There is a Lay Worker list in the right hand column of this enews that lists current Lay Workers, their district, role and area they work in. We gain this information from LAMP and we are keen to ensure that these lists are accurate and up to date. Lay Ministry positions and roles change often! If your details have changed, or you think the information we have is incorrect, let us know.

Telling our stories is a way of learning as a community, encouraging each other and sharing our hope. If you could find some time to write your reflections of God's hand in your ministry, I'd be happy to share it! If a story you read touches your heart, let the author know.

We love your work and thank God for your hearts of service. If we can help in anyway as you work in your communities as mission and ministry encouragers, contact us.

The 2015 Lay Workers conference was held from 18-21 May, at Nunyara Conference Centre, Belair, Adelaide. Around 70 Lay Workers gathered together to look at "Knowing, hearing and following God in real life and ministry."

Our conference is held every two years. Paid and voluntary Lay Workers gathered together to learn, network, grow in their love for Jesus, support each other, be supported and to be encouraged in the ministry position God has called them into. Our youngest, 17 years old and our oldest 80+ were among those who gathered as the mission and ministry encouragers of the LCA. Our calling is to serve God and be Jesus’ witnesses in our communities.

There were many highlights to the 4 days! Lay Ministry is incredibly diverse in its nature with Chaplains, Pastoral Cares, Ministry support workers, Child,& youth, young adult ministry workers, camping staff, Mission & outreach, cultural specific workers and Worship & music workers mixing and learning together.
Peter Steicke and Michael Dutschke set the tone of the conference with their presentation on knowing and hearing God while Dean Eaton led us in the study of 1 Peter. Tim Hein then unpacked what it means to follow Jesus. He reminded us that to be holy is to be present and distinct, not distant nor undetectable.

We all loaded onto a bus Thursday afternoon for a brief visit through Adelaide’s cbd and were then dropped off in Port Adelaide for a Dolphin cruise on the Port River. Brandon Chaplin was the guest speaker for the cruise dinner and shared from his heart about being a Chaplain of the Power football club and being God's presence when people hurt. Brandon gave us all a good insight into what it means to be part of a community as a chaplain.
One of the real highlights of the conference was the prayer support given, and genuine care shown, to everyone who attended. It was the norm to see people praying with and for each other throughout all hours of the conference. Through small groups we got to talk about the joys and pains of ministry within the church communities we serve as well as our own struggles and challenges in walking life. Comments about the speakers included..

"All were spectacular and hit the nail on the head for me"
"Thanks for a man happy to be operating out of his gifts"
"Revealing something new in something familiar. Much food for thought. Be present and distinct"

The prayer and worship teams provided a focus on God's love and the joy of being in His presence. They were made up of Lay Workers, musicians and volunteers from across Adelaide congregations
"Thank you so much for the freedom to worship as we did – so appreciated"

There was a sense of feeling the Father's arms around us, being part of a community united by the Spirit and knowing His call. We left with hearts yearning to love and serve in our communities where he has placed us.
And some comments...
"Above my expectations. Looked forward to connecting with people and they were all incredible!"
"The variety of the speakers – the stretching of their love for God and wanting to share with us"
"Resonating with the Holy Spirit. Sounds profound but meaning: Spending time in the tangible, planning, reviewing, earthly “wisdom-based” realm of ministry is exhausting. Finding a place to explore the Holy Spirits calling allows for rejuvenation, blessed following and “joyful anticipation"
"The privilege to be vulnerable surrounded by others who are in the same boat"

"The love felt. The stretch and grow opportunities but mostly the sense of prayer and the Holy Spirit moving among us"

The final words, that sum up the Lay Workers Conference for 2015, are best said by those who attended….
"I’ve been to many, many conferences and pd’s and this conference is one of the only ones that I feel I could tap anyone on the shoulder and ask for prayer. Very special"
"Keep them happening please! They keep me focussed, equipped, refreshed and ready to re-enter"

If you are a paid or voluntary Lay Worker in your congregation and not on the Lay Ministry role, we’d love to hear from you. We are always looking to provide support and encouragement for people serving God by serving the people in their communities.

