ALC wants to partner with you in mission and ministry.

There was a time in my life when I loved to receive junk mail, particularly for ‘boys' things’ such as audio and car equipment. That weekly supply of junk mail would set off my imagination and desires (and anxieties). I honestly believed that my life would be improved if only I owned that vast array of gadgets. I could do more, feel greater satisfaction and enjoy even greater happiness. It made sense…to me. 

Junk mail never reminds us of what we already have or the richness that we already enjoy. Junk mail is designed to assist consumers to consume: to desire, acquire, devour, discard, and then desire all over again. It often comes as a real surprise to discover what riches are already ours, outside of our desires.

Australian Lutheran College (ALC) is rich with resources. Our library holds a collection of over ninety thousand books and journals. Added to this are our extensive and growing on-line library resources. We have approximately twenty staff who are all active learners and teachers in their fields. We have other staff who support our learning and teaching programmes through their own skills and expertise outside of the classroom. We have innovative delivery systems, whereby it is not always necessary to live in Adelaide to attend a class.  Many of our courses are now offered online. We have a range of fully accredited courses and programmes, some of which can be delivered in your local congregation or school context, designed to engage participants in their journey of lifelong learning and growth in faith.   

ALC wants to partner with you in mission and ministry. We want the rich resources which are entrusted to us, to bless the whole church. It might be through a Grassroots Training workshop run in your congregation. It might be through our library, or through one of the parish workers, teachers and pastors who completed their preparation for service at ALC. We want to partner with you to offer you the things that you might struggle to provide for yourself, and together we might just discover that we already have all that we need to serve…together.

'I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.'          

Philippians 1:3-6 NRSV

God bless you,
James Winderlich
Principal

At the beginning of March, Shaun Lancaster commenced duties as the new Senior Librarian at ALC's Löhe Memorial Library, replacing the former Library Manager, Blan MacDonagh, who retired in October 2014.

Shaun is a highly skilled professional, whose library management career extends back to 1995 and has included leadership contributions to various community and tertiary institutional environments in the areas of infrastructure planning and development (built environment & ICT), library program development (community liaison & engagement), and learning technology administration. He has worked in a variety of environments including the performing arts (South Africa), local government (NZ), a theological college (Auckland), a university medical school (Adelaide), and more recently for TAFE (QLD).

Shaun’s qualifications include: a BMus degree in violin performance (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg), a Master of Applied Science degree in Library (Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga), a Master of Business Administration degree (AIM, Adelaide), and various industry certifications in information technology.

In his current role at ALC, Shaun will be working collaboratively with staff to improve access to resources for students and faculty and leveraging contemporary best practice principles in resource access, to suit both on campus and remote students. He looks forward to meeting you when you next visit the library.

Grassroots Training is pleased to announce the
next series of evening classes, commencing
5 May 2015.

The classes will be held at the college on a Tuesday from 7.00 pm to 9.30 pm, over four consecutive weeks.

At a cost of just $45 per person ($25 concession), these classes offer an affordable learning opportunity to all, with the short-term nature of the series, appealing to the busy individual who does not want to overcommit themselves.

Topics being offered in this series are:

Does faith matter?
Upholding Christian faith in a world of non-faith, religions and -isms

Presenter: Dr Dean Zweck

The Bible encourages Christians to ‘be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect’ (1 Peter 3:15 GNB). We can best explain, uphold and defend our faith when we understand where people are coming from. In this class we will learn about other religions and world-views and how we as Christians can enter into respectful dialogue with people of other faith, or no faith at all.

The grace-powered life:
Lutheran spirituality according to Bo Giertz in his Christian classic, The hammer of God

Presenter: Dr Stephen Pietsch

In a time when Lutherans seem more confused than ever about how to live a sanctified life, this spiritual classic offers insights and discoveries that continue to delight and liberate people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, showing what God’s grace looks and feels like when it is received, lived and experienced. Join a reading and discussion group, as we journey together through the three short stories in The hammer of God, looking at the characters, issues and events through which God calls, convicts and uplifts and renews the faith of ordinary Christians like you. NB: You will need a copy of the book, The hammer of God for this class.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: 
Challenging us to rethink our faith for the 21st century

Presenters: Dr Maurice Schild & Rev Mike Pietsch

Come and receive a drenching bath in Bonhoeffer’s thinking about paradox and humour, his seminary teaching and practice of discipleship and ethics, his participation in the plot to kill Hitler, and his relationship with his fiancée while in prison. Learn about his committed engagement with the world and the actions which flowed from this. You will need to rethink your faith after you have engaged with Bonhoeffer’s Christ-centred theology, which takes us to the heart of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

For more information and to register visit www.grassroots.edu.au

An exciting new initiative in partnership with the LCA, has been to develop an online program called Congregational Leadership Training. Behind every growing congregation is a strong team of leaders who play a critical part in the mission and ministry of the congregation. In order to successfully fulfil the tasks that they are called to do, it is essential that they are trained and equipped to perform in these roles.

