Victoria Tasmania District of the Lutheran Church of Australia

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

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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.

 

Easter Camp Review

Easter Camp 2026 ran over the Easter long weekend at Araluen Lutheran Camp in Anglesea, bringing together a vibrant community for a memorable weekend of faith, fellowship, and fun. We were thrilled to welcome a large contingent of under-18 campers who heard about us through our other LYV camps and other youth ministries. Integrating them with our other young adults brought an awesome, energetic dynamic to the weekend.

This year’s theme, “Through the Ages”, invited campers to sift through the chapters of Jesus’ life alongside their own. Through upfronts and small groups, we explored how Jesus navigated the human experience and how we can live our lives in light of his resurrection. Our final study then brought everything together by focusing on evangelism; by discussing how to share the Gospel with others, this session beautifully pointed through the ages of the Christian church to its future.

A true highlight of the weekend was our Friday evening Passover dinner. A Messianic Jew from the Celebrate Messiah ministry guided us through the traditional elements of the meal, including the four cups, matzah, bitter herbs, and the lamb shank bone, beautifully explaining how each element points directly to our ultimate Passover Lamb in Christ. Other moving worship moments included interactive prayer stations focusing on the persecuted church, and a dawn service on Anglesea beach just as the sun rose.

Beyond worship and studies, the schedule was packed with activities that brought out everyone’s competitive and creative spirits. Teams battled it out in a campsite-wide “Civilisation Game” and tested their communication in a Play-Doh “Sculpture Showdown”. Campers also appreciated the relaxed, unstructured free time spent playing board games and sharing fellowship with each other.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and served: we are already looking forward to doing it all again at Easter Camp 2027!

    

Easter Camp 2025

Easter Camp 2025: ‘Let’s Get Real’ ran over the Easter long weekend at Araluen Lutheran Camp, Anglesea. It was a lovely weekend with many fun activities and wonderful moments of reflection and worship.

This year was the first year since 2019 that we invited ages 16+ on camp. We had 4 participants under the age of 18, who praised the camp for its ability to “bridge the gap” between youth camps, such as CLW, and the young adult community of the LYV.

Our guest speaker this year was Jordan Moore, who delivered some incredible upfronts, going into depth about “getting real…with relationships”, talking about relationship with self, God, and others. The small group time was innovative and thought-provoking, providing the participants the space to share their thoughts and questions.

The activities on camp were also a highlight, with whole group activities such as trivia, line dancing and even a team-based Easter egg hunt being a source of joy for all involved.

Many of the participants came away from camp acknowledging the transformative power that Easter Camp had on their faith, with the ability to have deep conversations with others and the reflective worship times centred around Jesus’ death and resurrection. These worship opportunities are central to the camp every year, and create an atmosphere that is spiritually, emotionally, and even physically, renewing. This year Pastor Nathan Hedt joined us as camp Pastor.

Overall, this year’s Easter Camp was a profound and valuable experience for the young adults who attended.

      
      
   

Photos supplied by Sylvia Hedt.

New Assistant Manager at Araluen Lutheran Camp

We have been anticipating a new Assistant Manager at our Araluen campsite in Anglesea for some time and can now share the news that Mr Kym Schilling will be starting in this role in the new year.
Kym comes from a previous Team Leader position and, at God’s prompting, is looking forward very much to working with the staff and visitors at the camp.

Kym shared with us a little of his background and journey:

“Hi, my name is Kym Schilling. I am married to Vicki and a have a daughter, Louella, and a son, Jed. I grew upon on a farm near Rainbow and have continued my love of outdoors with my family, just completing a 3-month camping trip around WA.  I have been working as an office-based Payroll Manager for government and private industry for the past 25 years.

Like many people after Covid I felt I needed something more in my vocation. Camp ministry has always been close to my heart during my youth days at CLW, Easter and zone camps. When the opportunity to work with Darren, Kerry and the team at Araluen became available I felt God was not just opening the door but pushing me through.

I look forward to the challenge God puts before me while serving him and his Church.”

LLL walks with ALWS and the Lutheran community

LLL was proud to sponsor the Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) Walk My Way Ukraine event, and have a team walk for a worthy cause in an uplifting demonstration of our shared missional purpose.

LLL’s valued relationship with ALWS has seen us partner in many key initiatives, such as Walk My Way events around the country, with international aid programs – including farming partnerships in the East African nation of Burundi and micro-enterprises in impoverished regions of Nepal – and the ALWS Ambassador Bootcamp program to name a few.

This vital missional partnership is an excellent example of the deep connection LLL has enjoyed with the wider Lutheran community for over 100 years.

Our Board Chair Steven, Chief Relationship Officer Scott, Marketing Manager Rhianan, and LTM Tract Development Officer Anne walked shoulder-to-shoulder with over 870 participants in Brisbane to raise funds to aid families displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.


