Victoria Tasmania District of the Lutheran Church of Australia

1201 Riversdale Road
Box Hill South VIC 3128
Phone 03 9236 1200

Search Results for: camps/jonathan.m.westphal@lca.org.au

ABOUT US

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About Us

The Lutheran Church dates back to the Reformation in the 16th century when Martin Luther challenged some of the teachings and practices of the church of his day. Luther insisted that the Bible is the authority that decides what the church should teach and do.

The Lutheran Church is one of the world’s major Christian churches, with 70 million members worldwide.

Across Australia, about 170,000 people call themselves Lutherans. In Australia, more than 600 congregations join together as the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA).

In the words of the classic Lutheran summary of faith, we believe that we are saved ‘by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith’. In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favour or to gain eternal life. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ has won all this and more for us. We also believe that only the Bible is the source of inspiration and teaching.

The Victoria – Tasmania District is a synod made up of pastors and delegates from over 70 congregations who meet in convention every two years.

The Victorian District including Tasmania has 42 parishes and 83 congregations and preaching places, with 51 called pastors, and 21 retired pastors.

The district is also served by part-time and full-time lay workers, some fully accredited by the LCA. There are approximately 35 lay workers across Victoria and Tasmania. All congregations are also supported by paid and volunteer lay people across the areas of finance, administration, hospitality, and governance.

There are many Lutheran-operated agencies in Victoria and Tasmania including schools, aged care, camps and a community store.

The Fall and Rise of Victorian Lutheran Camps

In late February 2021, just before the fourth (of six) Victorian COVID lockdowns, the major renovation and expansion of the Araluen Lutheran Camp’s  hall and new kitchen (at Anglesea) was completed at a then cost of $2.6m. it would now be $3.64m given material and labour cost increases!

We managed to host just 2 camps during 18 months from mid-March 2020 through to early October 2021.  We had a brilliant new camp, and effectively no customers for 18 months.  Despite some job-keeper assistance in quarter one of 2021, we lost $250k in 2021.  We did manage to honour our commitment and kept all key personnel on staff during the harrowing 18 months – fortunately much of the work was done on the grounds preparation both pre and post the build.

In 2022, we welcomed over 10,000 guests! Camping came back with a bumper year, thanks in part to the Victorian Government’s Positive Start Program for schools that hadn’t had a camp in the last 3 years to be able to do so.  This has meant we had a strong performance in 2022 – at Araluen, we made a surplus equivalent to the previous year’s loss ($260k), and repaid some short-term loans.

Amazingly, Tandara Lutheran Camp at Halls Gap mange to break-even in both 2020 and 2021, thanks to regional folks being able to camp for much of the time (and willing to do so, unlike our city cousins), also with thanks to Job-Keeper assistance.  In 2022, thanks to camping being back in full swing and the Positive Start program, we achieved a surplus of $207k.  This has helped Tandara now become debt free.

At both camps we have been able to survive and grow. We give thanks for our dedicated and hardworking camp teams, led by Darren Linke at Araluen (formerly the Tandara manager) and Justin Cozens at Tandara.

As a result of the unusually strong year in 2022 due to the Positive Start program, we have been able to self-fund the cost of installing reverse-cycle air-conditioning in all of the dormitories at both camps!  The work at Tandara has just been completed, with the works at Araluen expected to be completed in August – ahead of summer.

Our lord has truly blessed us.

Please click on either of these two links to have a “fly-through” of each camp; you can pause by clicking your mouse.

Araluen [scroll down to 360 Virtual Tour]

Tandara [scroll down to 360 Virtual Tour]

We still have some available dates in 2023 and 2024, so we would welcome new and returning campers to our improved facilities – both sites provide full catering.  The minimum group size is 40 persons off-peak, and 60 persons during peak season (Oct-Nov and late Jan to Easter).

There are special prices for Lutheran schools and Lutheran congregation and social groups receive a 20% discount. Spiritual (Lutheran) camps receive a 30% discount.

