Mission in Practice: Lessons from St John’s Lutheran Parish and Victory Lutheran College, Wodonga

On a somewhat chilly Friday morning in Wodonga, I stand in the foyer of St John’s Lutheran Parish. It’s a new building with modern finishes, but it feels homely- there are hand painted vases on the table, and carefully designed fragments of a stained-glass window feature catch the morning light.

Stained glass window in foyer of St John’s Lutheran Parish.

I am welcomed by Lisa Enever and her mother, Jenny Simboras, and soon Pastor Paul Hage joins us. We chat for a few minutes, but before long, our conversation is drowned out by the sounds of young voices growing near. I watch as lines of school children, led by their teachers, enter the foyer and make their way into the chapel.

Their early morning energy is contagious. As the students file in, they take their seats with laughter and chatter. I watch a small group of boys dance to the music that is playing as the rest of the students enter.

In 2024, St John’s Lutheran Parish was awarded a grant funded by the LLL. These funds helped them to hire Lisa Enever as their Ministry Coordinator, and Lisa has spent the last two years designing programs that help connect the church and neighbouring Victory Lutheran College (VLC). She describes herself as a “bridge” between the two, which share a piece of land near the city centre of Wodonga. Lisa works closely with Joel Klemke (Director of Faith and Community at VLC) and Pastor Paul Hage, and together they have watched the relationship between the Parish and the College strengthen and grow over recent years.

Students dancing in Chapel.

The day I meet them in Wodonga starts with a chapel service attended by nearly 100 students from years 4-6. I watch Joel lead the service and see the genuine interest and engagement from the students.

Throughout the day, I am lucky enough to speak with Lisa, Joel and Paul at length, and come to understand more about each of them and the work they are doing. Joel describes how the Parish originally opened the College in 1991, and it is clear to see how important that connection remains in 2026. “Our school wouldn’t be where it [is] today if it wasn’t for St John’s Lutheran Parish”, he says.

It is clear that the relationship between the Parish and the College is driven by the people who make up these communities.

Lisa is generous and kind, and the passion she has for her work is clear. She takes every chance to move the spotlight away from her own work, and bring it back to the wonderful ways she sees God working around her every day. She tells me, “I love linking our Parish members with the school community. Every time we have a function over here that involves the school, we always put out the invite to our Parish members to come on and be involved in that. And just to see, especially our older Parish members, witnessing the children worshipping… it’s such a blessing that their vision for this place and the school connection is actually happening now”

Joel Klemke leads School Chapel service.

The team are proud of the advances they have made so far. They tell me about a Prayer Walk they ran over the course of a week this year, which helped them to welcome students and teachers into the church for a time of reflection and prayer. They mention morning teas hosted at the church for College staff and parishioners, and the colouring-in sessions Lisa runs during school lunch times.

But perhaps the most significant event I hear about are the monthly Family Chapel services.

Once a month, on a Friday evening, Pastor Paul and Andy Enever (STEAM Teacher at VLC, and Church SMP Candidate and Children’s Ministry Leader) run a Family Chapel service which is open for all to attend. With the help of a team of volunteers, they regularly welcome 75 people to the church for a shared meal and service.

It is fair to say that organising and running the Family Chapel program has been a learning curve for the team. Lisa and Paul tell me they have learned how important it has been to stay adaptable and flexible- and to adjust what they thought success should look like. Paul reflects that “God is surprising us. I think every week there’s a surprise for us!”

When I speak with a parent attending Family Chapel with her two children that evening, she shares the sense of belonging her family has found from attending these services. Her 8-year-old daughter, a student at Victory Lutheran College, is excited about attending church each month. I learn that she speaks about it with her friends at school- and a few minutes later, I am even fortunate enough to witness the special moment where speaks with Pastor Paul to share her interest in being baptised.

Pastor Paul Hage and Andy Enever lead Family Chapel service.

Attending Family Chapel that evening, I am struck by this parent’s words and how clearly they ring true for all in the room. The service is welcoming and engaging, and the children are active in their participation. It is clear that, by creating this monthly space for children and their families to attend church together, a whole group of people are able to access church in a way that might not be possible for them at a traditional Sunday service. This is significant. Lisa tells me that Family Chapel has helped these children and families to see St John’s as their church now- there is such a strong sense of connection to the monthly Friday evening services.

The mission and ministry underway in Wodonga is inspiring. But the team sees it simply- Joel explains, “we’re just trying to build the kingdom of God… how can we make that possible? And how can we, as a College, support the church with doing that? And then… how can they support us with doing that?”

I left Wodonga inspired by the energy shared between Parish and College for finding new ways to bring their communities together. Lisa, Joel and Paul are encouraged by what they have seen so far, and they are looking to the future, excited to continue their work. They remain open to whatever God places in their path, and the opportunities that are given to them, even if it isn’t what they are expecting.

This is the message they want to be understood from their story. Mission can be slow, and it might even feel fruitless at times. But with patience, and trust in God, you will begin to see where God is needed in your community, and how you can take part in that. As Pastor Paul reflects:

“Wherever you are, wherever God has placed you in life, He’s going to use you. Nothing is wasted… don’t give up and just trust those promises of God. Feed on the Word, feed on His sacraments. Be strengthened for that journey and know He never leaves you or forsakes you”.

The student mentioned above was baptised on Friday 11 September. Lisa kindly shared the bulletin piece she wrote about the baptism- you can view this here.