The LCANZ’s New Horizons local mission conference program is heading to Sydney this month. The conferences are being staged across Australia and New Zealand, as the teams work together to engage with new arrivals and support congregations wanting to be more embracing of newcomers.

Bringing together the educational skills of retired teachers with the learning needs of refugee children has been a match made in heaven for one Adelaide school. The ‘grannies’ have been sharing love and conversational English and literacy learning with 25 primary-aged children through the program.

Rev Dr Michael Lockwood has answered the call to serve as a missionary with the Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP), a partner church of the LCANZ. His move is in response to a request last year from LCP President Rev Antonio Reyes for assistance with the training of pastors and deaconesses.

When COVID-19 forced ALWS to cancel Walk My Way public events in 2020, there were fears children in refugee camps might miss out on support to go to school. Yet our Lutheran family rallied. And next month’s Walk My Way in SA’s Barossa Valley is another chance to bring love to life.

Being with people who are dying can be uncomfortable, daunting and sad. We might worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. But even those with years of experience ministering to people who are dying say that discomfort or anxiety may always be present as we confront our own mortality.

Easter is an all-day celebration in the Batak churches of Indonesia. Beginning at around 5.00am, the program of worship, seminars, food and activities, however, does more than celebrate an important faith festival.