There is also a luxury self-contained “shack” available at Araluen for 12-21 people, although over 12 in the living room at once would be squeezy – for this reason the rates are around 50% of a holiday home with four bedrooms with ensuites and air-conditioning. For more details or bookings, contact the camp team on the website link above.

LYV Kid’s Camp Coordinators Needed

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS – Kids Camp Coordinators

A Little History:
For as long as anyone can remember, Youth and Young Adults of the Lutheran Youth of Victoria (formally Luther League) have run Christian Life Weeks (CLW), Easter Camps (EC), Western Zone, Central Zone, Metro Zone, ReUnite Camps, and any manner of other Camps. This is a fantastic legacy.

Also, for as long as anyone can remember, the Staff of Araluen & Tandara have run a yearly ‘Kids Camp’ with the help of volunteers and supporters from the surrounding local congregations. But importantly the camp managers, firstly Charlie & Cheryl Reif and recently Darren & Kerry Linke, under their own steam, have organised and ran this vital ministry event for pre-teens/tween-agers, introducing them to the fun, community building, and personally stretching ministry that is Camps Ministry. This, too, is a great legacy, which has helped so many young people develop and grow in their faith over the years.

Sadly, the staff at Tandara and Araluen have recently needed to set aside this ministry and focus on the day to day running of these two great camp facilities that we have been blessed with over the last 50+ years. May they continue to grow and bless the groups they host onsite.

As such, the current LYV committee have decided to pick up Kids Camp and officially bring it in under the LYV Banner. They see exciting potential for this age group to meet God through retreat(ing) to a safe place and being introduced to a Christ-centred community that will grow with them through their teenage years and into their young adulthood. A place where they can build relationships with God and other like-minded peers and mentors that can last a lifetime.

Current Needs:
This is where you come in. We need a small team (4-6 people) to tackle the unique challenges/opportunities that this age group presents. You already have the passion, and you have a unique skill set that would undoubtedly benefit the ministry/mission opportunity that Kids Camp can be, going forward. Skills in publicity, administration, building engaging programs for tweenagers (activities/worship/studies), and/or networking.

This is an intergenerational venture – whatever age you are [>30, 30+, 40+, 50+, etc…] , we want you on the team! We do not believe that you ‘age out’ of Camp Ministry.  There are 2 of us so far. 😊

Just a little interested? Think this might be tap on the shoulder God’s been whispering to you about?
Talk to someone you know who is involved with LYV. Or contact me (Jon Westphal) directly.

A little bit about me: I grew up in the Victorian District and discovered a heart for Camp Ministry as a leader on CLW’s. That was some decades ago, and I haven’t stopped being an advocate for Camp Ministry since. I believe the Camp environment offers opportunities for young people to meet God and deepen their relationship with him in a safe place outside of their usual comfort zones.  It is this belief that has led me to picking up Kids Camp where Araluen & Tandara have left off. I would love to work with any like-minded people to continue to build and grow Camp Ministry here in Victoria… yes… even in the messy-ness.

PS: Come to LYV’s 60th Anniversary, September 18-20, 2026 – I’ll be there. Let’s chat about the possibilities! 😊

Lutheran Youth of Victoria (LYV) Update

The Lutheran Youth of Victoria committees and leaders spent a weekend in November at Araluen Lutheran Camp in Anglesea. The weekend was mostly fun and relaxation, however some time was spent reviewing the ministry of the past year and planning for the future. It gave the LYV committee great feedback and has encouraged us for the future of youth ministry.

So, what’s been happening this year? Empower, Easter Camp, CLW Purple, CLW Orange, two church crash events, and a Leaders retreat. Some major movements in LYV this year have been the name change from CYYAM back to LYV, and making stronger connections with Lutheran Education. The name change was decided as CYYAM was not very well known, and people didn’t understand our purpose. With this rebranding, we have also released some great merchandise – maybe you’ve seen our beanies, hoodies or drink bottles. Connecting with Lutheran Education is an exciting initiative. We have already found this valuable and are endeavouring to make better connections with students in our schools.