New Lay Workers
Gudrun Collins - Pastoral & Community Care Assistant, Bundaberg St Johns Congregation, Qld
Kathy Mildred - Chaplain, Pakenham Lakeside Lutheran College, Vic

Accreditations
Danielle Robinson - Family Ministry Chaplain, Redcliffe Grace Congregation, Qld

Left Positions
Garth Calder - Youth Ministry Coordinator, Buderim Immanuel Congregation, 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

Australian Lutheran World Service – Program Officer for Nepal, Burundi & Mozambique

There is a harmony between my work with ALWS and my relationship with God so that as one develops so does the other. Working with ALWS means working for human dignity, justice and hope for the most vulnerable of people; loving my neighbour, who can often be a stranger; and directing my actions towards enhancing the good of all people, made in His image.
Some of the times when I have felt God most present in my life has been during work visits overseas. Prayer has an amazing power to bring you closer to God. You pray for the mother whose husband has to live and work across the border to provide for their family. For the family who loses their possessions and livelihood through flooding. For the female leaders who shoulder the experiences, theirs and others, of domestic violence.
You pray thanks to God when a father tells you his children no longer suffer from malnutrition. When an elderly lady invites you to her house to show you the hand washing system she’s set up, the banana trees she’s planted, the iron sheets she’s bought for her roof and the grandson she can now afford to send to school. When a mother shows you her first wheelchair and explains that it enables her to leave her house.
You are reminded of God’s strength and power and that all people, across our world, are our brothers and sisters. You are reminded of what you need and what you don’t need from this world and that those needs include security, justice, peace and relationships with God and our fellow human beings. As God brings me closer to Him, he brings me closer to these needs and closer to modelling a Christian life. Through me, He brings the people I meet closer to Him as well.   Hayley Lanzon

Greetings favoured one!

What an honour to be with many of you at recent layworkers conference. You are a special group of people. Indeed, the heavenly Father sees you as one of his favoured ones. And he would love to see you living from the place of his favour, thus leaving his fLavour wherever you go.

This is an invitation to an inspirational equipping event coming up on Saturday the 20th of June. The brochure is self-explanatory. It will be a time of refreshment, renewal, and ... favour!

Please feel free to share this email/brochure with others and invite them as well. If it doesn't seem for you, I'm sorry for filling your inbox!

Some of you receiving this are interstate, out bush, or booked on that date. If you can't make the event, I am more than happy to come and share wherever you are. Anything from ten people in a lounge room to your worship centre to a booked venue suits fine. Let's begin a conversation.

For this one on June 20 it would be good to book with Craig and get in early, as last year we had to cut off enrolments in the last week, a good situation to have.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to being with some of you in that day,

Peter

click here for further information

Have you heard about Godly Play?....Like to be involved in the Godly Play Core Training event at Bethany in the Barossa?

Click on the link below for more details   Godly Play Training

Barney (Christian Bahnerth) & Josh Tedham at the recent Lay Workers conference at Nunyara (oldest & youngest Lay Workers)

On my rostered mornings,  I try to catch the 07:34 express bus which leaves at my local stop, and arrives after a change of busses, at about 8:50  at Calvary Hospital. After a little walk and signing in, I go to the Pastoral Care staff room to get the list of Lutheran Patients in hospital for that day.
From here on the routine changes unpredictably; depending on the ward in which the patients are admitted or transferred to, I usually go to the Seniors’ Rehab section first if there are any Lutherans there.  They are the most receptive, except for any dementia sufferers.  The Nursing staff are ALWAYS overloaded and the patients do not get time to talk with the staff.  As in other wards, many patients are lonely and just want to have someone there to talk to, it does not always matters if that person is a good hearer but, especially the older Lutherans want to talk about their life experiences – WWII is more than often a subject with the European born Lutheran patients – (un)fortunately I remember WWII and hence can communicate with them.
Then it is onto the wards; Critical Coronary Care, Intensive Care, Maternity, Medical and Surgical, and Emergency and Medical Assessment; occasionally I have to attend to patients in the Private Hospital, both general and specialist cases.  The range of age in my patients is from 2 weeks and its mother in the Maternity ward to those in their late 90s in the other wards; I often have Lutheran patients older than me. 
Some of the difficulties:
- I often have “Lutheran” patients who have not seen the inside of a church for a long time; some because they have no transport to get there and others who only registered as Lutherans but who have long since given up on the faith of their parents. 
- Ministering to a patient who has lost most of her hearing and who’s sight is also diminished.
Some of the rewards:
- When I come back to the PC Section with my stats for the day, time spent, service provided, etc.  It often happens that by word of mouth the patient has already given her/his opinion about the Chaplain’s visit.  It makes my day when I hear that the patients in general are appreciative of my visit.
- Repeat visits to those who spend more than a week in hospital, are often marked by a welcoming smile of recognition.  The facial expressions say soooo much. In His love and service.

Barney

To submit an Expression of interest click here

For the second newsletter re the Study Tour, click here

We can help with:

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