A new chapter in youth ministry

In October 2025, I was delighted to receive a phone call from Jodi Brook, the Local Mission Fund Coordinator for the LCANZ, who shared that the fund grant application for Living Faith Lutheran Church Greater Geelong, Victoria, was successful. As soon as I learnt the news, I quickly shared it with my fellow Reference Group Team members. The announcement sparked cheers throughout Greater Geelong!

In January 2025, we formed Living Faith Lutheran Church, combining four Lutheran churches into a single entity. This project has long been a vision for our young people in Geelong, developed through strategic ministry and mission planning.

The aim of our project was to establish a youth ministry by employing a Youth Ministry Coordinator at Living Faith for two days a week, helping our young people grow their faith and love for Jesus. Our hope, illustrated in our church’s tagline, is ‘United in the joy of making Jesus known’.

In January 2026, we were delighted to appoint Ian Weaver as our Youth Ministry Coordinator.

The grant enables us to fund the position for the initial two years to establish this youth ministry in our region. There is also provision for additional resources to support this project from this grant, and Living Faith will contribute resources.

This is the perfect time to begin the project. In 2025, 21 young people were confirmed into the LCA at Living Faith, and we aim to continue this momentum by helping our youth further develop their relationship with Jesus and grow their faith.

One of the special aspects of this initiative is that Ian, as the Youth Ministry Coordinator, will host lunchtime gatherings on Fridays at Geelong Lutheran College’s Armstrong Creek campus. With the blessing of Executive Principal Sue Ellis and in coordination with Chaplain Georgia Pearson, this will be in preparation for the Friday night activities that will run each week during term time. The project will also focus on working with the young people from the Tamil and South Sudanese communities who are part of worshipping communities at Living Faith.

In February 2026, some of our young people gathered for their first youth event, enjoying pizza and soft drinks while getting to know one another and sharing their favourite Bible passages.

We feel so blessed by and grateful for this incredible opportunity. A huge thank you to the Mission Strategy Team, especially Libby Jewson, who co-wrote the application; Pastor Robert Bartholomaeus and Pastor Boyd Briese; Graeme Huf for his detailed budget plan; Robyn Kuchel; and the sage advice from Georgia Pearson. Pastor Brett Kennett, the LCA Victoria–Tasmania District Pastor for Congregational Support, among others, wrote an encouraging letter of endorsement for our application.

We are excited about how God has been leading us and providing opportunities to work with and encourage young people in their faith and life. We are all working on this project together as a team.

Jill Lange-Mohr is the secretary at Living Faith Lutheran Church Greater Geelong in Victoria.