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20 November 2013

Prayer points
• The people of the Philippines affected by typhoon Haiyan and the aid agencies from across the world providing emergency aid
• ALC pastor and teacher graduates as prepare to enter the service of the church
• That Lutheran Media Ministry may help many people want to learn about Jesus Christ over this Christmas season
• That young men and women will be challenged to consider a call to serve in specialized ministries in the Church

GRADUATE ASSIGNMENTS
The College of Bishops have assigned four out of the five final year pastoral ministry students eligible for ordination as follows:
Andrew Dockerill to Wodonga VIC
Levi Graham to Rainbow VIC
Josh Muller to Eudunda SA
Michael Rudolph to LifeWay Lutheran Church (Newcastle pastor) NSW
Please remember the graduates in your prayers as they prepare for ordination in the coming weeks. The 2013 Ordination Service will be held on Sunday 8 December at 2.00pm at St Paul Lutheran Church Blair Athol SA. Please note the change in venue for this year. All are welcome to attend.

175th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEGINNING OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA
Although we celebrated this event at the LCA General Synod in April earlier this year, the month of November marks the actual dates when this took place. On Sunday 4th November 1838 the first Lutheran service in South Australia was held. It was conducted by the newly-arrived German missionaries, Schürmann and Teichelmann, in the Congregational chapel of the Rev Stow. On 21st November 1838 the ship Prince George, containing Pastor Kavel and his people, anchored in the Port River, after leaving their homes 5½ months earlier. On Sunday 25th November 1838 Pastor Kavel conducted a thanksgiving service at the port. From there they moved to settle on the River Torrens and built a village which they named Klemzig, which was the name of the home village of many of them. In May the following year they held their first Lutheran synod. These events are being commemorated this month by two events. In Adelaide on Sunday 17th November the Friends of Lutheran Archives had a bus tour to the arrival site at Port Misery, the missionaries’ location at Piltawodli, and the village at Klemzig. In Melbourne on 19th November the Friends of Lutheran Archives Victoria held a meeting at which John Noack presented the history of the beginning of the Lutheran Church in Australia.

138 ORGANISATIONS COMBINE TO OBJECT TO DIVISIVE USE OF ‘ILLEGAL’
On 5 November the Refugee Council of Australia spearheaded a joint statement which was sent to the Prime Minister to voice objection to the Australian Government’s recent decision to refer to asylum seekers who enter Australia by boat as “illegal maritime arrivals”. The statement brought together 138 non-government agencies, faith-based organisations and community groups, including the LCA, who reminded the Prime Minister that seeking asylum was not illegal under Australian and international law. Appealing to the Prime Minister’s intention to govern for all Australians, the joint statement said political leadership by Government had a profound effect on the nation. Legitimising the word “illegal”, it was feared, could lead to instances of fear and hatred in the community, much of it directed against humanitarian arrivals. The statement noted the shift in sentiment towards asylum seekers in Europe in the aftermath of the tragic boat sinking off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy and pleaded for the Prime Minister to place a higher value on cooperation, diplomacy, respect and honesty rather than harsh policy and language to dehumanise asylum seekers. Read the full statement at http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/r/s&l/131105_TAbbott_Illegal.pdf.

LWF BACKSTAGE PASS 8 – 21 March 2014
LWF Backstage Pass offers a unique opportunity for a group of like-minded people to spend two weeks in Nepal to gain an insight into the work of the LWF. For many years LWF have been in Nepal supporting Tibetan and Bhutanese refugees to improve their livelihoods through improved income generation opportunities including support for farm-based enterprises and cooperatives, education and skills development – for details please visit http://www.lutheranworld.org/content/nepal. The Backstage Pass group will spend time with LWF colleagues and those people they serve. The group will also spend a week trekking high in the mountains, drinking tea with Buddhist monks and learning about how the LWF lives out its values in an interfaith context. There will be times of Christian fellowship with a truly international Lutheran team. The program will be led by a senior LWF staff member who lived and worked in Nepal for 17 years. The common language will be English. One of the explicit aims of the LWF Backstage Pass is to raise valuable funds for the work of LWF Department for World Service program in Nepal. In addition to covering their own travel, food and accommodation costs, participants will be required to raise an additional 1,100 Euros (1,500 US dollars). More information can be found on the LWF website including details of the itinerary, and the application form at http://www.lutheranworld.org/content/lwf-backstage-pass-expedition-nepal

HAPPYLAND CHRISTMAS CARDS
Need fun Christmas cards with the real meaning of Christmas? Order your free packs of Happyland Christmas cards now Click here or call Lutheran Media on 1800 353 350. They are great for children. Order by the 12th December for us to send them to you before Christmas.

HAPPYLAND ONLINE ADVENT CALENDAR
Back by popular demand, our Happyland Online Advent Calendar will be here again with a new look this year! Lutheran Media are putting together so much fun and inspiration in the lead up to Christmas, remembering that Jesus is the reason for the season! Go to www.happyland.com.au

HAPPYLAND STORIES DVD
Our Happyland DVD's have arrived! You can purchase our 'Happyland Stories' DVD for only $10. Contact Lutheran Media on 1800 353 350 or by filling in your details at the following link Click here. Stories include Master Chef, Life Saver, Forgiven, It's Possible and You are Special. They come with printable colouring-in pages and are the perfect gift this Christmas!!

