Easter care from a distance

Usually a time of full churches and family gatherings to commemorate the death and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus, Easter 2020 was unlike any other. But despite churches being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our Lutheran family showed initiative and resourcefulness in caring for one another at Easter.

Lutheran Youth of Victoria’s (LYV) Easter Camp organiser Jacob Koehler loves Easter. ‘Getting to spend five days with young adults, talking through Bible studies, experiencing the journey of Jesus’ death and resurrection and just hanging out with my friends is always awesome’, he says.

However, with camping together off-limits, they took the event online. An internet conferencing platform was used to run Bible studies, play games and watch an Easter Sunday church service.

Meanwhile, the Messy Church team at St Petri Nuriootpa in South Australia’s Barossa Valley turned to the humble paper bag to stay connected with families they serve.

Coordinator Sharon Green and her team filled 70 bags with Easter gifts, activities and blessings and invited parents and grandparents to drive through the church carpark to collect a bag or two. They also home-delivered bags for self-isolating families.

At Hermannsburg in Central Australia, Pastor Neville Doecke and Western Arrarnta Pastors Marcus Wheeler and Rodney Malbunka and congregational leaders served members over Easter in a variety of ways.

For those with internet access, a YouTube devotional video was made telling the story of Maundy Thursday, while home ‘Pepa’ devotion sheets were handed out on Good Friday and the pastors have been phoning and praying for families.

• Visit www.lca.org.au/spread-the-word to find promotional materials (bulletin inserts, A5 flyers, PowerPoint slides and social media posts) to help you spread the word about our Story of the Week.
• Read the full Story of the Week and other stories like it in The Lutheran. 11 editions/year. Only $45 (Aust), $47 (NZ). Gift subscriptions available. To subscribe: online www.thelutheran.com.au email lutheran.subs@lca.org.au phone 08 8360 7270