LLL was delighted to field a team of willing walkers in the wonderful ALWS Walk My Way Ukraine event, May ‘24.

Seventy-four teams took part, including many from Lutheran congregations, schools, and care services. LLL has shared valued relationships with ALWS, these organisations, and the Church and its districts, throughout our history and our commitment to maintaining this connection with fellow missionally-minded Lutheran entities remains at the core of our endeavours.

Our tailored loans, sponsorships (like this one of ALWS), and Mission Outreach Grants continue to empower ALWS, congregations, schools, retirement and aged care facilities, and youth camps to build facilities for worship and learning, to inspire young people, and foster community and connection within the wider Lutheran family.

Teams from St Mark’s Lutheran Church, Dalby, and Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School (LORDS) were among those to take part in Walk My Way Ukraine, which raised over $180,000.

LLL was delighted to award St Mark’s a Mission Outreach Grant that has made a significant impact on young people in Dalby and the Darling Downs region, with the grant helping the church hire an energetic Youth Ministry Coordinator.

LLL has enjoyed a strong relationship with LORDS for over a decade, with the most recent project including the construction of new junior school general learning areas to accommodate demand for high quality Lutheran education in the booming region.

ALWS, St Mark’s and LORDS are fine examples of the relationships that LLL is committed to maintaining and growing as we look to the future with renewed determination to continue our mission of stewardship and service.

If your school, aged care facility or congregation has a missional objective that could be achieved through a partnership with LLL, we invite conversations about loans and sponsorships via our website – www.lll.org.au, email – lll@lll.org.au or phone 1800 556 457, with Mission Outreach Grant applications available through LCA District offices.

Read about the uplifting projects that LLL supports through loans, sponsorships and Mission Outreach Grants thanks to our missional partnership with our depositors in Together in Mission – www.lll.org.au/tim – or via our regularly updated social media channels – Facebook: www.facebook.com/LLLAust and Instagram: Instagram: @lll_australia

Risky Business???

Did you know that our church requires us to develop a safety plan for all of our church events and activities, from our weekly worship services to our Bible studies, our senior’s outings and our children’s and youth programs, our working bees, community events and our camps….. Yes, all the many programs and activities which form part of our mission and ministry must have a safety plan, which includes identifying and appropriately managing risks.

We do this to help us carry out our duty of care for all church employees, leaders, volunteers and visitors, to protect our people, property and reputation, and as part of being good stewards of all the things with which the Lord has entrusted us.

Additionally, we have responsibilities under Occupational Health and Safety legislation and Child Safe Standards.

Proverbs 27:12 says, ‘The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty’. Risk management is being prudent and doing our best to see and assess the risks and take action so we can reduce or avoid paying the consequences.

Those of you who have completed Safe Church Training will be familiar with the our Safety Management System which assists us to manage safety in an intentional and structured way.

We have the LCA Risk Management Policy which provides guidelines for our church, and now, Lutheran Insurance has provided a very useful resource, “Risk Management Guide for Churches.”  This document is a wealth of information and resources to help us in the very necessary task of risk management. It supports and endorses the work of congregations and church agencies in this area.

I recommend the document to you, and thank Lutheran Insurance for making this resource available for our use.

Download the guide and other resources at: www.lca.org.au/risk-management

Walk My Way – Melbourne

Over the weekend, Luther College in Croydon Hills partnered with Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) to host Melbourne’s very first Walk My Way event.

Walk My Way is a walking challenge that raises money to support ALWS in their work educating refugee children in East Africa. Walk My Way events have been held for several years in Adelaide, and a recent Walk My Way held by Victory Lutheran College in Wodonga saw great success. On Saturday October 21st, Walk My Way Melbourne saw over 130 walkers come together and showcase another successful Walk My Way event.

Staff, students and parents from the Luther College and Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School communities walked a 13km loop through the beautiful Mullum Mullum Creek Trail. A highlight of the event was witnessing the generosity of the whole community as they came together on Saturday. A special thanks to nearby local businesses, Jefferies IGA and Marbled Meats, for coming on board with generous donations, and all volunteers from the community who kindly gave up their Saturday morning to help the day run smoothly.

Students of all ages joined their friends, teachers and families in hitting the track and walking 13km. Their fundraising efforts have raised more than $22,000 – that is, enough to support education for over 850 children! All who participated were able to learn more about the refugee children in East Africa (Kakuma and Dadaab Refugee camps) they were supporting, and it was heartening to see the level of support from the local communities for such an important cause.

The journey isn’t over yet! Luther College aims to raise $25,000 by the end of the month. If you would like to support them, all donations are appreciated on the ALWS fundraising page, HERE.

Thankyou!

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.