After many years of service, Kerry Linke finished as our facilitator during the year. A decision was recently made, together with the District, to leave this position vacant as we restructure. We sincerely thank Kerry for all of her work and time supporting and assisting LYV.

Some of the issues identified preventing youth from attending events are the lack of youth groups and cost of living. Many congregations no longer have youth groups, and we are looking at ways to overcome this, as previously youth groups fed into our camps. We are also aware that the cost of living is making it hard for many parents to send their children on camp – we are blessed that some congregations and wonderful individuals have reached out to help us support youth with the costs of attending camp. For example, in the last year we were able to support some of our youth in Tasmania to come to camp by paying for their flights, so it only cost them the same as our Victorian youth to get to camp. If you are finding camps costs a struggle, please reach out to us for support.

We are excited about upcoming events in 2024! Our next event is Summer Camp at Araluen, on 19th to 22nd January at Araluen in Anglesea, for high school aged youth. Get your registration in now! Follow the link: HERE

Events for 2024
Summer Camp:   19th – 22nd January
Empower:             17th February
Church Crash:      18th February
Easter Camp:       28th March – 1st April
CLW Purple:        (Jul School Holidays)
CLW Orange:       (Sept School Holidays)
Leaders Retreat:  (November)

If you would like any more information, please contact LYV Chairperson, Michael ‘Mog’ Benbow, on 0417533162, or email admin.lyv@lca.org.au

F2F Christian Life Week is Back

Christian Life Week, fondly known as CLW, has made a terrific start to their 2022 program. Our July camp (CLW Purple) was enthusiastically attended by 32 youth and 16 leaders. We had a lovely blend of new and returning campers and leaders, which is very promising for ongoing fellowship as well as new outreach.

We were blessed with sunny winter days in the beautiful Grampians. As always, the Tandara Lutheran Camp staff were incredible hosts. We are so grateful for their continuing support. We were also blessed to be joined by Pr Carl Richter, from Mildura. He was a great addition to the week, answering tricky theological questions during the studies, leading worship each day, and getting involved in the rest of the activities.

Our studies this year focus on celebrating the many gifts that God has blessed us with. We discussed that God generously invites us to become part of His family, and what it means to accept this invitation. Keeping in theme with celebrating God’s big party, we talked about how we decorate our worship spaces, the gifts that God gives to us, and whether we need to bring gifts to God. There were also quiet times throughout the week where campers and leaders were encouraged to sit and spend one-on-one time with God – praying or reading the Word. This time alone with God is incredibly valuable and we encourage campers and leaders to keep this habit while they are back home. The studies were also broken up with plenty of icebreaker activities, night-time stargazing, service activities, and team sports.

We were very thankful to be able to meet in person again after a few years of disruptions. It was such a joy to be all together and growing in friendships and faith together. Campers and leaders were all very happy to be back at Tandara, and we had a great atmosphere for the entire week.

As leaders, we are indebted to the parents who support these young people to attend our camps, through paying camp fees, transporting people to camp, and trusting us to look after them for the week. We understand that the cost of camp can be a barrier to some campers attending, and we encourage people to contact us for financial support.

We are very thankful to parents, pastors, and youth workers who support these people in their home congregations. The continual support of a young person’s faith is very important – older Christian mentors in home congregations and youth groups are an important part of this. We love to see how the campers have matured from one year to the next. Also, we love seeing a young person transition from being a shy camper, to a more confident and experienced camper, and even continue on to become a leader or committee member. We are always looking for new leaders and committee members. If you feel called to this, please do get in touch.

As a person who was very fortunate to attend six CLWs as a camper, and many more as a leader, I understand the profound positive impact that camping ministry can have on a person’s faith. It really is incredible to be immersed in a group of like-minded people and spend a considerable amount of time growing in the Word. Being in an age where it may be ‘uncool’ to be a Christian, it is very powerful to have support from Christians of a similar age. Yet, we are called to be missionaries in our own communities, so it is important to return to our home life and share the Good News with others who do not yet know Jesus. It is our prayer that our camps grow all people in faith, and that our participants are encouraged in their walk with Christ.

