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Fellowship Lunch in Geelong

A delicious and warm fellowship was enjoyed by all who were able to attend the Living Faith Lutheran Church Lunch at ‘The Sphinx’ on Sunday 17 August, which followed the combined worship service.

A game of ‘People Bingo’ enabled people to mingle with others, also meeting people they didn’t know.

The theme of fellowship and hospitality, as Biblically referenced by Pastor Robert, was the purpose and flavour of this unique event, with just under 100 people attending.

This was also the opportunity to kick off the FISH (Fellowship in Someone’s Home) groups initiative, led by Mike Seaman and Anna Burger.

What a blessing to have this opportunity to come together!

In today’s world, many people feel lonely, uncertain, and overwhelmed. There is a deep hunger for meaning, connection, and peace. Surprisingly, research shows that Christianity still has something very attractive to offer—things that people are genuinely searching for.

Recent research from McCrindle shows that what most draws non-Christians to the faith isn’t flashy events or persuasive arguments—it’s a sense of community, genuine care for others, and a message of peace and hope. These are the very things so many are longing for in a fast-moving, often disconnected world.

This shapes how we think about evangelism. Evangelism isn’t about trying to win arguments or impress people with how much we know. It’s about being fully present in the lives of another. And when the Holy Spirit moves in that person’s life, it is about being ready, with humility and kindness, to share the hope that shapes our lives.

The Bible says it this way:
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
— 1 Peter 3:15

That hope isn’t rooted in ourselves. It’s not about being perfect or having all the answers. It’s about knowing we are loved by God, that we’re not alone, and that there’s a bigger story we’ve been invited into—a story of grace, healing, and belonging.

Evangelism happens when we create spaces where people feel safe, seen, and welcomed. It happens when we listen deeply, care genuinely, and share our faith – not as a script but as a lived experience. When someone sees how we carry peace in difficult times, or how we show kindness when it’s not expected, they may begin to wonder: What’s different about you?

And that’s our moment. Not to preach, but to gently offer what’s been given to us—the good news that God is near, that love is real, and that hope is not just wishful thinking, but something solid we can build our lives on.

In a society hungry for meaning and connection, perhaps the most powerful form of evangelism is simply this: to live lives that reflect the hope we have, and to be ready—when asked—to share where it comes from.

The Lutheran Confessions also remind us that, at the end of the day it is the Holy Spirit alone who creates faith through the gospel. God is super-rich in how he conveys the Good News to us: through His Word, in the Sacraments, and by mutual conversation and consolation (see the Smalcald Articles III.4). We certainly can’t manufacture conversion through human effort!

With this theological foundation in place, we can gratefully receive practical tools that help us be more intentional in our witness. The courses and resources outlined below are not substitutes for the means of grace, but helpful frameworks that can equip us to share the Gospel more clearly and engage thoughtfully with our neighbours’ questions. When used with proper discernment—keeping Christ at the center—these tools can serve our calling to be ready to give an answer for the hope that we have.

Five Key Questions for Reflection and Conversation

What does it look like for us to “give an answer for the hope we have” in everyday conversations—with friends, family, or coworkers?
In what ways can our church community become a place where people experience belonging, peace, and care—even before they believe?
How has your own experience of God’s peace or hope helped you through difficult times—and could that be a story worth sharing?
What are the barriers—internal or external—that keep us from sharing our faith with gentleness and respect?
If someone walked into your life or your church this week, would they see signs of the hope you carry? What might that look like?

Evangelism Courses

Below is a list of some of the evangelism courses that Lutheran congregations around Australia have been using. Each course will have a different emphasis or focus, and will engage with people differently. (Each title links to the resource.)

Gospel Fluency
Designed by the LCANZ’s own Pr. Nathan Hedt, a Gospel Fluency Workshop can be a great blessing for you and your congregation. Each workshop explores vocabulary, your own specific context, prayer, and actual practice in sharing the good news in words and actions.

Alpha
An internationally renowned course that introduces the basics of the Christian faith in a relaxed, open environment. Alpha is structured around food, video talks, and small group discussions, making it ideal for those exploring life’s big questions in a community setting.

Introducing God
This Australian-developed course presents the Christian message through a conversational format, using video content and discussions. It is designed to help people explore who God is and what life is about, making it suitable for either those new to faith or seeking clarity on spiritual matters.

