A silent sermon is preached every Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Magill. Yet while they may be low in volume, these services are perhaps the most interactive in the Lutheran community. Held in Australian Sign Language, or Auslan, the Adelaide Deaf Community Church (ADCC) services take place weekly. Participants are encouraged to take part in discussion on the sermon theme, often resulting in animated conversation and sharing. 

Deaf Ministry has been supported by the Lutheran Church since the 1970s, led by Pastor Michael Prenzler since 2017. A hearing pastor with no prior experience of deafness, Michael spent several years learning Auslan before taking on the role of pastor at Magill, where he ministers to both the Deaf and hearing congregations in a shared role, based at Pilgrim Lutheran Church.

This year represents a significant milestone for the ADCC, with a new Specific Ministry Pastor expected to be ordained, Julian Mazzeo (pictured above). Julian, who is profoundly deaf, will be preaching his first full sermon this Easter, one he has written himself.

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NEWS & NOTICES

Have you ever wondered what the LCA SA-NT District Convention of Synod is all about, or how you can attend? With the 2023 Synod coming up in May, the District Office have prepared some background information on the event, including who can be a delegate and what their tasks are. You can download the document here. 

Is it time for a new delegate in your congregation? If you know a younger person in your congregation who has an interest in the wider church, please consider chatting with them about being a delegate, or suggest they come along to Synod in May as a visitor so they can learn all about it. 
 

The District Office provides many services to congregations, pastors and members of the Church, many of which are very practical mission opportunities. To provide all these services we rely on contributions from congregations. The District Office has put together a document, outlining what these contributions go towards, which can be downloaded here. 

In 2022, 45 congregations contributed the same amount as they did in 2021; 38 congregations increased their contribution compared to the previous year; 50 congregations decreased their contribution. 41 congregations did not contribute to the work of the District Office in 2022.

Some questions for you and your congregation:

• Did my congregation make a contribution to the District Office in 2022?
• Is my congregation making a contribution to the District Office in 2023? 
• Did I see a 'SA-NT District Contribution' line in the congregation’s budget?  If not, why not?
• What District Office services does my congregation value most?

As we undertake future planning we are doing some research in the area of contributions and recently sent the treasurer of each congregation an email with a link to a survey. Please ensure your treasurer completes this, or if they have not received the email please ask them to contact the District Office.
 

EVENTS

When: Sunday 26 March 2023, 3pm
Where: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 170 Flinders St, Adelaide
Tickets: Adults $30, students with ID $20, children under 12 free

Agape Music Collective is a group of professional and semi-professional Christian classical musicians whose mission is to freely use their gifts and talents to bring praise and glory to Jesus Christ.

This performance will be Easter-centered, with works including Rimsky Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, excerpts from Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ, as well as Bach's popular Concerto for Two Violins. Enjoy a cup of tea/coffee with the group after the performance. Book here, please direct all enquiries to agapemusiccollective@gmail.com.

BLUEPRINT MINISTRIES

Blueprint Ministries is the Children, Youth, Young Adult and Family ministry team within the Lutheran Church SA-NT District. Blueprint seeks to support, resource, encourage and focus congregations in their ministry with children, young people and their families. 

Some of the ways Blueprint can serve you include congregational visits, the provision of ministry resources and packs for children at Christmas and Easter, and camping ministry. 

Find out more about how we can support you and your congregation by downloading an information pack here.
 

Did you know that Blueprint Ministries has resources for grandparents? These include free Easter and Christmas packs for kids, that grandparents can gift to their grandchildren, as well as the guide 'Grandparents: passing on the faith'. If you're interested in either of these please email admin@blueprintministries.org.au

Blueprint also runs a Facebook page for grandparents, a great place to share useful resources and ideas. Click on the link to visit, and like/follow the page for more.
 

Each year Blueprint hosts an Annual Dinner, with the aim of raising awareness of the department's ministries. The dinner is also important as all funds raised go back into supporting congregations with the provision of ministry grants, and to subsidise resources such as the free kids Easter/Christmas packs. 

How you can help:

1. Encourage people to save the date and attend the dinner
2. Donate a bottle to the Wine Wall, or an item for the silent auction
3. Donate items for the raffle

Please contact mailto:admin@blueprintministries.org.au for more information or to offer support.
 

You can find details of the latest call information here
 

BE SEEN

To have your notices included in Online Together, please email jessica.smith@lca.org.au by the first Friday of the month.
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