• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • LCA Portal
  • Staff Login
  • Login to (old) LAMP
  • LCA Online Donations
  • IT Help
  • Contact

Lutheran Church of Australia

where love comes to life

MENUMENU
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • A BIT ABOUT US

      The Lutheran Church is the largest Protestant church in the world, with over 70 million members. This website tells the story of Australian and New Zealand Lutherans, following Jesus Christ – where love comes to life. Whoever you are, whatever your story, you're welcome here with us.
    • MORE ABOUT US

      • OUR PEOPLE
      • OUR LOGO, OUR MISSION
      • OUR BELIEFS AND TEACHINGS
        • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE – VIDEO SERIES
      • HOW WE WORSHIP
      • OUR STRUCTURE (GOVERNANCE)
        • NOMINATIONS
      • OUR HISTORY
      • LUTHERANS WORLDWIDE
        • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE
          • WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE – VIDEO SERIES
        • HISTORY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
  • THE LATEST
    • THE LATEST

      • COVID-19 UPDATES
      • CHURCH@HOME RESOURCES
      • CHURCH@HOME WORSHIP
      • DAILY DEVOTION
      • STORY OF THE WEEK
      • SPREAD THE WORD bulletins and announcements
      • NEWS
      • FEATURE STORIES
      • COLUMNS
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • LCA FACEBOOK
    • THE LATEST

      • NEW! CHRISTIAN CARE SUNDAY
      • BULLETIN INSERTS
      • CALLS – EMPLOYMENT – VOLUNTEERING
      • eNEWS LISTS
  • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES
    • DEPARTMENTS

      • DEPARTMENTS – OVERVIEW & SEARCH
      • DISTRICTS
      • OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
        • LCA INTERNATIONAL MISSION
      • LOCAL MISSION
        • CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
        • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY
        • LUTHERAN MEDIA
        • CARE MINISTRIES
        • GOD’S LOVE OUR CARE
        • CHRISTIAN CARE SUNDAY
        • NEW & RENEWING CHURCHES
    • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

      • MINISTRY SUPPORT
        • CHURCH WORKER SUPPORT
        • COMMUNICATIONS
          • THE LUTHERAN
        • FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
          • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
        • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
        • PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
      • EDUCATION & TRAINING
        • AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN COLLEGE
        • LUTHERAN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA
      • AUSTRALIAN LUTHERAN WORLD SERVICE
      • FINKE RIVER MISSION
      • LLL
        • LUTHERAN TRACT MISSION
    • COMMISSIONS & MINISTRY GROUPS

      • COMMISSIONS
        • SOCIAL AND BIOETHICAL QUESTIONS
          • LUTHERANS FOR LIFE
          • CAMPAIGN AGAINST DOMESTIC & FAMILY VIOLENCE
        • THEOLOGY AND INTER-CHURCH RELATIONS
        • WORSHIP
          • VISUAL ARTS
      • MINISTRY GROUPS
        • DEAF MINISTRY
        • LUTHERAN NURSES
        • LUTHERAN MEN
        • LUTHERAN SINGLES
        • LUTHERAN WOMEN
        • YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
  • SERVICES & RESOURCES
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • OVERVIEW & SUMMARY
      • BIBLE READING PLAN
      • BULLETIN NOTICES
      • BUSINESS PARTNERS
      • CAMPAIGN AGAINST DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE
      • CHILD SAFETY
      • CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
      • CHRISTIAN CARE SUNDAY (NEW!)
      • COMMUNICATIONS
      • CONGREGATION WEBSITES
      • CONSTITUTIONS
      • DAILY DEVOTIONS
      • DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS & THEOLOGICAL OPINIONS
      • EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
      • ENEWS
      • FORMS
      • HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM
      • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
      • LAMP2
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • OVERVIEW & SUMMARY
      • LCA DISASTER & WELFARE FUND
      • LCA FACEBOOK
      • LCA LEARNING HUB
      • LCA LOGO
      • LCA POLICIES & STANDARDS OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR
      • LCA SONG
      • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
      • CARE MINISTRIES
      • NEW & RENEWING CHURCHES
      • REGULAR ELECTRONIC GIVING (REG)
      • STORY OF THE WEEK
      • STUDY ASSISTANCE
      • STUDY GUIDES
      • TELECOMMUNICATIONS
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • TRACTS
      • WORSHIP
      • WORSHIP LIVE STREAMING AND DVDs
      • VOLUNTEERING & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
    • CONFERENCES & TRAINING

