Thank you for the opportunity to let you know some of the ways we serve, share, come together and grow.
Each year in March we hold a three-day retreat at Warrambui Retreat and Conference Centre. Each retreat is hosted by a volunteer fellowship or group of ladies, making very diverse weekends. It is wonderful to see how God moves the hearts of these host ladies to choose themes and then focus our attention on God through that theme. In 2019, Culcairn ladies showed us the constant-ness of God by comparing the present with the past with the theme For I am the Lord, I change not. 2019-51=1968, Retro Retreat. Each year I am amazed with the way God comes to each of the attendees and moves their heart.
Our 2020 Retreat, due to be held on 20–22 March at Warrambui, was unfortunately postponed until 2021, due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Towards the end of April, we hold our convention to cover the business that we do: mainly to elect our Executive members and decide where we will send the monies generously donated. In 2019 Henty hosted us with the theme Light Keepers, let your light shine before men, reminding us we are to shine so others see God through/in us.
Part of what we want to do, is to raise money to support others in need. We do this by supporting various projects. We donated $21,624 to the mission at home project, for the last two years, the Kids Breakfast Club at Dubbo and Tuggeranong and St Pauls Bus signage, and also Warrambui Retreat and Conference Centre, St Paul’s College Scholarship fund and PNG Women’s Coordination Fund. We have also supported the LWA Projects with $51,787.
Our next convention to be held on 18 April 2020 at Wollongong, was postponed due to the COVID-19 lockdown. When a new date is chosen it will be advertised.
We are so pleased, that recently, we have been appointed two spiritual leaders, Pastors Kees Sturm and Mark Simpfendorfer. After a time of no spiritual advisors we a very happy to have them to help us.
There are also regional Fellowship days, one each in the North West, Coastal, Canberra and Southern Zones. These alternate between the local fellowships and are a day of catching up with friends, fun items, possible book/item purchases, and local guest speakers. Last year Southern Zone fellowship day was held on 1 June at Culcairn; North West Zone on 29 September at Parkes; Canberra Zone on 21 September at Woden; Coastal Zone fellowship day was cancelled.
Members of LWNSW attend, on a district level, Convention, Retreat and Fellowship Days. Locally we hold regular meetings, often catering for gatherings, organising gifts at Christmas, and visits to places of interest.
While we are busy and capable, we are also disappearing. This is the view that many have of Lutheran Women, even some in Lutheran Women. I don’t believe that we a disappearing, but that, as we are finding in other areas of Lutheran life, we may not be advertising that we are here as well as we could. In every congregation there are women who are attending church but are not involved in the official Lutheran Women. I believe we need to change this and let all women in on the benefits of being connected to more than just yourselves. Getting to know that there are Lutheran women in other areas is very exciting. Realising that you are not the only one (or only few), is very encouraging. It helps to motivate us to practise sharing our faith, something that as Lutherans we may not do enough of.
Invite someone you know to come with you to the next Christian event you go to.
Charmain Lieschke, LWNSW President.
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