Starting Point
Created by North Point Ministries, Starting Point is a small group experience tailored for seekers, returners, and new believers. It offers a safe space to explore faith, ask honest questions, and engage with the foundational truths of Christianity through storytelling and discussion.

Christianity Explored
This course takes participants through the Gospel of Mark to investigate who Jesus is, why He came, and what it means to follow Him. With a mix of video, discussion, and personal reflection, it is well-suited to those curious about Jesus’ identity and mission.

Practicing the Way
A discipleship-oriented course inspired by John Mark Comer, focused on helping both new and mature believers follow Jesus through ancient spiritual practices like prayer, Sabbath, and Scripture reading. The course blends teaching with practical action to foster deep spiritual formation.

XP. Film Series
Targeted at younger Australians, xp. offers short, creative YouTube-style videos that explore life’s big questions—faith, identity, purpose, and God—through storytelling and visual engagement. It’s an ideal tool for youth-focused evangelism and discussion starters.

Questioning Christianity
Founded by Dan Paterson, this site offers thoughtful responses to common objections and questions about Christianity. Through articles, videos, and podcasts, it equips individuals to engage with the intellectual, emotional, and cultural challenges of faith.

Olive Tree Media
Led by Karl Faase, this Australian media organisation produces high-quality video series like ‘Jesus, the Game Changer’, that explore the relevance of Christianity in today’s world. The content is particularly useful for group studies and public evangelism within a cultural context.

Simply Christianity
Created by Matthias Media, this course presents the life and message of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke. It is designed for people with little or no prior knowledge of Christianity, and provides a simple, clear introduction to who Jesus is and why He matters.

Access Excellent Mission and Ministry Resources

If you are looking for tools to enhance the mission and ministry of your congregation, head to the LCANZ’s Congregational Life Hub.

Resources are thoughtfully organized under key headings, including:

Worship and Faith
Mission
Ministry
Pastoral Care
Safe Church
Churchworkers
Governance and Administration
Training
Grants and Scholarships

As this project is a work in progress, we’d love your input! If you know of other helpful resources or links that would benefit this collection, please share them by emailing Pastor Brett. Together, we can build a library that equips and empowers every congregation in their mission and ministry.

Confirmation Celebration in Geelong

The Pentecost Worship Service on Sunday 8 June for Living Faith Lutheran Church, Geelong, was a combined celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the confirmation of 21 of our young people from our Greater Geelong Lutheran family.

Just over 200 of us gathered together for this special day of celebration at Geelong Lutheran College, Armstrong Creek. God poured out his Spirit on all who attended. Even the cold weather and driving rain couldn’t dampen our spirits!

Each student spoke their Confirmation Expression of Faith statement in the Worship Service. To quote one of the students: ‘A bible verse that represents my journey is Romans 12:2 ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ This resonates with me because it speaks about being transformed by knowledge of God. This happened to me in confirmation; my mind has been opened to God’s will and I’m glad.’

There were six members of the Confirmation Teaching Team. The final project was a banner made up of blocks created by each student and each teacher. In the words of Pastor Boyd Briese, ‘I’m very thankful to God for the excellent people we have in Geelong, and the great team that made the whole confirmation journey a great experience’.

We continue to strive to be united in the joy of making Jesus known, as we nurture these new members of the LCA.

Confirmees shared what Confirmation means to them.

Confirmees were presented with candles as a reminder of their Confirmation.

The Living Faith Confirmation Class, 2025

Photos supplied.

Bonhoeffer Seminar Review

What sort of challenges do we face to our faith in our community?

So began the Bonhoeffer Seminar hosted earlier this year by the St Paul’s congregation in Warragul/Darnum for the 80^th anniversary of his death.

After outlining several faith challenges at home and abroad, David Ingham helped us to explore the challenges Dietrich faced, the development of his thinking, study and action. While quite an accomplished pianist, Dietrich’s vocation began with a call to be a theologian in Berlin, which eventually led to some teaching and pastoral work in America and later in England. Both these experiences challenged his understanding of faith and social conscience. All this at a time of great turmoil in 1930s Germany after the end of the First World War, with the downfall of the Weimar Republic, the rapid rise of Adolf Hitler, the 57-day establishment the Nazi regime and its eventual takeover of the German Lutheran Church. Dietrich joined the Confessing Church, tutored pastoral candidates, protested against the national government, moved towards pacificism and joined with others in a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler. While in prison he became a compassionate pastor and carer to both prisoners and prison-staff alike, and wrote deeply about his situation and faith.

