Important dates 2017

Date Event Venue

01 - 03 August

District Pastors Conference Trinity Lutheran Church Warrnambool

05 Aug CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hamilton

06 Aug CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Horsham

11-13 August

Speak Lord Conference— The Gospel and Vocation

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Hamilton

11-13 August

UFO Retreat—Unfinished Objects complete your unfinished craft projects

Araluen Lutheran Camp Anglesea

18 - 20 August

Lutheran Men of Victoria Camp Tandara Lutheran Camp Halls Gap

19 August Lutheran Women of Victoria Retreat St John’s Lutheran Church Sale

09 Sept CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, Laverton

10 Sept CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Shepparton

16 Sept Lutheran Women of Victoria Retreat St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Shepparton

16 Sept Nurturing the Soul in Every Day Life a Soul Nurture Network event

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Knoxfield

23 Sept CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Traralgon

24 Sept CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School, Croydon

01 Oct CTICR Consultation on the Ordination of Women and Men

St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Hobart

28 Oct Joint Catholic Lutheran Commemoration of Reformation

St John’s Lutheran Church Southbank

For more information on these events please go to the District website—Coming Events vic.lca.org.au/news-and-events/coming-events

Lutheran Church of Australia VIC/TAS

Ph. (03) 9236 1200 Email admin@vic.lca.org.au

755 Station St Box Hill VIC 3128 website www.vic.lca.org.au

Go to the link below to the LCA 50/500 site.

See what's on near you or advertise your own

50/500 event. http/:50500.lca.org.au/

District Voices August 2017

From our Bishop…

Study and Exposure Tour to Germany

The LCA encourages and sponsors its bishops to gain some exposure to the

church beyond our own. To that end I was nominated to participate in a ‘Study

and Exposure Seminar and Tour’ sponsored by the Mission One World

organization in Neuendettelsau, Germany, from 23rd June to 7th July 2017.

Mission One World is the centre for partnership, development and mission of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (ELCB), which also supports missions in

Central Australia, Papua New Guinea, and many parts of East Asia.

The 25 participants were church leaders (Bishops, seminary principals, pastors

and lay leaders) from 12 partner churches and institutions - Singapore, Malaysia,

Myanmar, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Lao,

Korea, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and Germany. LCA participants were

Pastor Neville Otto, Mr Michael Hauser and me. ………………..continued over

Pictured above Attendees to the conference. Michael Hauser is seated

approximately in the middle of the back row, with Bishop Lester to his left and , then

Pastor Neville Otto.

From our Bishop continued...…

The topic for this conference, in the 500th anniversary of the Reformation

was, "Dialoguing with Martin Luther, his Discoveries and his Catechisms:

Reformation for our Contexts and our Quest for Faith Education today."

Each of the participants was asked to lead a presentation on an allocated

topic on the theme.

The conference also gave opportunity for exposure to the work and

agencies of ELCB through keynote speakers, a visit to the ELCB

headquarters in Munich, touring places significant to the Reformation:

Wittenberg, Erfurt and Eisenach, visiting a protestant community in

Triefenstein, and sharing God’s Word and prayer in devotions and Sunday

Services.

One further aspect of the exposure (not associated with the conference as

such) was to be included in a theological discussion on behalf of the LCA,

with an ELCB pastor who has applied to serve in the Finke River Mission in

Central Australia.

Perhaps of greater value than the conference topic itself, was the

opportunity to meet church leaders from the Asia Pacific region and learn

of the context in which they minister, do mission work and train church

leaders.

It was also a valuable opportunity to network with leaders of church

communities which we have a connection to our district (e.g. Chinese,

Mara and Kachin congregations).

The conference gave opportunity to reflect on the blessings that we as the

church in the west enjoy compared to the situation for many of our Asian

neighbours where Christian religious activity is highly regulated by

governments and where Christians are often marginalized and persecuted.

By contrast, we noted that the secularisation in western countries has led to

a decline in within the Christian churches which is not being felt by our Asian

neighbours.

The conference gave opportunity to share some of the experiences and

resources of the LCA with our Asian neighbours who are still coming to learn

of the benefits of Luther’s catechisms for preaching and teaching the faith.

Yours in Christ

Bishop Lester Priebbenow +

District News

It was back to school for the Vic Tas District Church Council (DCC) in early

June, meeting at Trinity College Horsham ahead of bringing together the

Wimmera Ministry team leaders to share and discuss their joys and challenges

and how we might support each other.

The Sunday after the meeting DCC members split up and attended worship in

across the Wimmera zone, with two of the DCC Pastor representatives

preaching in currently vacant congregations.

District Church Council visit the Wimmera

District Church Council

members meet with Parish

leadership in Horsham.

Words supplied by DCC

Chair Tim Wiebusch

(adapted) photos also

provided by Tim

A flag raising ceremony was held at

Sunnyside on 7 July. The Independent Living

Unit Residents raised funds to purchase the

flagpole which was installed by Village Staff in

front of the Community Centre.

Pictured right are residents Melva Charles and

Alan ‘ Don’ Randall, previously serving in the

military. Village CEO Peter Jenkin spoke to

their military history at the ceremony.

Melva joined the Women’s Royal Australian

Navy Service in 1943 serving variously on the

HMAS Lonsdale, HMAS Moreton and HMAS

Morterey as well as the Flinders Naval Depot and Radio Unit in Melbourne.

Don enlisted in 1959, just prior to his 16th birthday. In 1953 Don was posted to

Woomera on the British Atom Bomb project. During his time there eight atomic

bombs were exploded!

Don also served in Vietnam and achieved the rank of major before resigning in

1978. Don went on to work as a civilian in the Department of Defence for 15

years.

After the ceremony the event closed with residents gathering for morning tea.

Flag Raising Ceremony at Sunnyside Lutheran Retirement Village