Lutheran Church of Australia

When the first flush of spring and summer flowers bloom, who doesn’t want to stop and smell the roses? And so a rose garden planted as a heartwarming invitation to a suburban church has become a chance to witness to the beauty of God’s creation among its local community.

For many churches around the LCA/NZ, COVID-19 gathering and health restrictions may mean they are unable to host the large Christmas services or be involved in the big community events they usually do. Instead, faith communities have come up with new and innovative ways to worship.

Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS), has launched the ‘10,000 children … 100 days’ campaign to support children in refugee camps and other crisis situations to return to school when COVID-19 allows. ‘Our mission is to seek out those who might otherwise be forgotten’, says Jonathan Krause.

Many people have had to adjust to changes in work, home and church life due to COVID-19. But while many things have changed in 2020, Christine Matthias believes a focus on Christ’s birth and traditions built on enjoying simple things together, means Christmas won’t be all that different for her.

When Rockingham Mandurah Lutheran Church, Western Australia, began a church-planting journey more than four years ago, they knew they couldn’t source all the necessary funding from within their community. But the Holy Spirit had things in hand.

Chopping firewood at the foot of the Grampians range in Victoria is a regular winter pastime for hardy members of St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Stawell, as a fundraiser for their 26-member congregation. Since 2014 woodcutting has become a major fundraiser for the fellowship.