Vera Hartelt then invited us into the family life of Dietrich with a special focus on his relationship with his fiancée, Maria von Wedemeyer. She proposed, by letter, and said something like “To the question you haven’t asked, the answer is Yes, Yes, Yes”. She was allowed to visit Dietrich in prison with the help of a sympathetic guard. Sadly, their relationship ended with Dietrich’s execution on April 9, 1945.

Vera concluded her talk with Bonhoeffer’s poem, “Who am I?”, after which we all sang his hymn, “By gracious powers” (TIS 617), which ends with the words:

“Yet when again in this same world you give us
the joy we had, the brightness of your sun,
we shall remember all the days we lived through
and our whole life shall then be yours alone.”

The audience, from a variety of Christian denominations, greatly appreciated the presentations and came to a fuller understanding of Dietrich and Maria, the challenges they faced and God’s faithful loving care. They also enjoyed a sumptuous afternoon tea, provided by the members of St Paul’s, and the opportunity to chat.

Continuing Education Retreat, 20-22 May 2025

This year, our annual CEP – Continuing Education Program for Pastors and Lay leaders – incorporated times of ‘Retreat’, so became the CER – Continuing Education Retreat.

Recognising the demands placed on us all in these days, we purposefully slowed down the pace and allowed time and space to breathe—to be renewed by God’s grace and strengthened for the journey ahead. Those who attended enjoyed a time of grace-filled rest, deep reflection, and spiritual renewal, which also allowed plenty of opportunities to nurture connections and relationships.
Attendees were treated to times of:

study on the book of Acts, led by Dr Pastor Dean Zweck
meditation, Bible reading and prayer, using the ‘Sacred Space’ resource
worship, including a Taize service one evening
fellowship – over meals, wine & cheese, and between scheduled items
sharing of resources and information

Our presenter, Dr. Dean Zweck, brought a wealth of experience from parish ministry, overseas mission, and seminary teaching. Dean led us in exploring aspects of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles (or, more correctly, the Acts of the Holy Spirit!), providing encouragement and insight into the Spirit’s work in the early Church and in us today. With a heart for receptive spirituality, Dean also guided us in dwelling richly in God’s Word, helping us to use the online Sacred Space resource for guided devotion and prayer time.

The venue was the Holy Cross Centre, Templestowe, who always provide great facilities and treat the group to wonderful hospitality.

Locks and Keys

Devotion Text: John 20:19-23

In a little town called Penguin on the northern Tasmanian coast there is a small church in which most of the doors and windows are built in the shape of a keyhole.

Locks and keys feature just as prominently in John’s Gospel account of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance to his disciples.

First, the disciples were gathered behind locked doors for fear of the people who had crucified their Lord. Yet those locked doors did not keep the risen Saviour out. He defied locked doors by coming among his disciples with his presence, his peace, his Spirit and his word.

Then Jesus spoke about some spiritual keys, ‘the keys of the kingdom’ as he called them elsewhere (Matthew 16:19), keys powerful enough to unlock the doors of heaven itself by announcing to fallen sinners that our sins are forgiven. Heaven’s door is unlocked for sinners because Jesus died to pay the penalty for all human sin and was raised to proclaim complete victory over it.

These keys are also powerful enough to keep heaven’s door locked to those who reject the saving work of Christ, and powerful enough to then unlock heaven’s door when they no longer do so.

The reason the image of locks and keys feature so prominently in that little church in Penguin is to remind people that ‘the keys of the kingdom’ feature prominently in our lives as believers in the risen Lord – as individuals and as his gathered people.

It brings us certainty to know that when we are behind locked doors of fear, desperation, or concern, the risen Jesus is with us, assuring us of his victory over death, his presence, his peace, his Spirit, and his word of forgiveness.

It brings us everlasting peace to know that, even though our sinful thoughts, words and deeds would lock the door of our hearts to God, he does not lock the door of his grace to us. Instead, his word of forgiveness becomes the key that unlocks heaven’s door to us again and again.

The ‘keys of the kingdom,’ announced to us publicly by called and ordained servants of his word, keep on calling us to, and reassuring us of the redeeming, unlocking grace of God won for us on the cross and proclaimed from the open grave of Jesus.

