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Sadly the regular program of Lutheran Women of Victoria Retreats have almost all been cancelled due to restrictions across the State. The women of Launceston decided to continue on with the event with the assistance of Pr Stuart Kleinig (restrictions on gathering are not currently in place in Tasmania). Twenty two people attended from all over the state. The day opened with singing songs from the All Together song books accompanied by Pastor Stuart playing his guitar, making it extra special.  A delicious soup and pizza lunch followed.

The presentation was very interesting as we hear little of the importance of women in the bible. Elizabeth and her cousin Mary Magdalene were discussed as being such strong believers and certainly made a huge impact on our true faith in Christ.

An offering of $265 was received  in support of the Australian Lutheran World Service.

We are so blessed and thank God we are able to get together for such a wonderful morning of fellowship. We are hoping our Victorian ladies will get here next year and present at the retreat. Surely third time lucky. We’ve had our practice now for next year, so please encourage as many as possible to come to Launceston for the retreat.

We thank Pastor Stuart and his wife Julie for coming and for Pr Stuart’s leadership of the retreat. Many thanks also to Joanne Ebdon for being the contact person and for all the work she did to make sure the retreat day went ahead. A big thank you also to our Launceston ladies for all the work they carried out, making soup, sandwiches, slices and setting tables.

Thora Burch – congregation chair Bethlehem Lutheran Church Launceston.

Pastor Janos Dabasy, pastor to the Melbourne Hungarian Congregation, retires on Friday 10th September, also his 85th birthday. Pastor Janos shares the story of his life and the journey into ministry as a Specific Ministry Pastor.

I was born before the war. The first few years comprised many beautiful memories.

Then came the war. Memories include: my father who was in the army corps of engineers was sent to the Russian front; the nightly air-raid sirens; spending nights downstairs in the strongest part of the house; a large part of the city flattened by carpet bombing; moving out to the country to avoid bombardment; in 1945 running away from the advancing Soviet army, first on train then on foot; overrun by the Soviets in Austria near the German border; going back on foot to Hungary; spending nearly 12 years under the communist puppet government; participating as university student in the ill-fated uprising in 1956; fleeing from Hungary to Austria empty handed on foot to escape persecution.

I arrived in Australia empty handed at end of October 1957 on a Thursday not knowing the language, and with a half-finished qualification. Next Monday, I went to work as draughtsman. My first boss was a Dutch engineer with whom I conversed in German, another engineer was Ukrainian with whom I communicated in Russian (it was compulsory in school). I worked for one day, the next was a holiday and I got paid. What was the holiday for? “A horse race”! What a great country?!! Now, 64 years later, I still think it is a great country!

After finishing engineering I worked as an engineer for 32 years. My experience included leading the mechanical design for several new chemical plants around Australia as principal design engineer.

The motto of my life is Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, persevere in prayer.” It became my motto after a harrowing experience I had waiting for my father to be released from detention by the secret police. Throughout my life I often needed this advice! It is most appropriate also now during the pandemic.

The Hungarian Lutheran Congregation was served by pastors Béla Bernhardt from Sydney, Peter Kemeny from Perth, and Arpad Breglec from Sydney usually bi-monthly. I served as one of the founding ‘presbyters’ (council members), and after the death of the chairperson in the seventies, I was elected the new chairman. When pastors were not in Melbourne we had reader services. I was one of the readers.  My duty as chairman was to hold the congregation together. I visited members, called them on phone; made sure that they were not forgotten. During Pr. Arpad’s time I became authorised to conduct communion services.

In 1994 Pr. Arpad realised that I should be able to be ordained as PWAT (pastor with alternative training – now SMP). The Congregation extended a call to me. Pr. Arpad recommended me for ordination to the College of Presidents.  The COP accepted the recommendation and I was ordained on 23 April 1995.

My ordination was the culmination of my entire life. My confirmation in 1948 had a lasting effect on me. It firmly bound me to the Church. Shortly, maybe a year after my confirmation, I received a very personal call to service from the Lord. I did not act on it for many years. I was channeled in to engineering. I fulfilled my role as engineer successfully, but the call was still bothering me deep down. In the mid 1980’s I enrolled at the Seminary via correspondence, but I was dispirited by the length of the time it would have taken to finish the study.  But the Lord did not let me go. In 1995 He called me to serve Him as PWAT/SMP. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve for 26 years, I am grateful to the Lord for not punishing me for not listening to Him but dragging me, into His service.

In addition to serving the Melbourne Congregation, I also served the Hungarian Congregation in Adelaide for 10 years, until their closure. I still serve the Rosebud congregation and have been helping out in several congregations around Melbourne when the pastor was not available.

I have to mention that after God, my best support is my dear wife, Eva. She is my sounding board, and checks my English. She is active in the Glen Waverley congregation and has given spirituality days for Lutheran Women of Victoria.

I am transferring to become a Pastor Emeritus (SMP), but it does not mean that I will rest on my laurels. I will still look after the Hungarian Lutherans in Melbourne, serve Rosebud and I would be still happy to help out occasionally if needed.

I close with the words Lutherans in Hungary greet each other:

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God!

by Pastor Janos Dabasy

The Lutheran Welfare Trust was created to contribute towards the support or establishment of welfare projects primarily within the Lutheran Church. This Trust is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient, and as an Income Exempt Charitable Entity – this means donations can be tax deductible.

The Trust was established to provide relief to those who are in necessitous circumstances, which according to the Commissioner of Taxation definition, involves some degree of poverty. To the extent possible, the Trustees take a broad approach to this definition, although the Trustees must still be bound by the description. Careful consideration should be given to this definition in the application for funds.

The Trust operates on a 1 July to 30 June year in accordance with the Tax Office rules, so applications are now open until 31 March 2022 for the 1/7/21 – 30/6/22 year. In the 2020-21 period, the Trust distributed $4500 to organisations within the Victorian District for projects that fit the criteria.

The Trustees are seeking applications for the funding of welfare related projects that are tax deductible, not for specific individual welfare cases. The amount available in any one year is dependent on prevailing interest rates.

The application form is attached, or email me at: hilton.haeusler@gslps.vic.edu.au  Applications close on Friday, 01st October 2021.

The Trust is always seeking additional members to be involved in the work of the Trust. Please contact me if further information is required regarding applications or joining the Trust.

Hilton Haeusler
on behalf of the Lutheran Welfare Trust