Installation of Pastor Paul Hage

Pictured: Bishop Lester Priebbenow, Pastors Colin Simpkin, Paul Hage and Ian Kotzur. Photo supplied.

What a beautiful and joyous day as our Wodonga Parish formally welcomed Pastor Paul Hage and his wife, Sharon, on Sunday 10 August.
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Fellowship Lunch in Geelong

Photo supplied.

A delicious and warm fellowship was enjoyed by all who were able to attend the Living Faith Lutheran Church Lunch at 'The Sphinx' on Sunday 17 August, which followed the combined worship service.
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CLW 2025

Photo supplied.

Christian Life Week (CLW) Vic/Tas Camp “Bondfire 2025” was an unforgettable week filled with fun, faith, and fellowship. This year, we had 59 campers and 22 personnel / leaders gathered at Tandara Lutheran Camp in Halls Gap during the Winter school holidays, to share in community and grow together.
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Chinese Alpha Graduation at Nunawading-Waverley

The 11th of August 2025 was a special date for the Nunawading-Waverley Lutheran Church in Glen Waverley, Victoria. After more than three months of learning about God and faith and studying the Word, we celebrated with five of the eight participants in our first ever Chinese language (Mandarin) Alpha Course.

The group included a mix of people wanting to explore faith, new Christians, and those who have walked with Christ for a while but wanted to connect with others. It was led by our passionate and inspiring evangelist, Sherry Hong.
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Hope Rising

Serving our Neighbour with the Hope that we have in Jesus.

New research reveals both challenges and extraordinary opportunities for the Church to share the hope of Christ
In a season when many Australians are struggling with uncertainty, new research from NCLS and Tearfund Australia, presented at a recent Webinar that I attended, reveals an extraordinary opportunity for Christians to shine as beacons of hope. While the 2025 Australian Community Survey shows concerning trends, it also unveils the transformative power of faith-based hope and points to clear pathways for the Church to serve our neighbours with the gift of hope.

Faith: The Ultimate Hope Multiplier
The most encouraging finding from the research is unmistakable: a fruit of faith is hope. Religious and spiritual Australians consistently show significantly higher levels of hope than those without faith. Prayer, worship, and Christian community don't just provide comfort - they act as powerful "hope boosters" that equip believers to face uncertainty with confidence.
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Image: Pexels. Photo by Gelgas Airlangga

Got a bright idea for mission?

LCANZ’s Local Mission Fund

Does your congregation, school or agency have a bright idea for local mission that needs financial support to become a reality? The LCANZ’s Local Mission Fund may be able to help. The fund, which aims to support church entities seeking new ways to reach their local communities with the gospel, is now open for expressions of interest for the 2026 allocation of grants.  Read More...
For more information and to apply: www.lca.org.au/local-mission-fund
Expressions of interest for the Local Mission Fund 2026 allocation close on Mon 29 Aug 2025.

LLL Mission Outreach Grant

Thanks to missionally-minded investors, LLL Mission Outreach Grants have provided over $1 million in funding for over 65 projects since 2010. 
They continue to offer $125,000 annually ($25,000 per Church district) for Mission Outreach Grant initiatives and have been honoured to witness many inspiring projects come to fruition.  Read More...

In our District, Wodonga Lutheran Parish previously submitted a successful application to help them fund a Ministry Coordinator position to oversee the outreach ministries of the Parish. 
"The financial support from the LLL Mission Outreach Grant for $25,000 to partly fund this vital position was a real blessing for the Wodonga Lutheran Parish." Read More...

Download the Vic-Tas Brochure HERE.
Closing date: 31 October 2025
For more information, contact Pr Brett Kennett or Erin Grainger at LCA Vic-Tas District Office.

Presence

'Presence' is a nine-part video series with newly added companion study guides that introduces what Lutherans believe. A project of the LCANZ Churchwide Office, this versatile and free faith-life resource unpacks key Lutheran teachings using the films as conversation starters. Suitable for many settings within congregations and Lutheran entities, it's also ideal for people new to the church and those who have begun work in a Lutheran school, aged-care or community organisation 
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Drought - Prayer and Worship Resources

Prayer and worship resources to support and encourage communities who are coping with drought conditions.
The SA–NT District invites all congregations to acknowledge and pray for communities impacted by drought with a special service of praise and prayer on Sunday 31 August. Resources, including a fully pre-planned worship service, readings, prayers and a video sermon, are available on the Worship Planning Page.
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24-7 Prayer Room at
St Paul's Box Hill