This program will be re-run September 26th-30th, with all high-school age students invited to attend.
Please contact Emilie-Rae for details, or visit our Facebook page: LYV’s Christian Life Week.
0428 461 809 clw.lyv@lca.org.au

Written by Georgia Maroske, Lutheran Youth of Victoria

Christian Life Week (CLW)

Christian Life Week Camps (CLW) are for youth aged 12 to 18. Fellowship, Bible Study and activities are the focus.

For teenagers in high school (ages 12 – 18)

A camp for high schoolers, CLW occurs during the winter and spring school holidays at Tandara Lutheran Campsite in Halls Gap. These vibrant and Christ-filled events bring together teenagers from across the states, mixing both country and city, and are led by groups of committed and enthusiastic volunteers, including camp parents and a camp pastor.

The purpose of CLW is to provide an experience of Christian community within a safe environment in which young people can:

  • be themselves
  • explore faith and life issues
  • discover what living a Christian life really means.

To find out more information about attending a Christian Life Week in any capacity (leader, camper, camp pastor, camp parent, visitor), contact Kerry Linke by email kerry.linke@lca.org.au

For information on past and upcoming CLW Camps click the link to the CLW facebook page.

 

CLW Orange – Sept 2023

Christian Life Week (CLW) has just had their second camp for the year. We recently enjoyed five beautifully sunny September days at Tandara Lutheran Camp, in Halls Gap. We had a smaller camp to what we are used to but still had a load of fun. We had 18 campers and 14 personnel attending.

As always, the Tandara Lutheran Camp staff were incredible hosts, and we are so grateful for their continuing support. We were also blessed to be joined by two pastors, Pr Lucas Matuschka  from Rainbow, and Pr Levi Graham from Natimuk/Dimboola. They were an incredible blessing to both campers and leaders throughout the week. We were also joined by Katie and Daniel Lang, who joined us as ‘camp mum’ and ‘camp kid’ and ensured that all campers and leaders felt loved and supported while away from home.

Our theme this year was the ‘Ride of Your Life’, with the bible studies focusing on identifying and appreciating the highs and lows that we experience throughout our lives, and ensuring that we always give thanks to God for our challenges and blessings! There are also dedicated quiet times throughout the week where campers and leaders are encouraged to sit and spend one-on-one time with God – praying or reading the Word. This time alone with God is incredibly rewarding and we encourage campers and leaders to continue this habit when they return home. The studies were also broken up with plenty of icebreaker activities, worship services, service activities, and team sports. The jam-packed schedule is a highlight for the campers, with every camper finding an activity that they love!

As leaders, we are indebted to the parents who support these young people to attend our camps, through paying camp fees, transporting people to camp, and trusting us to look after them for the week. We understand that the cost of camp can be a barrier to some campers attending, and we encourage people to contact us for financial support. If you would like to give a financial donation to our ministry, please get in touch. We are very thankful to parents, pastors, and youth workers who support these people in their home congregations. The continual support of a young person’s faith is very important – older Christian mentors in home congregations and youth groups are an important part of this.

We have recently sourced some merchandise items, including LYV tote bags and beanies, CLW t-shirt, and CLW stickers. These can be purchased at CLW, and at our fellowship days – and also at our new WEBSITE!

We will also be hosting our first Summer camp in January next year! All high-school aged students are invited to attend. Come along to catch up with all of your CLW friends, and enjoy some time away by the beach.

January  19th-22nd, 2024, at Araluen Lutheran Campsite in Anglesea. Register HERE.

Contact Abbey Morrow for more details – email: clw.lyv@lca.org.au

Please visit and like our Facebook page: LYV’s Christian Life Week

Christian Life Week (CLW) Report

Christian Life Week, fondly known as CLW, has made a terrific start to their 2023 program. We recently enjoyed 5 days at the beautiful Tandara Lutheran Camp, in Halls Gap, and were blessed with record numbers of new campers, with 51 campers and 21 personnel attending.