And as ‘the keys of the kingdom’ unlock the good news of God’s forgiveness for us, they also have power to unlock hearts that are closed toward other people.

Are there locked doors that you are – or feel like – hiding behind today because of circumstances too difficult to face? May you be aware of the presence and peace of the risen Saviour, even behind those locked doors.

Is your heart locked to the forgiving grace of God through either ‘impenitence or unbelief’ – struggling to admit or confess your sin, or to trust that God’s grace is sufficient to forgive you? May your heart find peace in knowing that your Saviour will never leave the door of his grace and forgiveness locked to you whenever, in faith and repentance, you come knocking. Amen.

[Photo supplied by Pastor Lester Priebbenow]

Growing Together in Prayer: A Powerful Start to the Year

The first LCANZ District Mission Directors Collaborative Learning Zoom session of the year took place on 11 February 2025, offering two identical sessions to accommodate participants across different schedules. With a focus on Spiritual Growth, inspired by last year’s LCA Leaders Retreat, this event provided an opportunity for leaders to reflect on prayer’s transformative role in personal faith, congregational renewal, and mission.

Approximately 50 participants engaged in deep conversations about the power of prayer in revitalising churches, drawing on insights from Scripture, Thom Rainer’s research, and the LCANZ Online Prayer Network. A key takeaway was the reminder that every sustained church revitalisation is undergirded by a powerful movement of prayer—a theme echoed in powerful stories of renewal and mission growth.

The session included:

Inspiring testimonies of God’s work through prayer.
Insights from the Online Prayer Network, highlighting how persistent prayer strengthens faith communities.
Encouragement, with practical guidance on how to develop small but faithful local prayer movements, recognizing that prayer warriors are marked by persistence, not numbers.
Practical examples of prayer initiatives, from 24-hour vigils to community-focused prayer walks.

The event concluded with collaborative prayer, as participants interceded for their congregations and the wider LCANZ mission. Many left the session encouraged to deepen their commitment to prayer as the foundation for renewal and evangelism.

For those who missed it, a recording of the teaching session and a PDF of the presentation slides are available here:

PDF of Powerpoint notes
Video of Evening Session

Additionally, fortnightly LCANZ Prayer Zoom gatherings will continue, providing an ongoing opportunity to pray for God’s Spirit to be poured out over the church. For more information contact Pastor Nathan Hedt at nathan.hedt@lca.org.au.

A heartfelt thank you to all who participated. It was certainly a rich time of learning and prayer. May we continue to grow together in faith, taking our requests and thanksgivings to the Only One who is able to transform our lives and communities by His grace, our Lord Jesus Christ, who intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Watch the Vic-Tas District eNews for details of the next LCANZ Mission Directors Collaborative Learning Zooms. We’re aiming to run about five more of these over the course of the coming year.

Gospel Fluency Workshops

Do you ever feel awkward or unprepared to share the gospel? Maybe you know someone curious about Jesus, but you’re unsure of the next steps? What if you could feel more confident in sharing the good news of Jesus?
Introducing Gospel Fluency Workshops, offered by the Department for Congregational Support. These workshops are designed to equip you and your congregation with the vocabulary, context, and practice to share the gospel in word and action.

You’ll gain tools to:

Speak the good news of Jesus confidently.
Map your relationships for the sake of the gospel.
Listen well to others.
Explore practical next steps for those curious about the Christian faith.

The workshops run for just two and a half hours—perfect for a Saturday morning or weekday evening.

Pastor Brett is now planning Gospel Fluency Workshops for the Vic Tas District for 2025. You can book an in-person session or access our facilitator’s guide for Zoom coaching, and other resources to lead a workshop locally.

Ready to grow in Gospel Fluency? Visit our website today for more information and take the next step in sharing the good news confidently.

Download the flyer HERE.

ALWS 75th Anniversary

Serving the most vulnerable for 75 Years

This year the Lutheran Church of Australian and New Zealand (LCANZ) celebrates 75 years of serving the most vulnerable through the ministry of Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS).

The origins of our church’s overseas aid and development ministry started at Bonegilla Migrant Centre near Albury where Rev Dr Bruno Muetzelfeld, a local Lutheran pastor, began offering pastoral and practical care to thousands of European Lutheran refugees following the end of World War II.

