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19 December, 2016

Merry Christmas from us to you!

Advent is one of the busiest times of the year!
 
Some of us have been fortunate to attend end of year services at the schools our children attend or our whole congregations recently.  In a busy time, it was sheer joy to sit and listen to the stories reminding us of the true blessing of the coming of Christ.  It was also wonderful to sit and bask in the amazing singing and music of the choir, orchestra and the whole congregation.

Taking this sense of peace into the rest of the advent period has been a true gift.  How wonderful that Jesus came to us and that he is Immanuel – God with us. 

The Church Worker Support and Lay Ministry team pray that you have a wonderful time this Christmas, celebrating the birth of Christ.

Chris, Erika, Verena and Adam

 

Our favourite quick & easy Christmas treats...

We know this is a busy time and so we thought we’d share with you some of our favourite Christmas treats… We are deliberately sharing, easy, quick, no bake treats that you can whip up easily and enjoy almost immediately.

Apricot Balls – Chris

Ingredients

230gms diced dried apricots
½ tin condensed milk
½ cup icing sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut plus additional for coating

Method

Mix ingredients together.
Roll teaspoons of the mixture in to balls and then roll in additional coconut to coat.
Refrigerate.
I honestly have no idea how long these would keep as they tend to get eaten quickly after I’ve made them!

Brown Rice Salad – Adam

Ingredients

3 Cups of cooked brown rice
6 Spring onions (sliced)
1 Medium Red Capsicum (finely diced)
½ cup Sultanas
½ cup peanuts (roasted) or mixed nuts
2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp Pepitas
¼ cup of Sunflower oil or Olive oil
4 Tbsp soy sauce (not too dark)
Juice from 1 lemon
1 clove of garlic (crushed)

Method

In a large salad bowl, place the rice, spring onions, capsicum, sultanas, peanuts and the seeds.
In a screw-top jar, place the oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic.
Shake well to mix and pour over the salad, stirring to coat all the ingredients.

Recipe from Jenny Bartholomaeus 

Chocolate Cherry Slice – Verena

Ingredients

Base
2 cups rice bubbles
½ cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
125g butter

Topping
2 Cups Coconut
½ cup icing sugar
2 egg whites
125g glace cherries

Method

Combine in bowl rice bubbles, sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Add melted butter, mix well.
Line 18cm x 28cm lamington tin with aluminium foil, press rice bubble mixture firmly and evenly into time, refrigerate until set.
Combine coconut, sifted icing sugar and chopped cherries in bowl, add unbeaten egg whites, mix well.
Press topping mixture evenly over base, refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Cut into slices to serve.
The only other thing I do is drizzle some melted dark cooking chocolate over it.

Turkey, Camembert and Cranberry Sandwiches – Erika

Ingredients

Slices of your favourite bread
Butter, softened
Baby spinach or bean sprouts
Camembert, thinly sliced
Turkey breast
Cranberry sauce

Method

Spread 1 side of the bread slice with butter. Add spinach, top with brie and turkey.
Spread on the other side of bread with cranberry sauce. Place bread on top of turkey, sauce-side down.
Trim crusts. Cut each sandwich into 3 fingers. Serve.
Great for using any leftovers, especially on boxing day!!

Stay Well

BREATHE…

It’s that mad time of the year again where we race towards Christmas with a myriad of things to do before Christmas and the end of the year. However in the midst of this crazy time we need to remember to take the time to breathe.

To breathe, just breathe and be with God.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  Mark 6:31

Jesus spent time with his Heavenly Father especially when things were busy. How is it that we think we can skimp on this vital area of our life? All the resources, strength and refreshment we need to live this life and serve God in ministry come from him.

Even secular research shows that a lifestyle including religion or spirituality is generally a healthier lifestyle and they don’t know God and all that he offers us!

“We think we need so many useless things, when all we really need is time to breathe.”  Unknown

Check out these links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjeMwxFuBA

Office Closure over Christmas

 

 

The National Office is closed from 12pm 23rd December and reopens at 9am 3rd January.