As always, the Tandara Lutheran Camp staff were incredible hosts, and we are so grateful for their continuing support. We were also blessed to be joined by two pastors, Pr Josh Muller from Wodonga, and Pr Levi Graham from Natimuk/Dimboola. They both have extensive experience in camping ministry, adn were an incredible blessing to both campers and leaders throughout the week. We were also joined by Russell and Debbie Schultz, from Warracknabeal, who joined us as ‘camp parents’ and ensured that all campers and leaders felt loved and supported while away from home.

Our theme this year is the ‘Ride of Your Life’, with the bible studies focussing on identifying and appreciating the highs and lows that we experience throughout our lives, and ensuring that we always give thanks to God for our challenges and blessings! There are also dedicated quiet times throughout the week where campers and leaders are encouraged to sit and spend one-on-one time with God – praying or reading the Word. This time alone with God is incredibly rewarding and we encourage campers and leaders to continue this habit when they return home. The studies were also broken up with plenty of icebreaker activities, worship services, service activities, and team sports. The jam-packed schedule is a highlight for the campers, with every camper finding an activity that they love!

As leaders, we are indebted to the parents who support these young people to attend our camps, through paying camp fees, transporting people to camp, and trusting us to look after them for the week. We understand that the cost of camp can be a barrier to some campers attending, and we encourage people to contact us for financial support. If you would like to give a financial donation to our ministry, please get in touch.

We are very thankful to parents, pastors, and youth workers who support these people in their home congregations. The continual support of a young person’s faith is very important – older Christian mentors in home congregations and youth groups are an important part of this. We love to see how the campers have matured from one year to the next. Also, we love seeing a young person transition from being a shy camper, to a more confident and experienced camper, and even continue on to become a leader or committee member. We are always looking for new leaders and committee members. If you feel called to this, please do get in touch.

We have recently sourced some merchandise items, including LYV tote bags and beanies, CLW t-shirt, and CLW stickers. These can be purchased at CLW, and at our fellowship days – but keep a look out for when we arrange a system for mail orders!

The CLW program will be re-run September 25th-29th 2023, with all high-school age students invited to attend.
Please contact Abbey Morrow for details – 0474 047 950, clw.lyv@lca.org.au
You can register for the CLW Orange camp HERE.

Please visit and like our Facebook page: “LYV’s Christian Life Week“.

We will also be having a CLW catch-up day on 19 August 2023, at Tarneit.
Youth of all ages are encouraged to attend!
Please register your interest at this LINK.

Easter Camp 2023

LYV’s Easter Camp returned to an in-person event this year, for the first time since 2019! After a series of online Easter Camps, it was a blessing to see each other face-to-face and spend the Easter weekend in faith and fellowship. About twenty 18-30+ year olds from across Victoria played board games, worshipped together, visited St John’s Ballarat for Easter Sunday, and reflected upon the camp’s theme of “Return, Restore, Rejoice!”.

Camp wasn’t without some COVID hiccups when a cook tested COVID positive two days before camp, but thankfully another volunteer was quickly found, and camp was able to continue with all campers being fed.

All in all, the return to an in-person camp was a blessing of returned fellowship and an opportunity for young adults to reflect on what they have learned and value from the last few years of restricted face-to-face meetings.

Easter Camp relies on volunteer effort to run. If you’d like to be involved with planning, cooking, or in any other way, please reach out to the Easter Camp team by contacting LYV’s Easter Camp Facebook page, or email: eastercamp.lyv@lca.org.au.

Supporting YYAM Camping Ministry

Camps always need your support, and you can offer this in many ways!

Contact Kerry kerry.linke@lca.org.au if you would like to find out more details about partnering with us, such as:

  • prayer
  • coming on camp
  • financial sponsorship of campers or resources!
  • providing resources eg stationery, magazines, music equipment
  • providing transport
  • supporting and encouraging participation in your home congregation.