Mission board recognises late pastor’s service

The Board for the LCA’s Finke River Mission (FRM) has paid tribute to the ministry of the late Pastor Max Stollznow.

Pastor Stollznow, who served FRM at Papunya in the Northern Territory from 1975 to 1985, having been pastor at Alice Springs from 1972 to 1975, died this month, aged 77.

Board member Pastor John Heffernan said Pastor Stollznow’s contribution to mission work in Central of Australia was ‘extensive and varied’.

‘His work on the mission’s “Cattle Station run”, his Alice Springs town ministry, and his time serving at Papunya has left a legacy that remains to this day’, Pastor Heffernan said in a letter to Pastor Stollznow’s family, including son Tim, who is the current FRM Board chair.

‘It was during Max’s time at Papunya that a very significant Christian revival took place, a movement of the Spirit which Max encouraged. Out of this special time emerged many future pastors and worship leaders of the Pintupi-Luritja region.’

The Board also acknowledged Pastor Stollznow’s initiative in training indigenous pastors for ordination, which allowed all parts of the widespread Pintupi-Luritja region to have access to word and sacrament ministry in a language local people could understand. Also, through working with Wycliffe Bible Translators’ linguists, Pastor Stollznow pushed for the adoption of the Pintupi New Testament throughout the region and collaborated on the publication of the first Pintupi volume of liturgy, catechism and songs. He also was a church builder, Pastor Heffernan said, having sponsored the building of a new, bigger church building and Sunday school rooms at Papunya, and also having initiated the building of Kintore community’s first church.