Chance to explore Spirit-led mission

Do you wish that your congregation or church group could step out in faith and step into Spirit-led mission?

If your answer is ‘yes’, then the next EmmY gathering could be for you.

EmmY is an abbreviation for Explorations in Mission and MinistrY – a monthly online conversation for pastors and leaders from across Australia and New Zealand. Facilitated by the LCA District Mission Directors, EmmY is an opportunity for shared reflection, storytelling, and encouragement.

Each month includes a short stimulus (video or reflection), followed by an open Zoom conversation in which participants listen, ask questions, and learn from one another.

The next EmmY meeting will be held on Tuesday 26 May and will carry the theme: ‘From Maintenance to Movement – Let’s stop “just keeping things going” and step into Spirit-led mission’. The session will be live at 12pm (ACST) and repeated at 6pm (ACST). See below for details on how to join.

The April session was entitled ‘Prayer That Fuels Mission’ and explored how prayer sparks renewal and helps us see our communities with fresh eyes. The 11 participants came from Victoria, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand and included pastors, church workers and lay members of congregations.

South Australia-Northern Territory District First Assistant Bishop Adrian Kitson said he has been encouraged by taking part in EmmY. ‘It connects me to what other Lutherans are doing and what the Holy Spirit is doing through them,’ he said. ‘It offers me helpful insights and info on the task of leading God’s people in mission in my own context. From the sharing that occurs, my faith in the future of our church is built up since it is obvious that God is at work in our church.’

Keryl Howie, from The Ark, Salisbury Lutheran Church, agreed that participating in EmmY was a great blessing. ‘It is such an easy way to be part of wider church chats about mission and outreach, find out and be inspired by what God is doing across the church, and reaffirm our own part in God’s plan,’ she said. ‘This can be as simple as the Spirit using EMMY to help us reflect on the things that we are doing that we think are little things which, in fact, are much more than that.’

Pastor Darren Kupke, from Temora, New South Wales, believes gatherings such as EmmY have an important role to play in helping church leaders ‘do mission well’. ‘It’s easy to continue in or revert to the routines and culture of what we’ve always done,’ he said. ‘Just as we need to go back to the Scriptures to be reorientated, doing mission well also requires continual reminders and mutual engagement from missionally minded people of why it’s important and that we are not alone in this. I find these conversations a great way to touch base with others, refocus our ministry lens, as well as hear a few ideas, concepts etc that could be helpful in my mission and ministry context.’

Pastor David Schmidt, the Queensland District’s Mission Commission Director said he values EmmY ‘as I hear stories and ideas and connect with others from across Australia and New Zealand’. ‘I am reminded that the Holy Spirit is powerfully at work in our church,’ he said.

For more information about EmmY, please contact LCA SA-NT District Assistant Bishop for Mission, Stephen Schultz on stephen.schultz@lca.org.au or 08 8267 5211.

26 May EmmY Zoom link here.

Meeting ID: 360 561 5625

Passcode: EmmY