Welcome to the 2015 "encourager".

Some bits of news to share with you as we start another year....

• This year is the National Conference for Lay Workers at Nunyara, Adelaide on May 18th (Mon) - 21st (Thurs) These conferences are held every second year and are a great way to meet other Lay Workers, learn, grow, and just have a lot of fun. We'll probably continue to bombard you with information until you register! It's your opportunity to be blessed and to be a blessing to fellow Workers serving in the LCANZ
• The Lay Ministry department has relocated to a new office (same address but a different view) We all work in the same space, have a meeting room and the "cone of silence" office for private meetings/phone calls.
• We have a new display on our office wall with all Lay Workers across the LCANZ. displayed so visitors can see the many faces of Lay Ministry. We are still missing photos of about half of you. The wall is a great way to promote Lay Ministry and starts lots of discussions. Click here to see if we would like a photo from you....
• Glenn Schultz has a new facebook site for those interested in small groups discussions This site gives you opportunity to explore any Small Group questions you might have, or suggestions you could give....
• James and Judy Doecke have just accepted positions as part of the staff at Tandara Lutheran Camp, Halls Gap, Vic. ...rumour has it that it is impossible to take Lay Ministry out of James...and we're all thankful for that!
• This year we are looking to conduct a survey of Lay Workers to find out how we can better encourage and serve you in the ministry God has called you to. We hope to launch this at the Lay Workers Conference in May
• Currently there is a review of the LCA Governance and Administration structure. This review will be discussed throughout 2015 and it's hoped changes will provide even more effective ways to support God's people obeying their call to ministry and mission in their communities.

May your hearts and hands be those of Ministry & Mission encouragers

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth!” Psalm 96:1
I have been music coordinator at Our Saviour Lutheran Church for just over 6 years. I believe the most important instrument is a heart that earnestly seeks to praise and respond to God. I learned song leading from wonderful mentors, and I hope to encourage more song leaders in the same way.
Praising God together through music is both a vertical and a horizontal experience. That is, we communicate with God, and we share this experience with our Christian family. I love to encourage the congregation to praise God through confident and well-rehearsed singing, to bless them with smiles of encouragement, and to model engaged and authentic praise.
I have at various times learned the piano accordion for a bush Christmas celebration (I had no idea how tricky that would prove to be!), conducted brass marching bands, sung live praise songs with sacred dance teams, and coordinated songs for Christmas Carol events, harvest services, confirmations, and Easter and Christmas festivals.
My job also involves lots of phone calls, emails, requests, rearrangements, collating music for services, which I call “throwing sheet music in all directions”, filing and copyright reporting, and lots and lots of tact and diplomacy.
In the day-to-day execution of my role, it is easy to lose sight of the blessings that surround me - the enthusiastic musicians who give their best on a regular basis, and the beautiful hymns, choruses and contemporary songs we sing. Two years ago, we asked members to nominate their favourite songs, and perhaps share why they were important to them. It was plain to see the deep connections, memories and meaning that various songs hold for people, and the joy on people’s faces when “their” song was played. We have now made this an annual event.
As we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our congregation in October, I oversaw a band, choir and brass section as we led the congregation together in thanking God for His blessings. It was a moving experience for me as we drew together music of various eras and genres to praise our Saviour.      Rachael Stelzer
 

We welcome the following people to Lay Ministry:

Chris Bartlett - College Chaplain, Toowoomba Concordia College, Qld
Janette Lange - Assistant Archivist, LCA Archives, Adelaide, SA
Cheryl Kuhne - Qld Hospital Chaplain, John Flynn Private Hospital, Tugan, Qld
Zachary Storm - Outreach Coordinator, Tuggeranong Good Shepherd Congregation, NSW
Ryan Plummer - Youth & Family Ministry Director, Tuggeranong Good Shepherd Congregation, NSW
James Doecke & Judy Doecke - Tandara Camp, Grampians, Vic
Billy Werner & Tesser Werner  - Community Youth Workers, Upper Moutere NZ (currently an lca email address is unavailable)

Tandara Interns
Joshua Tedham and James Ker

Warrambui Interns
Sifa Mireye
Jethro Kneen
Jennifer Herrmann
Brian Smith
Carl Janetzki
Tricia Williams

Latest Accredited
Christian Bahnerth
Nevin Nitschke
Jemimah Juers
Linda Macqueen - 7 September 1990, presented with Certificate.

