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23 October, 2014

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FINALLY, IT'S HERE!

God's blessings on all of you who are hosting a Longest Lutheran Lunch this Sunday. May everyone you welcome to your Lunch find a place and people where God's love comes to life.

Make sure you put those bandannas to good use, and send Jonathan or Greg (email links below) your most creative picture -- there’s a unique framed caricature as the prize for best pic. Remember that Lutheran Media is supporting Lunch outreach activities with their amazing new mini-movie (details below).

Finally, an enormous THANK YOU to Longest Lutheran Lunch volunteer coordinators Jonathan Krause and Greg Haar for the hundreds of hours they've once again dedicated to helping you host your Lunch and welcome new friends into our Lutheran family.

October is our special outreach month. With more than 120 Longest Lutheran Lunch events across Australia and New Zealand + TRIPLE circulation of the new October Outreach Edition of The Lutheran + special Lutheran Media radio programs, a lot has been happening! Find out how you can use October Outreach resources this Sunday at your place -- including Lutheran Media's wonderful mini-movie (below).

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL ... WATCH THIS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIb1R1-7CJc&list=UUueKNyIfkvv49seL-ht1tGg

This Lutheran Media mini-movie is designed to be used in conjunction with your Longest Lutheran Lunch, with the theme 'You're Welcome'. It's great for loads of other situations too. Click on the red arrow above, and have some tissues handy. After that, please share this video on every social media network you have. If you can, play it during your Longest Lutheran Lunch too.

2015 YEARBOOK: ABSOLUTE LAST CHANCE!

Pastors, this Friday (24 October) is the absolute deadline to update your details for the 2015 Yearbook. The LAMP report for pastors has already been run, so as well as updating your details in LAMP, you must also notify admin@lca.org.au of any last-minute updates. If they are not received by this Friday, sorry, but you'll have to live with that omission all through 2015.

ALWS LAUNCHES EBOLA APPEAL

ALWS aims to raise $100,000 to support the Lutheran family in Liberia to protect people at deadly risk from Ebola. Action includes: construct an Isolation Centre at Phebe Lutheran Hospital * food for families in quarantine * support for victims and families in grief * 350 touchless Flash thermometers to detect early symptoms. ACT NOW alws.org.au

ALWS has added its name to a joint statement by Australian aid agencies requesting the federal government for a stronger response to the Ebola outbreak. Read the story ....

SOLIDARITY SUNDAY: WEAR 'N'

Have you seen this symbol popping up on facebook and other places lately? It's the Arabic letter N. It's being spray-painted on the homes of Christians in parts of the Middle East to identify them by the derogatory title, Nazarene. On 2 November, Australian churches will be using the symbol as a sign of solidarity with persecuted Christians. On behalf of the Lutheran Church of Australia, Bishop John Henderson is inviting your congregation to participate in Solidarity Sunday. An Awareness Action Pack, including a video, is available. You can buy an 'N' T-shirt to demonstrate you're proud be identified with Jesus from Nazarene. Click here for details.

It just keeps getting better! This week we've added an interactive PDF bulletin notice -- perfect for emailing to your congregation members. They are the same as the regular inserts but also have hyperlinks to the webpages. Make it easy on yourself and simply copy/paste this long and ugly link into your email to members--
https://lca.box.com/shared/static/3uinykmqp4oubom8ilng.pdf
Also include this advice in your email: 'You might receive a security warning when clicking on links. Please select 'allow' or 'trust' to gain access to our authorised LCA websites.'

Check out all your weekly resources here.

LCA NOTICE BOARD. Sunday's announcments ... all sorted! Sign up today. Feedback welcome.

ALC BOARDING 2015 - APPLICATIONS OPEN

ALC provides accommodation for up to 100 private boarding residents. Our community is Christ-centred and it is expected that each member is either a practising Christian or is supportive of the Christian way of life. If you know a young person currently studying in Adelaide or planning to next year, contact ALC boarding@alc.edu.au  Applications for boarding in 2015 are available now on our ALC website.

ADDING CONVENTION DELEGATES

Some of you have had some trouble adding your General Convention delegate's details into LAMP. To assist you, we've put some step-by-step instructions on the General Convention webpage - click here for the PDF. Remember that delegates are to be elected, with their details in LAMP, by 31 January. More information.

LUTHERANS FOR LIFE

CHANGES TO LCA TELSTRA CONTRACT

There have been some changes in the way Telstra provides support to the Lutheran Church. Telstra has appointed the Helensvale Group (known as the Telstra Business Centre) to take up this role. Helensvale is based in Queensland, and will provide dedicated services to all Lutheran Church Telstra activities across Australia. For all new or amended Telstra services, you should now call 1300 368 132. Please have your current Telstra account in front of you for authentication purposes when you call. You should continue to call Telstra direct on 1800 730 065 for faults (opt 1) and billing queries (opt 2). More details are on the LCA website Telecommunications webpage to learn about recent changes to our LCA Telstra contract that affects you. Those of you who are currently working with another Telstra partner should continue to do so. If you have any queries please email Debbie Venz.

START PLANNING FOR ADVENT

NEW FROM LUTHERAN TRACT MISSION

Lutheran Tract Mission has just released another batch of glorious resources—52 in all. There are 30 new leaflets, 5 new postcards, 11 text cards and 6 bookmarks. Don’t forget to order the new 2015 Daily Bible Readings, which are terrific for congregations to get into reading their Bible along with the church lectionary. If you haven't visited the LTM website for a while, now is the time to do it. It's all new, and really easy to find resources and order from the amazing range.

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