• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • LCA Portal
  • Staff Login
  • Login to 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

      • ONLINE WORSHIP
      • DAILY DEVOTION
      • PRAYER POINTS
      • BIBLE STUDIES
      • STORY OF THE WEEK
      • SPREAD THE WORD bulletins and announcements
      • NEWS
      • FEATURE STORIES
      • COLUMNS
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • LCA FACEBOOK
    • THE LATEST

      • 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 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
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • OVERVIEW & SUMMARY
      • EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
      • ENEWS
      • FORMS
      • HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM
      • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
      • LAMP2
      • LCA DISASTER & WELFARE FUND
      • LCA FACEBOOK
      • LCA LEARNING HUB
      • LCA LOGO
      • LCA POLICIES & STANDARDS OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR
      • LCA SONG
      • LUTHERAN AGED CARE & COMMUNITY SERVICES
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
      • LUTHERAN WINEMAKERS
      • NEW & RENEWING CHURCHES
      • REGULAR ELECTRONIC GIVING (REG)
      • STORY OF THE WEEK
      • STUDY ASSISTANCE
      • STUDY GUIDES
      • TELECOMMUNICATIONS
      • THE LUTHERAN
      • TRACTS
      • WORSHIP
      • WORSHIP LIVE STREAMING & DVDs
  • TRAINING & EVENTS
    • TRAINING

      • TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES – OVERVIEW
      • LCANZ LEARNING HUB
      • SAFE CHURCH TRAINING
      • CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PASTORS
      • CAMPAIGN AGAINST FAMILY & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES & TRAINING
      • NEW HORIZONS
      • RENEW MISSION LIFE
      • GROW COACHING
    • EVENTS

      • CONVENTION OF GENERAL SYNOD 2021-23
      • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY CONFERENCE 2023
      • DIGITAL MISSION AND MINISTRY FORUM 2022
    • PROJECTS

      • ORDINATION RESOLUTION WAY FORWARD
  • FIND A …

Ethnic focus: Tonga

28 January 2022

by Craig Heidenreich
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Tongan people after the recent volcanic eruption, so it seems a good time to highlight our Pacific neighbour as the ethnic focus of this edition.

The Tongan islands are a couple of thousand kilometres east of Queensland out in the Pacific.

Tonga is a pretty special place, which is solidly Christian.

Back in 1830, a Tongan chief called Topou dedicated the country to God in response to Wesleyan missionaries. This brings to mind what Lutheran missionaries were doing in the 1800s when they claimed parts of Australia for the Lord.

Nowadays, 96% of Tongans are Christian, and they take ‘mission’ seriously. Most are Methodist, and there is a fairly large Mormon presence there as well.

I didn’t know that almost as many Tongans live in New Zealand as those who still live in Tonga itself. There are about 105,000 in Tonga and another 80,000 in New Zealand.

Thousands of (mainly) young Tongan men come to Australia each year as seasonal workers so that they can send money back to their families.

Pray for these brothers and sisters at the moment as they deal with the recent volcanic eruption (following closely after a serious cyclone in 2018). Let’s pray for the many seasonal workers in Australia and those in New Zealand who must be worried for family.

One thing Tongans are famous for is their group singing. Click here if you want to see Tongans singing their hearts out.


This article is from the January–February 2022 edition of Cross-Cultural Ministry eNews. To sign up to receive this eNews in your inbox, click here.

READ MORE STORIES ABOUT cross-cultural ministry

« Pray for Tonga
Something is happening with Afghans »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

These categories are under construction. More links will be added soon.

Serving with you in …

  • Worship & Growing Faith
  • Local Mission
  • Ministry Support
  • Education & Training
  • Partners in Ministry

Serving you where you serve …

  • Church Workers (Pastors and Lay Workers)
  • Congregation Councils
  • Worship and Spiritual Growth Leaders
  • Mission & Ministry Leaders
  • Children’s Ministry Leaders
  • Youth & Young Adult Leaders
  • Safe Church Coordinators

Serving you with …

  • The Latest (News)
  • Resources
  • Prayer Points
  • Events & Training
  • Ways to Get Involved

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 synod technology Vic-Tas WA women in leadership worship youth and young adults

Archives for all Updates

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • 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
    • FIND A …

    Contact us

    197 Archer Street
    North Adelaide SA 5006

    08 8267 7300
    email us

    © 2023 Lutheran Church of Australia

    Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

    Designed by LCA Communications