....or someone you know should be.... contact us by clicking here

Kelpies with still lots to offer the flock!

Looking to start an area of ministry and need a motivational speaker...?

Need a mentor in a specific ministry area...?

Have a gap in ministry staff that needs filling...?

Looking to replace a Lay Worker on LSL...?

In the past it has been difficult to find people who are readily available and have experience and skills to help in the above areas. Slowly but surely we aim to build up a list of Lay Workers who aren't currently employed and have the ministry skills to help you.

Look under "Lay Worker help" in the right hand column of this, and future enews. Click on their name to contact them directly to discuss how these people may be able to help you and your community.

Perhaps you would like your name added to the list?...contact Nevin, Glenn or Verena for a chat.

...you might also like to check out Hanna Schulz's blog about being a Bible Translator in PNG...to access the blog, check the resource section in the right hand column. In the next enews edition Hanna writes about being a Bible Translator...

The BLM acknowledges that voluntary Lay Ministry work is common across all age levels and that more and more people as they retire, serve in smaller and less financial congregations or simply give of their time in service to their Lord and their congregation, will do so as a volunteer or possibly in a position where an honorarium is paid.

Click here for more information...see page 19

Click here for Volunteers Covenant...see page 64

Men of the Bacon! 

One of my greatest joys in ministry at the moment is meeting with a group of grade 10-12 men each Thursday morning. Their name: ‘The Men of The Bacon’. Each Thursday we cook a cholesterol heavy breakfast, which always features… you guessed it, bacon. But our group is more than just bacon! It features God’s word, prayer and a deep sense of brotherhood. Below is a copy of our creed and commitment to each other. What amazes me most about this group is the young men’s commitment to it. During exam block, a time generally spent at home “studying”, all the students arrived for breakfast, every week they wake early, every week they bring food to share, every week we read God’s word together and last week we even initiated another two new members (we have another 3 young men who want to join). The spiritual growth in their lives has been astronomical and a real joy and pleasure to be a part of.

Oestreicher suggests that community is the greatest need in the lives of our young people. It isn’t hard for me to agree with that statement. I spend a good portion of my time talking to students who go through emotional turmoil.  Once was because a student was not in a friend’s group for their year 9 camps. Another time was because they hadn’t been invited to the movies while the rest of the social clique had.  Community, or lack thereof, seems to be able to make or break young people. Community is just so important.

But what about Christ? This is where I love our sacramental theology! Communion is the practice of Christ joining a community. Not in a merely representative way but as the REAL DEAL! As real flesh and real blood. Community can therefore be based around the concept of communion - a community, with Christ in the centre.

An authentic connection with God and each other is what keeps these men coming back each week..and we also genuinely enjoy bacon!
 

The Bacon Creed
We are the MEN OF THE BACON! WE believe that cholesterol is a myth, made to stop people eating bacon, we believe in a brotherhood that can only be forged around a BBQ and Bacon cooked just the way you like it! We believe that united we are strong and as such we support each other, pray for each other, read God's word together and eat bacon with each other. When times are tough we will stand by each other. When times are easy we will stand by each other. And in both cases we will eat bacon together! We are the men of the bacon and we believe that while we may die young (from all the health issues that will develop from this group) we will live forever with God in paradise! WE ARE THE MEN OF THE BACON!!!

Touched or inspired by a story you read? Like to contact an author in the enews to say thanks or encourage them? Click on their name in the story to send an email message. All Lay Workers have generic LCA email addresses (first name.last name@lca.org.au)

If you change roles, addresses, emails etc, please remember to update these changes on LAMP.

If you receive the enews twice to seperate email addresses, please let us know and we can fix the duplication.

When asked to write a story about my work within the IMT (Immanuel, Moculta, and Truro) Youth Group I really didn’t know where to begin. My first thought was “I don’t really have anything super exciting to share”. But with  further thought I realised I couldn’t be more wrong. God has truly done amazing things for our Youth group over the last 5 years.
When I first started to attend the Youth group (as a participant) we had one event a month and always struggled to find leaders to organise and plan it. We were among a number of once thriving youth groups that was struggling to move forward with the times and therefore  struggling in so many different areas. But God had a plan for us and in just 5 years has totally changed the shape and look of our youth group.
We now have 4 events a month, have a strong united leadership team, many regular youth members and even a leadership camp which is held annually. We have leaders who are passionate to not only bring in new members and build up our youth numbers  but also who feel it’s vital to build up and encourage the faith of our members and leaders. Yes we are a youth group but we are also a close bonded family who support each other in every aspect of life and keep an eye out so no member gets lost along the journey.
It has been incredible to see our youth group experience  such a dramatic change and we cannot help but continue to watch God do amazing things right before our eyes.
God has not only worked in our Youth Group but also in each member and leader we have. He has taken me from a participant, to a Youth Leader and now to a Youth Cousellor. My role within the youth group does nothing but give to me; some may say that the hours I pour into planning events and bible studies are actually taking but when you love what you do and get so much from your work it cannot possibly be anything but giving. The best part of all is that not only is it giving to me but the work I do is also giving to others. I guess when Gods’ in control it’s a win win situation for everyone.   Erin Schneider

Involved in paid or voluntary Lay Ministry?......SAVE THIS DATE!

Registration opens early 2015

Do you need help in your ministry....?

• working as a team
• developing an effective ministry plan
• gaining a support team, pray team, mentor
• understanding study options
• clarifying working conditions
• networking
• finding a listening ear
• finishing a position well / review options

We can and do help....contact the Lay Ministry Office

Dear Lay Worker!

“Are you working with small groups/life groups?  Do you coordinate small groups, train leaders, develop resources etc? 

While small groups are seen as valuable and important places to grow people in faith and service, they are also one of the toughest ministries to oversee. 
How do you go about developing spiritually alive, healthy groups where people truly grow as disciples of Jesus? How do you find, develop and grow leaders who can ‘grab’ the vision of groups as disciple-makers?  What are different types of groups that can legitimately be used to grow people in their life with God and His community?

Don’t despair!  You are not the only one seeking these goals.  There are other small group coordinators/leaders who are working with the same questions and issues! 

Would you like to be in touch with others who coordinate small group ministries and share ideas, resources, visions?   If so, please rsvp to Glenn Schulz . I will then circulate an email address list to those who respond and agree.

Options then might include:
• Forming an email forum where a request, comments etc can be posted into a group email.
• You might want to simply email another person and see if they would like to build a peer mentor relationship for a period
• Circulating resources, ideas and upcoming training possibilities
• Share stories
• Etc!

....already 30 people have expressed interest in this group