click on the names to send a welcome email

Those who have left positions:
Abbey & Andrew Bensemann - Community Youth Workers, UpperMoutere St Pauls Congregation, NZ
Marjon Gerson - Family & Community Worker, Auckland Mountainside Congregation, NZ
Holly Fouyaxis - Messy Church Coordinator, Novar Gardens Immanuel Congregation, SA
Colin Palmer - Chaplain, Rothwell Grace Lutheran College & Caboolture Grace Lutheran Secondary College, Qld
Emma Kluge - Young Adults & Worship Support Team Leader, Para Vista Good Shepherd Congregation, SA
Robyn Wuttke - CAFÉ3:16 Mission Coordinator, Hahndorf St Michaels Congregation, SA
Chris Heinrich - Pastoral & Community Care Coordinator, Bundaberg St Johns Congregation, Qld
Esther Harding - Chaplain, Rothwell Grace Lutheran College & Caboolture Grace Lutheran Secondary College, Qld

Interns Warrambui
Isaac Abbott
Rachel Hage
Matthew Jaeschke
Amy Krause
John Mawbey
Ryan Plummer

Interns Halls Gap
Nadia Bunge
Tiarna Hahn
Shinae Colville

We thankyou for your service, your heart for Jesus and your contribution to the ministry of the LCANZ.

It's getting closer! We'll email with a registration site shortly. To view the program.....

click here.

Guest speakers / presenters include Peter Stiecke, Tim Hein, Dean Eaton and Michael Dutschke. A great opportunity for learning, Spiritual growth, networking and fun!

The role of Pastoral Care Nurse often brings you into contact with people at low points in their lives — physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. 
Several incidents stand out in my mind. 
There was ‘Mary’.  I first met her in hospital.  She’d been admitted several times as a result of her acute alcoholism.  The staff had virtually written her off.  As I sat there with her, I simply said: ‘Mary, do you realise you’re suffering from alcoholism?’
‘Yes’, she said, as she grasped my hand.  ‘Will you help me fight it?’ 
It was a long journey over many months, as I involved the alcohol counsellor and other support services.  It also meant helping ‘Mary’ deal with an abusive de facto situation.   The outcome was that ‘Mary’ regained her sobriety, reunited with her son, began worshipping again, and began participating in some of the congregation’s groups. 
In another incident, ‘Tom’ sidled up to me after church one Sunday, as I was taking Blood Pressures, and almost whispered, ‘I’ve been to see my doctor, and he thinks he’s caught it in time’.  He was referring to a presentation I’d arranged at a men’s breakfast.  The speaker was a prostate cancer survivor.  ‘Tom’ is one person who, under God, was granted more years to his life than he might otherwise have had. 
Then there’s ‘Ellen’.  She was just hanging around at church after everybody else had gone.  She looked a little tense, so I said to her, ‘Is everything alright?’  She burst into tears, and out it all came.  She and her husband had struck a rocky patch in their marriage, and she didn’t know where to turn.  She didn’t want to bother the pastor, so we talked, and I referred her to someone who was able to help her and her husband address the issues they were facing. 
Or there’s ‘Ilze’, an elderly Latvian woman who lives in a retirement village.  I’ve spent many hours with her — helping her navigate the complicated Australian health system, accompanying her on visits to the hospital, listening to her talk about her experiences during the war … and through it all assuring her of God’s continuing gracious presence with her.
It’s a joy and privilege to use my nursing background and theological study to bring people a vision of hope in what might otherwise be a gloomy and fear-filled outlook.    Lynette T Wiebusch

In 1517 Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church

Would you like to:
see this site in preparation for the 500 year celebration?
take a pilgrimage to some of the places Luther journeyed?
share the experience with old and new ministry friends?
......do all this at a low cost?

Lay Workers & ALC students… this is a wonderful opportunity for you!

for more information click here

To submit an Expression of interest click here

Below are the direct links to the ALC website pages for students interested in the VET Certificate IV in Christian Ministry & Theology course in 2015.   For further enquiries please contact sts@alc.edu.au

•        Thinking about vocational education & training?
•        VET student information  and 2015 VET Workshop Calendar

We can help with:

• ministry plans
• setting up prayer/support teams
• training options
• developing a ministry team
• employment agreements
• a listening ear