Spreading the message of reconciliation

The last week of May was ‘reconciliation week’ in more ways than one for nine members of the LCANZ.

From 24 to 28 May, Chris Antonini (Duncraig Western Australia), Judy Butler (Mount Gravatt Queensland), Michael Eckert (Warradale South Australia), Alicia Graham (St Johns Bundaberg Queensland), Sue Housego (Wodonga Victoria), Diane Kleinig (Tea Tree Gully South Australia), Lynette Priebbenow (Middle Park Queensland) and pastors Adam Eime (Peace Lutheran College Cairns Queensland) and Carl Richter (Mildura Victoria) attended a biblical reconciliation intensive in Adelaide. Conducted by the LCANZ’s Reconciliation Ministry department, the week-long study gathering was part of the Training to Teach Biblical Reconciliation course.

The intensive concentrated on learning styles, key aspects to teaching, and the content of what is delivered in a biblical reconciliation workshop. Participants prepared and delivered a section of a workshop and produced workshop material specific to their own contexts.

The two-part course aims to fulfil the need to have at least one person to teach biblical reconciliation in each district of the LCANZ, according to Pastor Paul Kerber, Assistant to the Bishop for Reconciliation Ministry.

‘The course is seen as the first step in growing local biblical reconciliation ministry people to serve the church with teaching and practical skills’, Pastor Paul says.

‘Our life comes from a relationship with God and our relationship with him is to affect our relationships with each other. Therefore, biblical reconciliation is really “Lutheran spirituality”, grounding people in teaching and practical aspects to living out their identity as a forgiven child of God in relationship with him and in relationship with each other.’

Pastor Paul adds that a key benefit of the course is that many more people and whole church and school communities will have better access to biblical reconciliation teaching.

‘It also equips God’s people to live their faith with others in the wider community and grows people to know how to speak the gospel of the forgiveness of sins to others so that they are effective in the mission of the church.’