 

 

 

Church Worker Support Team Leave

Verena is on leave from 16th December and returns on 10th January.
Adam is on leave from 16th December and returns on 17th January.
Chris is on leave from 3rd January and returns on 16th January.

Changes in Lay Ministry Workers

New Lay Workers
Ben DeGreef
- Family Worker Warradale Faith Congregation, SA
Ashlee Schultz – Interim Youth & Young Adults Ministry Facilitator, Box Hill St Paul Congregation, Vic

Finished in Role
Roelof Buitendag
– Messy Church Coordinator, Novar Gardens Immanuel Congregation, SA
Isaiah Logan - Luminate Coordinator, Qld District Department for Lutheran Youth of Queensland
John Mawbey - Programming & Kitchen Staff, Warrambui Retreat and Conference Centre, NSW
Andee Neumeister - Parish Ministry Support Coordinator, Ringwood-Knox Parish, Vic
Dave Peake - Outreach Worker, Nobby Holy Trinity Congregation, Qld
Christopher Reardon -Cross Cultural Ministry Team Leader, Cairns Trinity Congregation, Qld
Glenn Schultz – Lay Worker Formation Officer, LCA Lay Ministry
Anna Watson - School Counsellor, Victor Harbor Encounter Lutheran College, SA
Mitch Winkel Davis – Christian Youth Worker, Immanuel College, Novar Gardens, SA

Tandara Camp Interns, Halls Gap
Sophie Jurecky
Lauren Krause 
Chloe Maroske
Hayley Simons 

Luminate Interns – Lutheran Youth of Qld
Alaina Brinkmann
Hannah Fuller
Lachlan McLean
Lawrence Outridge
Sarah Turner
Kimberly Wagenknecht

Accreditations
Julie Krause
- Community Action Officer SA/NT/WA, Australian Lutheran World Service
Ani Sumanti - Indonesian Lay Worker, Pasadena Trinity Congregation, SA

Mission Quote...

“He was created of a mother whom He created. He was carried by hands that He formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy. He, the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute.” ~Augustine

Lay Workers Conference 2017!!!!

4th to 7th September 2017

Maroochy Waterfront Camp & Conference Centre, David Low Way, Diddilibah Qld

Right on the Maroochy River!!

Cost will be $460 all inclusive (not including travel)

Mark these dates in your dairies....watch this space for further updates!

Lay Worker Stories

We all have a ministry story of hope to share and more often than not they come from the ashes of hard lessons learned. Like to share your Lay Ministry story? Just contact us!

Church Worker Support Advisory Committee

The General Church Council, acting on a Synodical resolution to trial a new national structure, has endorsed the formation of an advisory committee for Church Worker Support. The Committee will support the Executive Officer of the Church, Peter Schirmer, and provide advice, feedback, expert opinion and information in matters relating to Church Workers. “Church Worker” is the collective name given to Pastors, Lay Workers, Volunteers and other workers serving in congregations, parishes, National and District offices of the LCA (generally not including people serving in schools, aged or community care).

We are looking for people with diverse backgrounds and relevant skills and expertise in one or more of the following areas:
•     Human Resource Management,
•     Workplace Health and Safety,
•     Industrial Relations,
•     Legal practice,
•     Church Administration and/or governance,
•     Lay Ministry
•    Adult Education/Professional or Corporate Development, and
•     Organisational Psychology.
•     Pastoral ministry

The Office of the Bishop is inviting nominations from people who may be interested in serving on this committee, which may meet up to three times per year. Costs associated with travel to committee meetings will be covered by the LCA.

We believe that God has blessed our Church with many talented people who have the ability to make an effective contribution to the life and work of the LCA. Yours might be the finger that taps a brother or sister on the shoulder: 'There's a great opportunity to serve the church; we thought it might suit you'.

If you are interested in serving on this committee please contact Chris Materne – Manager, Church Worker Support on 08 8267 7337 or christine.materne@lca.org.au to request a copy of the proposed Terms of Reference of the Committee.

Expressions of interest will be accepted until 16th January, 2017. Please email your expression of interest (no more than 2 pages) and your Resume (or an outline of relevant experience) to christine.materne@lca.org.au

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