ONLINE LIVE STREAM AND ON-DEMAND WORSHIP
Can’t get to Church? Want to show someone what a Lutheran Church service is like? Go to new.livestream.com/luthworship (or search for ‘luthworship’ at www.livestream.com) and join with St Michael’s Lutheran Church in Hahndorf, South Australia. The worship services are streamed live at 9:30am (Australian CST) on 1st Sunday of the month. 10:30am on other Sundays. 4th Sunday of the month is 'Sermon Only'. They are available by the end of the day to watch when you would like. You can also order Worship DVDs from luthmedia@lca.org.au or phone 1800 353 350.

NEW RESOURCES FROM GROW MINISTRIES
TAKING FAITH HOME Year A. A weekly resource to help you connect your weekend worship with the faith life of your home.  Includes Bible readings, prayers, blessings and faith-sharing ideas. This resource is based on the three year cycle of the whole church year and comes to you on a CD. Please visit the Grow Ministries website www.growministries.org.au and download an order form from the ‘News’ page and return to Leah Cronin, Grow Ministries: bcyfm@lca.org.au or c/- 197 Archer Street, North Adelaide, SA  5007 or order from our ‘Online Shop’.  The 2013-2014 Taking Faith Home beings on the 1st Sunday of Advent (1st December 2013).  NEW items in the 2013-2014 resource include Jpeg file version of each weeks Taking Faith Home Bulletin edition as well as the At Home edition and a black and white version of the Bulletin edition.
Also NEW this Advent is our GIFT (Generations In Faith Together) ADVENT resource.  Passing on the Christian faith involves a partnership of generations, individuals and families within the Christian congregation.  Gift events provide an opportunity for people of all ages to explore God’s love for them through worship activities and fellowship by sharing the gift of each other and the gift of faith; the gift of building community and relationships with all generations.  For your FREE copy of GIFT ADVENT or for more information please email bcyfm@lca.org.au

ALC VALEDICTORY AND CONFERRAL CEREMONY
Australian Lutheran College’s academic year will close with a Valedictory and Conferral Ceremony on Friday, 29 November at 7.30pm. The evening will be held at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 44 Audrey Avenue, Blair Athol SA and will provide an opportunity to farewell and celebrate the academic achievements of our final year students. All are welcome to attend and are invited to stay on for supper at the conclusion of proceedings. For catering purposes, please advise the college (8267 7400 or email alc@alc.edu.au) if you plan to attend.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT WANTED FOR VICTORIAN/TASMANIAN DISTRICT
The Victorian/Tasmanian District is seeking a suitably skilled person for the full-time position of Executive Assistant to work out of its office at 755 Station Street, Box Hill, Victoria. The District works to bring God’s love in Christ to life in Victoria and Tasmania through its ministries in the best possible way.
Reporting to the District Bishop, the Executive Assistant supports this work by providing personal assistance to the Bishop, participating in the District staff team, and helping the pastors, parishes and agencies of the wider District. The Executive Assistant attends to vacancy support, communications and publications, website and SharePoint maintenance, event planning, and general office duties and management. He or she must be a member of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Email admin@vic.lca.org.au for a position description or phone 03 9236 1200. Closing Date: Monday 9th December 2013, 5.00pm

ALWS COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT OFFICER
Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) is the aid and development agency of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA). It is seeking an energetic and organised person to support the important work of our Community Action team. This is a part-time position (2 days a week) which provides a broad range of responsibilities. ALWS invites qualified and experienced applicants who are committed to serving the world’s poor and marginalised through a global network of partners. ALWS is a child safe organisation. As a condition of this, the successful applicant will be required to sign the ALWS Code of Conduct. The location of the position will be negotiable. Applications close 2nd December 2013. For more information, please visit our website at www.alws.org.au, or contact ALWS at 1300 763 407 or the Executive Secretary at cheym@alws.org.au.

CALL INFORMATION

EXTENDED
Allan Wain Tea Tree Gully SA to Ceduna SA
Matthew Thomas Redeemer College Rochedale QLD to Morphett Vale SA
Robert D’Antoni Woolloongabba QLD to Wagga Wagga NSW
Nathan Hedt Pastor for Tertiary and Youth Ministry VIC District to Salisbury SA
Greg Vangsness Alberton QLD to Gympie QLD
Adam Eime Henty NSW to Redcliffe QLD
Matt Thiele Buderim QLD to Middle Park QLD
Darryl Mattner ADF Chaplaincy to Sutherland NSW

ACCEPTED


DECLINEDMark Vainikka Concordia College Toowoomba QLD to Middle Park QLD
Paul Smith Pacific College Caloundra QLD to Redcliffe QLD

PARISHES IN THE CALL PROCESS
New South Wales: Albury; Burrumbuttock; Central Coast; Sutherland; Temora; Wagga Wagga;
New Zealand:
Queensland: Gympie; Middle Park; Redcliffe
South Australia/Northern Territory: Birdwood; Ceduna, Morphett Vale, Mount Barker, Salisbury; Southern Flinders, Warradale; Woodville; Wudinna
Victoria: Melbourne Ballarat; Outer Eastern;
Western Australia: Katanning Narrogin;

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN LAY MINISTRY
Congregational Care Co-ordinator - Portland-Heywood Lutheran Church, Vic - 40 hours per fortnight
School Chaplain - St John's Lutheran School, Jindera, NSW- Permanent part-time position
Ministry Development Manager - Warrambui Retreat and Conference Centre, NSW.
Sudanese Lay Worker - Lutheran Church of Australia, Gippsland Parish, Vic - Full-time from 2014 to 2016
Children and Family Team Leader - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Para Vista, SA - 12 hours per week
Lay Support Worker - Aboriginal ministry at Yalata and Far West Coast, South Australia.
For more information please visit the LCA web site: http://www.lca.org.au/employment-opportunities.html


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