In time the ministry expanded to focus on supporting the most vulnerable overseas and today our church works through ALWS to practical care to vulnerable people in fourteen of the poorest countries… food for the hungry, education for children and support to grow resilient families.

Inspired by the faithful generosity of Australian Lutherans, ALWS is celebrating its anniversary with four major events, and the ambitious goal to support 75,000 children with the essentials for a happy, healthy life – food, school and safety.

All are invited to join ALWS at a celebration event and to make a special 75^th donation that will change the future for a vulnerable child impacted by poverty and war in Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Bangladesh, Nepal and Ukraine. Together we can ‘Step out so a child can step Up’!

Anniversary celebrations commenced with a commemorative event at Bonegilla Migrant Centre on Saturday 22 March, where attendees enjoyed guided tours of the migrant facilities, live cultural performances, a historic Walk My Way to the old Bonegilla Rail Station and heard stories, songs, and reflections that honour our church’s legacy of care.

A Thanksgiving Service, led by Churchwide Bishop Rev Paul Smith, was held on Sunday 23 March at St Luke’s Lutheran Church, Albury.

Celebration events will also be held in Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Lutheran churches and schools in the Victorian Tasmanian District are invited to join the local celebrations at Melbourne Walk My Way on Sunday 30 March at Good News Lutheran College, Tarneit. A Thanksgiving service will be held at St Philips Lutheran Church at 9:30am and the Walk My Way festivities will commence from 11am.

Come and enjoy the multi-cultural community hub with live cultural performances, food trucks and kids’ activities. You might also choose to participate in a 3km or 12km walk along alongside the picturesque Werribee river trail.

To register for the Melbourne Walk My Way event, and to discover more about the legacy of our church through ALWS, visit www.alws75.org.au.

Together, let’s give thanks to God for 75 years of Lutheran service through ALWS and commit to changing the future for 75,000 vulnerable children impacted by poverty and war.

Congregational Multi-Cultural Awareness Day

Change is something that no-one relishes (except, as the saying goes, if you are a baby with a wet nappy!). Our Lutheran Church of Australia, indeed God’s Church on earth, is undergoing a huge shift in how we “do” church in the post-Christendom era. Old paradigms no longer work, and Australia is increasingly becoming a very secular country.

Nevertheless, God is still working amongst his people and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our shores in recent times – people whom he loves dearly and for whom he has paid the price for sin on the cross, so that he might bring them to himself.

No longer do we need to go overseas to be missionaries; we have the people coming to our neighbourhoods, many of whom have never heard of God’s great love. “Redeemer” Glen Waverley, a campus of Nunawading and Waverley Lutheran Church, has been working towards ministering to the overwhelming number of settlers from mainland China, in particular, but generally with all new settlers. How do we do this? How can we be more effective? These are questions that we have struggled with.

Craig Heidenreich, LCA Cross-Cultural Ministry

Recently, a grant from the Victorian District Cross-Cultural Ministry provided us with the opportunity to hold a Workshop, to help us unpack these questions with Craig Heidenreich (right) of the LCA’s Cross-Cultural Ministry department. Our Pastor, Tim Castle-Schmidt, presented a demographic overview of China, followed by Craig’s presentation. Craig has a great love for the stranger in our midst and provided us with practical strategies we can use when the Lord brings them into our path as we go about our everyday lives. The simplest of things, such as a smile, a ‘hello’ in their language, and learning their name, can help a person to feel noticed and welcomed.

Sherry Hong, Nunawading-Waverley Lay Worker

We are blessed to have in our congregational a lay-worker, Sherry Hong, who comes from mainland China. Sherry and a small group of friends of the congregation helped us to make dumplings and cooked a wonderful lunch for us. After this, Sherry explained aspects of Chinese culture to us, helping us to better understand the worldview of the Chinese people in Glen Waverley and how we can communicate better.

Making dumplings

As Australian Christians we have a unique opportunity to share our faith with newcomers. As Craig has said, we need to think of them as individuals whom God loves dearly, rather than as a group of Chinese/Sri Lankans/Afghanis etc. Perhaps the Lord is asking us to open our arms, and perhaps he is asking us to do things quite differently than we have ever done them before? It takes courage, but the Lord is with us and goes before us if we but ask him.

Photos supplied by Susanne Hudson

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