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26 February, 2016

mission and ministry encouragers

Lay Ministry bits and pieces...

I know many of you are off to a busy start to the year. May 2016 bring you;  closer to Jesus, surrounded by support and continued hope in your heart.

Personal details forms

Thank you to the Lay Workers who have already sent their personal details form back. The response has been great and it is helping us put together an accurate and up to date picture of the profile of Lay Workers across the nation. If you haven't as yet sent yours back, it would be great to receive them soon as I'd like to have a report ready by April. Can you please make sure you fill in the second page regarding the list of "things" you have and the list of "things" you would like support in. It's hoped that as the new Church Worker Support Devartment is established, you'll only need to fill in one form rather than different forms for different departments...that's the theory anyway.

If we can help in anyway as you work in your communities as mission & ministry encouragers, let us know.

Changes in Lay Ministry Workers

New Lay Workers
David Biar – Professional Standards Officer, LCA SA/NT District
Deb Heinrich – Trinity Lutheran College, Mildura, Vic
Jennifer Jarman – Family Connections Coordinator, Gladstone St Martins Congregation, Qld
Tamara Martin – Cross-Cultural Outreach and Ministry Coordinator, Glynde Congregation, SA
Margot Mertin – Youth & Young Adult Team Leader, Para Vista Good Shepherd Congregation, SA
Sarah Palmer – Youth Worker, Duncraig Concordia Congregation, WA
Ani Sumanti – Indonesian Lay Worker, Pasadena Trinity Congregation, SA
Trudi Skene – Coordinator Communication & Advertising, Box Hill St Pauls Congregation, Vic
Jordan Smith – Coordinator Youth & Family Ministry, Box Hill St Pauls Congregation, Vic                                                                             Carol Voigt – Ministry Assistant, St Petri Congregation, SA

Changed positions
Roeloff Buitendag – Messy Church Coordinator, Novar Gardens Immanuel Congregation, SA
Glenice Hartwich – Assistant to the Bishop – International Mission, LCA

Jemimah Juers – Youth & Family Ministry Coordinator to Youth Ministry Mentor, Box Hill St Pauls Congregation, Vic
John Mawbey – Kitchen Hand & Guest Services, Warrambui Retreat & Conference Centre, NSW
Wendy Woods – Kitchen Hand & Guest Services, Warrambui Retreat & Conference Centre, NSW

Left Positions
Sophie Gerrie - Youth & Young Adults Team Leader, Para Vista Good Shepherd Congregation, SA
Anna Kroehn - Acting Director Children, Youth & Familly Ministry SA/NT District                                                                               Margaret Muller – Junior Chaplain Everton Hills Prince of Peace Lutheran College, Qld

If you would like to welcome or congratulate these people or the writers of the stories in this edition, click on their name to send an email

Michelle Filipovic - Werribee, Victoria

I’d like to share a special moment when I visited Jane, an Iranian asylum seeker from a Muslim background. When I arrived Jane showed me around their new rental home. Afterwards we read from the English Farsi Easy Good News Bible, the story of Jesus appearing to His disciples after the resurrection – ‘…Jesus stood among them. “Peace be with You…” He said. They were filled with joy…’ John 20:19-21. We finished with prayer, and afterwards she said, ‘While you were praying I remembered a dream I had when I was living in the other house’.  I asked her to share:
‘I was in a big church, with lots of people, I was looking around, for a way out, I was lost, I didn’t know where to go. Suddenly a hand gently rested on my shoulder and led me to a door, he led me out’.  I replied ‘I know who that man was’.  Smiling she said ‘I know, it was Jesus’.  Jesus had appeared to her in a dream. She described her experience; ‘I feel like a light shining on me, joy, like calm, looking out the window for words’, she said, ‘warmth like the sun - peace’.
The John reading had reflected her dream and the feeling of peace.
I suggested she share the dream with her husband and she replied ‘I told him about my dream and he said “you should share your dream with Michelle”, but I never did until you were praying with me then I remembered’.
Jane met Jesus in a dream, it was affirmed through sharing her dream, through scripture and prayer, now she is on a journey in the Christian Faith.
Jesus is moving amongst the Muslim people. May the Holy Spirit continue to move through our ministering to them, praise be to God.
*Jane is not her true Christian name

alc options....

Enrolments are open for 2016 higher ed and vocational ed courses. Click here for details.

All Lay Workers, but particularly those in Leadership positions should consider undertaking the Foundations course in the Congregational Leadership training series pictured below. Cost for this should be covered by your congregation.

click here for more details

click here for more details

& frequently asked questions

Chris Materne - Church Worker Support Department

I am very excited to have taken up the role of Manager, Church Worker Support in the National Office of the LCA.  Not only is this a new role for me it is also a new position in the LCA and I pray that this role will become clearer as we walk together.  Jesus shows us that when we put our trust in Him our feet can take us where we might fear to tread on our own. I truly look forward to serving God in this new role and supporting others who also serve God. 
I was born into a Methodist family (so that gives you a hint as to how old I am) and grew up in the Uniting Church.  As an older teenager, church gradually ceased to become a priority for me and I drifted away from church as sport and other interests seemed to become more important.
Thankfully God had other plans and in my 30’s I found my way back to church and when I married Mark I became a member of the Lutheran Church.  I’ve been involved in a variety of ministry activities since then, including with children, youth, women and small groups.  As a family we now worship and are actively involved in the Warradale congregation community.  I also serve on the School Council of Immanuel Primary School.  Life is pretty busy when we add in teenage children, extended family and friends and I wouldn’t have it any other way!  I also understand that I need quiet time and make time to keep fit, knit, read or just sit staring at the sea regularly.
My previous employment has seen me working in kitchens, aged care, restaurants, hotels, a hotel school, a university and in state government.  When I was home with young children I went back to University completed a degree in psychology and went on to complete a PhD. I have an extensive experience in human resource management, research and vocational and tertiary education. 
When I look back over my life I can see God’s fingerprints all over it and even when I wasn’t “in” the church he was with me gently guiding me (and sometimes not so gently) back towards him.  I have learnt that we are never too old and it is never too late to start afresh and I am forever thankful for this message from the gospel.

Lutheran Super

 Mark Wiersema has been appointed by the Board of Directors of Lutheran Super to the position of Business Development Officer.
A major part of his role is to promote the Fund among non-member employees and educate existing members on the various benefits and opportunities provided by the Fund. Mark will also provide guidance for members wishing to establish spouse accounts and Lutheran Super Pension Accounts, organise the rollover of other funds into Lutheran Super and address other issues that members and employers may wish to raise in respect to superannuation.
Mark looks forward to meeting the Lay Workers in 2016.
Mark Wiersema
0419 386 292

mission quotes....

God had an only Son and He made Him a missionary.
– David Livingstone

God isn’t looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him.    - Hudson Taylor

Need help, support, encouragement...?

We can help with:

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