My prayer for all of us who call ourselves Lutherans here in Australia is that we will all have “a pain in the gut”! Let me explain…I’m not a great theological scholar so when a pastor challenged me about my understanding of the word “compassion” I fumbled around with words such as “empathy”, “feeling sad […]
There are many words to describe the feelings you have when you visit, volunteer or work at Bethany Home in Malaysia, but for me the one word that is evident in the lives, in the words and on the faces of people, is ‘hope’. There can be a sense of hopelessness for many people struggling […]
Most of us know about this innovative mission, where used stamps are cleaned, sorted and sold for the best prices, usually ending up overseas. Rita Seidel, a stamp receiver in South Australia, has been saving, cleaning, sorting and packing stamps since she was 15 years old. She is now 86. ‘For some years we have […]
‘Mission is not about written reports: it is about people and hearts and the saving grace of Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.’ The LCA supports a variety of mission partnerships in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Sabah, China and Cambodia. These include supporting theological education through scholarships, support […]
The LCA was honoured to be invited to participate in the 30th biennial convention of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore (LCMS), through its representative Mrs Glenice Hartwich. The theme of the two-day convention, held on 29 and 30 August, was ‘Christ – the church’s one foundation’. The convention was followed by a breathtakingly […]
Lutherans from across the globe have heard how churches in South-East Asia are growing despite political and economic diversities. On 12-14 May representatives from eleven countries met in Cambodia for the annual Mekong Mission Forum and three-yearly Partner Churches Consultation. Glenice Hartwich attended on behalf of the LCA. Over fifty delegates from the Mekong Mission […]
Bishop Julius Paul, head of one of the LCA’s partner churches, died when the boat he was travelling on capsized off Guatemala, South America, on 22 November. Two other passengers were killed. Peter Schirmer, executive secretary of Australian Lutheran World Service, was one of the twelve survivors. Bishop Paul was the leader of the Evangelical […]
Giraffe was held in Singapore in December as a joint venture of the LCA and Lutheran Church in Singapore. It was a cross-cultural community of 21: eight Singaporeans, eight Australians and five Malaysians. We gathered as a very diverse bunch! We came from different cultures and countries and with different heart languages (various Chinese dialects […]
‘What is this cake I have seen in women’s magazines?’ asked one of the visitors from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malaysia (ELCM). ‘I have always wanted to try one.’ It was a lamington. So began an intense women-to-women discussion about food and cooking. Cross-cultural friendships formed around lamingtons are no less important than those […]