Today (19 November 2020) is the first day of South Australia’s ‘second wave’ lockdown, for six days. As my husband, Robert, and I are retired, we have not found this issue too hard to handle. It has been interesting to think about this all over again. Yesterday evening might have been our last community service filming, for a while, to be viewed online/DVD for our congregation members and other interested people. Pastor has been thinking …
Stamps for Mission (SFM) was started in 1938 by Ern Unger from Parkes in NSW. He was in charge of this project, supported by Lutheran groups, until he passed the baton to Peter Nitschke in early 2003. It is now a project of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) in general, currently supported by “the youth” who are now mostly in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s. Over the years, more than $447,000 has been …
Friday, December 20, 2019 The day dawned hot with gusty winds. There was an eerie feeling about it. At around 8.45 am, I heard that a fire had started on Hollands Creek Road at Cudlee Creek approximately 10 kms west of Lobethal, in the beautiful Adelaide Hills in South Australia. I couldn’t see any smoke, but by 9.30 am it was evident that there was a raging bushfire burning. Having experienced a similar situation in …
South Australia’s Barossa Valley food heritage is unique, and I try to pass this knowledge on to my food-loving boys so it will continue into the future. This dessert is a favourite among the grape-growing families of the valley, especially ours. Ingredients: • Mataro or Shiraz grapes or grape juice • Sago • Runny cream Having been raised on a vineyard property, this generational family recipe is a favourite in the autumn. It is best …
Here are some thoughts and artwork on Families and Family Christmas Celebrations from the Reception Students at Immanuel Primary School, Novar Gardens, SA. Thank you to the children and to their teacher, Emma Le Gallou.What is a family?“A family is like a group and it has babies” –Eleni “A family is with persons and there’s grandmas and papas and sisters and brothers and everybody” – Emily “A family is mums and dads and grandpas and …
The family unit is our heavenly Father’s special gift to humankind. When he sent his precious Son to his work of our redemption, he sent him as part of a family here on earth. Jesus, too, had an earthly father, mother and siblings. Families come in all shapes, sizes, colours and creeds but the most precious family of all is the family of God’s people. Thanks be to God! [Jesus said] Whoever does God’s will …
Nearly fifty years ago my husband Rex and I moved with our then three children from Adelaide to Canberra. A very big decision on our part to move away from our close family connections to a much smaller city where we knew very few people, and no-one well. Rex was a public servant throughout his working life and he was persuaded that the work would be interesting, the opportunities better, the education and lifestyle would …
The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord is not just a one-day event, but an extended celebration spread out over many days (indeed, months!). We begin with a period of preparation – extending for 40 days – followed by the Nativity and the “Twelve days of Christmas”, followed by the great feast of Epiphany. Before, during and after this time there are a number of other feasts: * St Nicholas is commemorated on 6 …
I remember the halt as the ratcheting handbrake was yanked before the mouth of my family home. My 15-year-old self thought it was a dream to have a ute with as much character as Caden’s 4×4. The roar of the engine on any highway would dominate even a yelling conversation, so we rightly called the rusty, leviathan “Aslan”. It’s odd to think of how it was even possible to hear each other when Aslan’s mechanic …
As a member of the Lutheran Women of Australia (LWA) committee, we are facing a challenging time trying to organise the next LWA Convention to be held in Victoria next year. During the COVID-19 crisis, travel, the closing of borders and the many other obstacles that we are facing with the organisation of Convention is very challenging. With the help of God, fortunately, we have the use of computers, emails, phone calls and other sources …
Recently, at my church, we had a ‘Mission Festival’ Sunday. A day that we focussed on, not only the work the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) does in overseas (International) mission, but also what the LCA does with local and home missions. As a church we try to reach out to all those who need to hear the Gospel and the saving love of Jesus. During the service, Lutheran Tract Mission was also mentioned as …
I could no longer stay in the room. In the audience chamber, the servants watched me from under their downcast eyes. They knew better than to look at me directly, but they observed keenly all that was happening. I knew this well from my own days as a slave. I could feel the tears beginning to well in my eyes as I looked down from my throne at the group of men. My brothers, ten …