Imagine praying non-stop for one hundred years? Twenty-five years? What about an hour? As part of a worldwide, interdenominational effort to bring non-stop prayer to the world for a whole week, 24-7 Prayer have called for pray-ers to pray synchronously, all over the world, for 24 hours a day for a whole week! Come Holy Spirit!
... The Prayer Room at St Paul’s, 1201 Riversdale Rd Box Hill South, will be open for people to sign up and come and pray in person from 9am to 6pm. For the remainder of the night, 6pm-9am, we invite people to sign up to pray in the comfort of their own home, anywhere in Victoria.
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St Paul's Box Hill -
Dedication of New Buildings

You are invited to attend the Dedication Service at St Paul's Box Hill, of their new buildings.
During August, the congregations (St Paul's and Chinese Lutheran Congregation) will move all their activities and staff into the centre, with the District following in November.
It will be formally dedicated on 14 September, but members are already enjoying the space and warmth of their new home.
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Save the Date - 
Araluen Family Camp, 2026

Our family camp is a great opportunity to connect as a family and create memories that will last a lifetime. 
Reserve these dates in your diary now! 
Friday 10 April to Sunday 12 April 2026

• Middle weekend of school holidays
• Activities for kids of all ages
• Parents, put your feet up and let us do the cooking!!

Camping is about God, his people and relationships that can be formed and strengthened when God’s people get together to take time out from ‘normal life’ and spend time in fellowship, bible study, worship and prayer.

Moorabbin - 75th Anniversary

ST JAMES'S LUTHERAN CHURCH,
MOORABBIN, VIC
75TH ANNIVERSARY WORSHIP SERVICE
from its initial roots of St James Evangelical Lutheran Church Ormond.
Sunday 14 September 2025 - at 10am
Information and/or RSVP:
mdlc@lca.org.au / 0401 190 484
(RSVP by 5 Sept)
Click on the image to download the full flyer.

Jeparit - 100th Anniversary

ST JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, JEPARIT VIC
100TH ANNIVERSARY
THANKSGIVING SERVICE
of church building dedication.
Sunday 7 September 2025 - at 10am

For information, contact:
Chair Wayne Werner 0428 972 044

Minyip - 150th Anniversary

ST JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, MINYIP, VIC
150TH ANNIVERSARY
THANKSGIVING SERVICE
of Worship in our Church.
Sunday 12 October 2025 - at 10am

For information, contact:
Chair Bronwyn Krause 0427 590 397

Special Convention of the 21st General Synod

Saturday 18 October 2025 - online
Synod will consider a doctrinal statement on ordination, as resolved at the 2024 Regular Convention, along with matters of unfinished business. Delegates have been sent further information. No new business will be received.
Note: General Pastor's Conference will be on Wednesday 15 October.

Shifting Conversation to Action

"Actions speak louder than words."
"Where love comes to life."
"Shifting conversation to action."

The common theme of these taglines suggests that to be truly effective (in any sphere), our words are meaningless if not accompanied by an appropriate active response.

“Shifting Conversation to Action” is the catch-cry of this year’s Child Protection Week, celebrated across Australia at the beginning of September. It reminds us that we all have an active role to play in our families, communities and congregations.
texts.
Read More...

Denise Muschamp - Vic/Tas District Relationship Manager and Compliance Coordinator

Safe Church Training

Safe Church Training is now completed online, via webinars (in real-time with trainers) or via iLearn (self-paced).
Click the Training button for more information, and for registration links to your choice of training mode.

Safe Church Service Desk

The new Safe Church Service Desk is your primary point of contact for any questions about the Child Safety Standards, Safe Church training, background screening checks and day-to-day safety management. 
Contact the Safe Church Service Desk via:
 - Website: www.lca.org.au/service
 - Phone: 1800 418 588 (Australia only)
 - Email: safechurch@lca.org.au

Reminders

• Submit AGM Reports to District Office
  - a big thank you to all those congregations who have supplied their AGM Reports for us to file!
• VERY IMPORTANT:
  Update your WWCC with the current District Office address - 711 Station Street, Box Hill 3128 (NOT 755!)

Contact Keryn if you have any questions.

