Immersion tour brings Asian Lutherans together

Members and friends of Asian Lutheran congregations in Australia and New Zealand have taken part in a church study and immersion tour in order to learn more about the LCA/NZ.

A group of 26 travelled to Adelaide from different states and New Zealand to participate in the five-day tour in July.

The tour aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of the LCA and the history of the Lutheran Church, as well as strengthening the connections between Asian congregations.

Tim Yiu, who was one of the organisers, said the tour was ‘a great, valuable and precious’ experience for participants. As well as learning more about the LCA and the history of the Lutheran church, he said it was a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends from various Asian congregations in the Lutheran community and strengthen the relationships among the Asian congregations.

‘I hope this tour is just a beginning and that many more Lutherans could have the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the LCA and the history of the Lutheran church’, he said.

Participants visited the LCA/NZ churchwide offices, ALC and LLL in North Adelaide, to gain a better insight into the church, its departments and agencies.

In addition, three study sessions introduced the group to the history of Lutherans in Australia, Reformation history and Lutherans in today’s world. Tour members also had the chance to visit three of the earliest Lutheran churches in Australia, at Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills and Bethany and Langmeil in South Australia’s Barossa Valley.

Tim Yiu said that despite speaking different languages and coming from different backgrounds, tour participants enjoyed fellowship with each other and staff from ALC and the LCA during daily morning devotions and chapel.

An evening service at St Stephen’s Lutheran Church Adelaide also allowed members of the various LCA Asian congregations to worship together and share fellowship with the local congregation at a dinner hosted by St Stephen’s.