Jul2018
Heartland eNews 16 July 2018
From Tuesday 10th to Thursday 12th July 2018 over 230 Lutheran pastors from across Australia and New Zealand met at St Michael’s Lutheran Church and School in Hahndorf, SA, for the triennial General Pastors Conference of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Pastors gathered in table groups, ably led by the Conference Chairman, Assistant LCA Bishop… Read more
Jun2018
National Redress Scheme (Australia)
Yesterday the General Church Council (GCC) resolved that the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) will join the National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced child sexual abuse in institutional settings. Established by the Commonwealth Government, the scheme is a direct result of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It will… Read more
Jun2018
Report of the Religious Freedom Review and the Australian government’s response
The Australian government will soon release the report of the recent Religious Freedom Review, along with its initial response. In late 2017, following the national debate on ‘same sex marriage’, the Turnbull government commissioned Philip Ruddock and an expert panel to conduct the Review to investigate its implications for religious freedom. The government selected the… Read more
Jun2018
Global Day of Prayer to End Famine – Sunday 10 June 2018
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40 NIV) In 2017 famine broke out in South Sudan and also threatened Yemen, Somalia and Nigeria. Neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya also faced serious food shortages. The United… Read more
May2018
National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week 2018
In Australia this Saturday is National Sorry Day, followed by Reconciliation Week. We observe National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week because, as a nation, we realise that Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians both share this land and have, therefore, a common future. To be a truly ‘successful’ society we need the courage to confront aspects of… Read more
May2018
Responding to Islamic State inspired terrorist attacks on churches in Indonesia
Over the past few days we have seen reports in the news of multiple suicide bomb attacks on churches and police headquarters in Surabaya, in the east of Indonesia’s most populous island Java. These attacks are especially shocking because they involve whole families, including young children, carrying bombs and blowing themselves up, apparently in the… Read more
Apr2018
Anzac Day 2018
I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim, no more war horses in Jerusalem, no more swords and spears, bows and arrows. He will offer peace to the nations, a peaceful rule worldwide, from the four winds to the seven seas (Zechariah 9:10 The Message) Despite humanity’s noblest attempts to find another way, wars… Read more
Mar2018
Easter 2018
They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. (Acts 10:39–40 NIV) Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, In these few words the book of Acts lays out the bare bones of Easter. They (human beings) killed… Read more
Mar2018
Harmony Day 2018 (Australia)
Australia first observed ‘Harmony Day’ on 21 March 1999. Carrying the message ‘Everyone belongs’, Harmony Day encourages Australians of all ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds to participate in their community, get to know one other, and understand and trust each other, respecting our cultural and religious differences. Acknowledging each other and our diversity helps us… Read more
Jan2018
Australia Day
An Australia Day message for Australian members of the LCA/NZ This Friday our political and community leaders are encouraging Australians to think of more than just taking a day off work. They tell us it is a day for reflecting on what it means to be Australian thinking about the values we want to shape… Read more
