Our partners in Australia include:
Australian Lutheran College (ALC)
Australian Lutheran College is the tertiary education provider of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA). Students at ALC are taught to think imaginatively about issues that affect all of life in the church and the world. They are learning to think faithfully and vitally about life and faith in the light of biblical and church teaching, and be effective spiritual leaders, educators, and workers who bring life and renewal in the church and communities they serve.
Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS)
ALWS is the overseas aid and resettlement agency of the Lutheran Church of Australia. It operates under a constitution approved by the General Synod of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA), and is consistent with the objects of the LCA Constitution.
ALWS and LCA International Mission, together with Lutheran Education Australia (LEA) join together in a range of programs specifically in Indonesia. Through these programs funded by generous grants from the Lutheran Laypeople’s League (LLL) they collaboratively seek to build the capacity of the partner Churches, particularly in the area of education and educational reform.
LLL Australia is a charitable financial institution which provides savings accounts. The LLL prides itself on providing savings accounts that are simple, fee free with a great interest rate. Savings account products include Personal, Children’s, Business and Self-Managed Super Funds that can be in individual or joint names. As an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI), the LLL is regulated under the Banking Act and by APRA. The mission of the LLL is to provide business and financial support to the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) while providing excellent service to all customers and safeguarding the interests of depositors. The LLL only provides loans to approved LCA projects, such as upgrades to Lutheran schools, churches and care facilities, with surpluses assisting the LCA in its mission.
Significant funding given by the LLL more recently has enable the LCA International Mission in collaboration with Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) and Lutheran Education Australia (LEA) to assist overseas partner churches in Indonesia to strengthen and build their institutional capacity particularly in the area of education and education reform.
Lutheran Education Australia (LEA)
Lutheran Education Australia (LEA) is committed to the mission and ministry of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) through supporting quality, Christ centred education. It operates on behalf of the LCA in partnership with early childhood centres (ECCs), schools and regions in pursuit of this vision.
Through a collaborative and consultative partnership with Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) and LCA International Mission and with generous funding from the LLL the Lutheran Church of Australia provides significant practical and financial support to strengthen the education and education reform of partner Churches particularly in Indonesia.
Lutheran Women of Australia (LWA)
Lutheran Women of Australia (LWA) is an auxiliary of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA). They are an association of Lutheran women encouraging a deeper consecration and a greater service to Christ and his church (in particular through the study of the Scriptures), to coordinate and give impetus to the work of the women of the LCA and to foster the bond of Christian fellowship among the women of our church.
LWA’s enduring prayers, giving and practical support have eternal consequences in the lives of many people across the borders of our country. LCA International Mission joins in thanking God for the Lutheran Women of Australia and for their partnership in the gospel. Through their gifts and the working of the Holy Spirit they have enabled many people to hear the message of Jesus Christ in words and actions, and through this, many have come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Their lives have been changed from fear to freedom in Christ, and they now have the hope of Christ living in them.
Current LCA International Mission projects supported by LWA:
- Through the LCA International Mission scholarship program LWA have enabled pastors and leaders from the overseas partner churches to have the opportunity to study at Australian Lutheran College and gain a deeper understanding of the gift of grace in Jesus Christ expressed through Lutheran theology. Many people who have had these scholarships have returned to their churches to take up roles as bishops, leaders and seminary lecturers.
- LWA’s prayers and financial support for Home of Praise, Thailand have made it possible for Jesus’ love to be experienced in very practical ways by the infants and small children who live difficult and dangerous lives in the slums of Bangkok. At the Home of Praise, these vulnerable children are blessed daily with clean clothes, water to wash, wholesome food, fresh milk, and by the Word of God lived and shared with them during their weekday attendance. LWA’s gifts of love make it possible for the children to ‘come to Jesus’.
- LWA’s giving has helped in the publication of new curriculum for the Women’s Ministry (Meri Wok) Training, Papua New Guinea of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG). The training course is carried out over a two-year period. The four Meri Wok Trening schools have been set up to empower women to become strong Christian leaders in their communities. After completing their studies the young women return to home to help to support the women in their own villages to live out their faith at home and in society.
- The Luther Study Centre (LSC) in Indonesia was opened on 4 December 2020. The LSC is primarily about strengthening understanding and the practice of theology that rightly distinguishes law and gospel and points people to the completed work of Christ on the cross. It will help pastors and church workers better proclaim the saving work of Christ to those they serve, as well as build up the local churches for even more effective mission in this predominantly Muslim country.
- For many years LCA International Mission has provided both the funding and the teacher for a biennial Biblical Lutheran Women’s Conference in Myanmar aimed at equipping women in all their various vocations. These conferences have been led by women from both Australia and New Zealand, and have highlighted the importance of women in passing on the faith and in the life of the Body of Christ.
- Home of Grace is an outreach ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand. It provides a safe home to young mothers-to-be and those that have given birth, in addition to women in difficult situations who need shelter. The young mothers-to-be come from many different contexts – whether that be prostitution, unplanned pregnancy, and a variety of social situations that make pregnancy unbearable. Home of Grace offers a safe place for mother and child where they are surrounded by the love of God, through the words and deeds of caring, Christian staff. Home of Grace provides counselling and skills training, English and bible lessons and it helps the women to find support for keeping their babies, or help to safely adopt their children to others.
- The Women’s Care and Counselling Centre (WCCC) was established by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia to reach out to women with domestic issues, and at the same time, to work with young women to help address the horrific reality of baby dumping. WCCC provides residential counselling services for women and young mothers seeking help, and offers a safe environment where the proclamation of the gospel is as much a priority as the physical and emotional care they receive. In the name of Jesus, they provide medical assistance, temporary shelter for vulnerable women, as well as pregnancy support and adoption services.
- Birthing Kits, lovingly prepared by women from across Australia and packed by volunteers in Adelaide and Brisbane are shipped to Papua New Guinea to provide vital items for mothers and their new born babies living in remote and rural areas. The kits help give the women a clean and safe delivery, especially when the baby is born in the village with the help of a village midwife, or at a rural Aid Post or Health Centre.
Interserve Australia is a community of ordinary Christians putting faith into action. Interserve Australia live and work among the most marginalised peoples of the Arab world and Asia, both in their home countries and among diaspora in Australia. Motivated by Christ’s heart of compassion, and in partnership with His church, Interserve Australia share their skills and experience to change tomorrow by what they do today.
Recognising that the Church is the body through which God calls and equips his people for ministry and that agencies such as Interserve Australia may assist at times in facilitating an individual call by God to overseas work, the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) and Interserve Australia desire, where practicable, to work in partnership. LCA International Mission and Interserve Australia work together to support members of the LCA who wish to apply for positions through Interserve Australia.
Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia
Wycliffe Australia exists to see disciples of Jesus growing through the Scriptures available in the language that speaks to their hearts. Wycliffe send Australian Christians and support national organisations involved in the Bible translation movement.
The Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) encourages its members to support Wycliffe and encourages them to consider serving as a translator or support staff with Wycliffe for Bible translation. The LCA acknowledge that there are a number of LCA members currently serving or preparing to serve with Wycliffe/SIL as translators in/or support staff for Bible translation.