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
Dec2019
Pass my love around
by Helen Beringen
Music can bring us to tears. For Western Australian octogenarian Heather Mithen, the sweetest sounds from a new church organ have brought tears of joy.
Nov2019
Marvel at the work of God’s hands
by Helen Beringen
From the vastness of Antarctic mountain landscapes, to the rich diversity of the Galapagos Islands, Bunty Meyer has felt the awe of God’s creation throughout his adventurous life.
Sep2019
Following a rainbow
by Helen Beringen
Wendy Sherwell and Lorraine Janetzki from St Paul’s Nhill were returning from a visit to the first Christmas tree exhibition at St Stephen Lutheran Church, Rainbow, when they were inspired to share the true meaning of Christmas with their local community.
Jul2019
‘Come as a stranger, leave as a friend’
by Helen Beringen
For nine years from February to December 86-year-old Owen Uebergang has been serving up soup and making friends with those he meets at a special Monday evening gathering in suburban Adelaide.
Apr2019
Little cards make big impact
by Helen Beringen
Never underestimate the power of a simple greeting card to touch someone’s heart. For 84-year-old Irene Joppich, the unexpected arrival of a handmade card in 1994 did just that as she faced testing times while volunteering in a remote outpost.
Apr2019
Finding a witness in the wood
by Helen Beringen
God’s messages of love are sometimes burnt onto people’s hearts through humble means. Take a sheet of plywood and wood pen, a little scroll saw, and a willing set of hands, and anything is possible, through God.
