Feb2021
Stamps make a world of difference
by Helen Beringen
Who would have thought the once-popular children’s pastime of stamp collecting was still alive? Well, not only is stamp collecting still going strong, but it continues to make a world of difference to communities around the globe through the Lutheran Church of Australia’s (LCA) Stamps for Mission p
Dec2020
God’s creation is blooming marvellous
by Helen Beringen
When the first flush of spring and summer flowers bloom, who doesn’t want to stop and smell the roses?
Nov2020
Stawell stalwarts get choppin’
by Helen Beringen
Picture a bush picnic in breathtaking country at the foot of the Grampians mountain range in the Wimmera region of Victoria. But add to that the crunch of frost of midwinter early mornings and the challenge of chopping firewood before you can take a sip from the thermos and unwrap the sandwiches.
Oct2020
A stitch in time builds lives
by Helen Beringen
Imagine a life where you have no say, no voice and no choice. Now imagine being housebound in a foreign land, where people speak a language you don’t understand and lead a way of life very different from your own.
Sep2020
Candles light a fire for ministry
by Helen Beringen
It was a baptism of fire raining down on the head of Elisabeth Clarke that sparked her unique ministry almost a decade ago.
Aug2020
Being a fruitful branch
by Helen Beringen
‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing’ (John 15:5). The idea of being a fruitful branch in a vineyard sits well with the farm life Sue Morrison has known for all of her… Read more
Jun2020
Bringing love to life from the dust
by Helen Beringen
It’s hard to watch a grown man cry, in the middle of a busy shopping centre, near Christmas time, especially a man in a big hat, boots and a farmer’s checked shirt. This is a reality for a small band of people bringing God’s love to life in the tiny town of Gilgandra in the Central West of NSW.
Apr2020
Helping hands
by Helen Beringen
They started young. When Rex and Meryl Packer were courting, their volunteer services focused on transporting a whole cricket team to matches – in one Holden ute.
Mar2020
Matron, mentor, and matriarch
by Helen Beringen
Ninety-eight-year-old Isobel Eisenmenger sings with vigour belying her years. The petite nonagenarian remains a vibrant matriarch of the Nazareth Lutheran congregation, Woolloongabba, which she has served for most of her adult life.
Feb2020
Life – a journey worth embracing
by Helen Beringen
For 68-year-old Queenslander Anne Maczkowiack, walking the 800-kilometre Camino De Santiago trail across Spain was only a part of a post-retirement reward in 2014. She and husband Robert decided to add an extra 300 kilometres to start from Barcelona. That says something about embracing opportunities