LTM - New Resources

Click the image above to go to LTM

Lutheran Tract Mission has just completed a new print run and has produced 32 new resources for you and your ministry.
Lutheran Tract Mission is an outreach ministry of the LLL and mission of the church. LTM is a donation-based ministry which seeks to resource the church with tracts that can help in all areas of outreach and ministry. We have over 1000 resources.
Please look at the website, www.ltm.org.au, and if you need any help with other resources which we do not have please contact me, anne.hansen@lll.org.au, and we will seek to produce something that can help you. More often than not, what you need, another ministry could also use!

New Church History Published

For those interested in the history of our church, a new book has been published by Friends of Lutheran Archives.  'The Other Kavels' tells the story of the first Lutherans who emigrated to Australia from Prussia in 1838, led by Pastor August Kavel. Through the lens of various members of the Kavel family, the story is told of the persecution of the Old Lutherans in Prussia who refused to join the king’s union church, the difficulties of gaining permission and funding to emigrate, and the challenges of establishing themselves and their church in the infant colony of South Australia.
Read More...
The book will be launched in Tanunda, South Australia, on 25 October. Books can be obtained from Friends of Lutheran Archives ($35 plus p/h); email fola@lca.org.au (please include your postal address). Books will be posted and an invoice emailed. All proceeds will go towards the work of Lutheran Archives.

Belonging by Design - 17-18 Oct

Click the image above for more information.

LEVNT / LLL School Bursary Program

Financial Support for Christian Education!
Do you know a family facing financial hardship who would love to send their child to a Lutheran school?
The LLL School Bursary can help!
•    Covers 50% of tuition fees (up to $5,000 per year).
•    Open to Christian families, with preference for Lutheran members.

For more details, contact your nearest Lutheran school. Don’t miss this opportunity to support faith-based education!
Applications for 2026 Bursaries close on 30th September 2025.
Church Promotion Flyer available HERE.
More information HERE (LLL website).
Application Form HERE.

LLL CEO

LLL Australia, North Adelaide SA

• Full-time
• Advertisement
• For more information, visit www.vuca.com.au/LLLCEO or contact VUCA Director Paul Bell on 0412 552 302
• Applications to LLLCE@vuca.com
• Applications close 29 August 2025

LCA Victorian District
Hospital Chaplain
- Expression of Interest

The Victorian and Tasmanian District is seeking expressions of interest for the position of District Hospital Chaplain, to start in December.
More information: HERE (PDF).
Expressions of Interest are to be submitted to the District Administrator, Stephen Mildred at stephen.mildred@lca.org.au, by 19 September 2025. More information may also be sought through the District Office.

Calls, Employment Opportunities and Volunteering Opportunities in the LCANZ

Employment and Volunteering Opportunities in wider Christian networks

LCA (Churchwide) eNews (19/08/25)
SA-NT Online Together eNews (06/08/25)
LCAQD Community (Qld) eNews (13/08/25)
LCNZ Te Oriwa July 2025 eNews (08/08/25)

LEA August eNews (04/07/25)
Lutheran Aged Care Aug eNews (13/08/25)
Lutheran Disability Services eNews (25/08)
LCA Int. Mission Mick's Update eNews(01/08)

Prayer: The Earth is the Lord’s
This we know: the earth does not belong to us.
The earth is the Lord’s
and so are all its people.
This we know: we did not weave the web of life.
The earth is the Lord’s
and so is all that breathes on it.
This we know:
we are called to till and work the earth.
The earth is the Lord’s
and so are all who work the land.
This we know:
that we are called to take care of creation.
The earth is the Lord’s
yet we have polluted and abused it.
This we know:
that whatever befalls the earth,
befalls the sons and daughters of the earth
This we know:
that the earth is the Lord’s.
And so we will serve Him in it.
Amen.

(Source: Bishop Eric Pike, Diocese of Port Elizabeth (South Africa); adapted from various sources including Ray Simpson)

Prayer Point Calendar (Sept)
01 Sept - 04 Oct Season of Creation
02 Sept End of WW2 - 80 years ago 
05 Sept International Day of Charity 
07-13 Sept National Child Protection Week NAPCAN
08 Sept International Literacy Day [UNESCO]
15 Sept International Day of Democracy
17 Sept World Patient Safety Day [WHO]
20-26 Sept World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel
21 Sept International Day of Peace
23 Sept International Day of Sign Languages
30 Sept International Translation Day

Links to information on these and other dates are HERE.

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