each complaint and determine whether an investigation is appropriate in the circumstances. Upon approval of the new framework by General Synod, applications will be invited from active members of the church who consider that their gifts are suited to serving on the committee.
To enable a trial of the new system to commence immediately, however, an interim Complaints Triage Committee has been appointed:
The provisional Complaints Handling Policy and Complaints Handling Procedure are now available on the LCANZ’s website www.lca.org.au/policies
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