      • TRAINING – Continuing Education for Pastors
      • TRAINING – Professional Standards
      • TRAINING – LCA Learning Hub
      • TRAINING – Campaign against Family & Domestic Violence Resources and Training
      • TRAINING – New Horizons
      • TRAINING – Renew Mission Life
      • TRAINING – Grow Coaching
  • PROJECTS & EVENTS
    • PROJECTS, CONSULTATONS & EVENTS

      • OVERVIEW: PROJECTS, EVENTS, CONSULTATIONS & DIALOGUES
      • CONSTITUTION REVIEW
      • ECCLESIASTICAL DISCIPLINE ADJUDICATION AND APPEALS REVIEW
      • CALL PROCESS REVIEW
      • LUTHERAN AGED CARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
      • WORKING GROUP – COMMISSIONS & INQUIRIES
    • PROJECTS, CONSULTATIONS & EVENTS

      • OVERVIEW: PROJECTS, EVENTS, CONSULTATIONS & DIALOGUES
      • CONVENTION OF GENERAL SYNOD 2021-22
      • RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN
  • FIND A …

Embracing change for his kingdom

3 November 2020


Print Friendly, PDF & Email

While the tragedies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have upended many lives, ‘getting back to normal’ is not something the people of Mawson Lakes Community Church (MLCC) are hoping for.

Like many other churches, this LCA/NZ congregation in Adelaide’s north has undergone dramatic shifts in its ministries since March. But for MLCC it wasn’t just a case of temporarily ‘pivoting and innovating’ while churches were closed – it’s worked for sustainable change.

For Pastor Chris Mann that attitude is biblically based. ‘Every time there’s a crisis, what God wants people to do is to embrace something new – you find that all through the Bible’, he says. ‘So we want to keep on going and see where God would take this.’

Before COVID-19, MLCC had an out-of-date website and little social media presence. When shutdown occurred, staff were employed to improve the church’s online presence, including through its website at www.mlcc.org.au

Creating an online community using live-streaming – even after face-to-face worship returned – has enabled the congregation to support those unable to meet in person. Today MLCC describes itself as ‘one church, two rooms’ – one virtual, online room and one face-to-face room on Sundays.

Pastor Chris says MLCC has learnt through the pandemic to be as inclusive as possible. ‘We’re serving people with online church who always needed to be served, but would only be included through people visiting them in their homes’, he says. ‘Now they’re part of the worship service and they feel included.’

While following health guidelines, members with internet access have also been encouraged to invite others over to watch the streamed services, while MLCC people have also been on a phone cycle to contact those not online.


  • 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

READ MORE STORIES ABOUT COVID-19, SA-NT, technology

« Christ’s love knows no borders
Discover God’s call – no matter who you are »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Church Worker Support
  • Church@Home
  • Columns
    • #youngsavedfree
    • bring Jesus
    • Dwelling in God's Word
    • Going GREYt!
    • Little Church
    • Movie Reviews
    • Rhythms of Grace
    • Stepping Stones
  • COVID-19 response
  • Cross-Cultural Ministry
  • Daily Devotion
  • Feature Stories
  • Features Homepage
  • LCANZ Bishop
  • New and Renewing Churches
  • News
  • Our Lutheran Family
    • New Zealand
      • Palmerston North, St Lukes
    • Victoria-Tasmania
      • Hobart St Peter's
  • Presentations & Papers
  • Reconciliation Ministry
  • Story of the Week
  • Uncategorized

Tags

Aboriginal/Indigenous aid ALC ALWS appointments awards bishops children church workers COVID-19 cross-cultural ministry ecumenism forms fundraising Grow Ministries international International Mission LCA bishop local mission Lutheran Education LWF music new and renewing churches NSW NZ ordination pastors PNG policy prayer professional standards Qld Reformation refugees Royal Commission SA-NT schools social issues technology training Vic-Tas WA women in leadership worship youth and young adults

Archives for all Posts

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • Don't be the last to find out!

    Join over 4000 people receiving LCA eNews in their inbox every fortnight. It brings you the latest of everything, including updates from this page. It's free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

    Sign up here

    Footer

    Quicklinks

    • HOME
    • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES

     

    • SERVICES, RESOURCES & TRAINING
    • PROJECTS & EVENTS
    • FIND A …

    Contact us

    197 Archer Street
    North Adelaide SA 5006

    08 8267 7300
    email us

    © 2022 Lutheran Church of Australia

    Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

    Designed by LCA Communications