Congregational Leadership Training starts with ‘Foundations’, an introductory unit for all your office-holders and leaders.
There are also specific units for chairpersons, treasurers and secretaries. Because this training is offered online, you can start anytime and study anywhere. To register or to find out more visit www.grassroots.edu.au/clt.

The Graduate Certificate in Leadership is a new higher education award offered by ALC through the University of Divinity this year. It is a coursework award designed for professionals in organisations and agencies who wish to enhance their understanding of leadership in a Christian context. Currently developed for educators, dependent on need it is hoped to be offered for other sectors eg. community service organisations, congregational ministry.

Another exciting development at the college this year has been the renaming of the former Master of Arts (Education and Theology) award to the Master of Education and Theology award. This new name clearly reprsents the focus of the award and meets the professional expectations of the educational sector and Lutheran schools.

The award provides professional development for teachers through the study of the interactions between education and theology. These complementary disciplines inform each other and are lived out, side by side in the day to day life of a school. The award enhances teachers’ capacity to reflect on their role as teachers and leaders in the educational and theological environment of a school.

A sample of produce donated to the ALC student community this year by congregations around SA

From February each year, for approximately 6 weeks (give or take), our student community at ALC receives a constant supply of gifts of food, toiletries, fresh produce and sometimes other non-consumable gifts (beautiful quilts, handmade items and even homewares), from various congregations as a result of Harvest Thanksgiving celebrations.

It is a real support to the student families - both financially and practically. It is amazing how God provides for our needs through these gifts. We are literally overwhelmed by the amount of goods that come in each year. This in turn makes us feel really loved by the wider church community and grateful for the support they give us in such a practical way. It is a humbling experience for each of us.

When the donated goods arrive on campus, our girls (now 4 years old), look forward with excitement, 'to going shopping'. It really is a very exciting time for all, not knowing exactly what will be waiting for us to share in. For our family, the gifts bestowed upon us during Harvest Thanksgiving continue to be a blessing to us throughout the year, as fresh produce is cooked up when it arrives and frozen for future meals and tinned goods are placed in the cupboard and used as needed.

  One particular Harvest
  Thanksgiving period
  stands out in my mind. It
  was our second year at
  ALC and one of our
  daughters (pictured) was
  in hospital with a broken
  femur. As you can
  imagine, this was a very
  difficult time for our family,
  but a knitted teddy (from
  Angaston congregation),
  which arrived along with
  Harvest Thanksgiving
  produce that year, soon
  provided our little girl (and
  her parents) with some
  much needed comfort.
To this day, we often look at 'Teddy' and are reminded of the ongoing blessings bestowed upon us by congregations – for which we, along with the other ‘Sem’ families, are truly grateful.

Prior to coming to ALC, my husband and I were part of a rural congregation, who sent Harvest Thanksgiving produce down to the ‘Sem’ each year. We were happy to give these items, but never knew the enormity of congregational giving, until we arrived at ALC as students ourselves. It's a privilege to be on the receiving end and to see how much these gifts are valued amongst the community here.

                                                                         Jody Klemm

Evening Classes - SA
7.00 to 9.30 pm on Tuesday nights in May
Australian Lutheran College

Home & Church in Partnership workshop - Vic
8.30 am to 5.30pm on 20 June and
12.30 pm to 5.00 pm on 21 June
Victory Lutheran College, Wodonga

Spiritual Resilience workshop - SA
9.00 am to 5.00 pm on 26 & 27 June
Australian Lutheran College

Beliefs workshop - SA
9.00 am to 4.00 pm on 2 & 3 July and 22 & 23 July
Australian Lutheran College

Bible workshop - Qld
9.00 am to 4.00 pm from 7 to 10 July
ACU Banyo

Toolkit for Ministry workshop - Vic
9.00 am to 5.00 pm on 13 & 14 July
Tandara Lutheran Camp, Halls Gap

Building Healthy Relationships workshop - Vic
9.00 am  to 5.00 pm on 15 & 16 July
Tandara Lutheran Camp, Halls Gap

Building Healthy Relationships workshop - Qld
9.00 am to 5.00 pm on 22 & 23 July
St John's Lutheran Church, Ipswich

Equipping for Leadership workshop - Qld
6.30 pm to 8.30 pm on 24 July
8.30 am to 4.30 pm on 25 July
12.30 pm to 4.30 pm on 26 July
St John's Lutheran Church, Ipswich

Equipping for Leadership workshop - SA
9.00 am to 5.00 pm on 3 & 4 August
Salisbury Lutheran Church, Salisbury

Fritzsche Oration - SA
7.30 pm on 10 August
Australian Lutheran College
Dr Greg Lockwood will present on the topic:
'The Silver Years - Australian Lutheran Involvement in PNG Mission 1968-1987'

Building Healthy Relationships workshop - SA
9.00 am to 5.00 pm on 17 & 18 August
Salisbury Lutheran Church, Salisbury

Graduation Ceremony - SA
7.30 pm on 4 December
Immanuel College Chapel, 32 Morphett Rd, Novar Gardens