Jalal Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship welcomed into the LCANZ

In June 2014, a small Urdu-speaking house fellowship began in Bankstown, in south-west Sydney, under the care of Boaz Gill. With a goal to support migrant and refugee families seeking pastoral care, Christian community and a place to worship in their heart language, the group grew until it finally needed a bigger space.

In October 2024, they began meeting at Living Waters Lutheran Church, in western Sydney, igniting the spark in their hearts for Martin Luther and the Lutheran Church. Boaz started attending English-language services at Living Waters, where he met NSW–ACT District Bishop Richard Schwedes, who encouraged him to consider becoming part of the Lutheran Church.

Ordained as a minister in the Brethren Church in Pakistan in 2001, Boaz Gill has spent many years serving migrant communities through house fellowships, hospitality and pastoral care. He recognised a clear need among migrants and people of colour for pastoral care, biblical teaching and a spiritual home. As he explains, ‘People were longing for pastoral care, biblical teaching and a spiritual home.’ Jalal Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship (formerly known as Jalal Fellowship of the Peace) became his first formal pastorship in Australia and one of the ‘greatest joys and privileges of [his] life’.

While considering joining the LCANZ, Boaz enrolled in studies at Luther Seminary and attended conferences and gatherings that helped both him and the Jalal congregation discover how deeply Lutheran theology already resonated with their existing foundations.

In Urdu and Arabic, ‘Jalal’ means ‘glory, majesty and honour’, reflecting the congregation’s desire that everything they do points to the majesty of Jesus Christ through worship, fellowship, mission and daily life. The name also honours Boaz Gill’s father, Pastor Jalal Masih, one of the pioneers of the Brethren Church in Pakistan.

The congregation has a strong heart for mission, particularly in Pakistan. Its ministries include literacy and educational programs, women’s empowerment initiatives, medical camps, emergency relief, and support for congregations and pastors experiencing hardship or isolation. The congregation also operates Jalal Academy of Peace, which provides after-hours educational support for students who cannot afford private tutoring.

As Boaz describes it, ‘Jalal Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship is a small congregation with a big heart. We are grateful for the love and welcome we have received from the Lutheran Church of Australia.’ The congregation is excited to be joining the LCANZ and grow in the wider life of the church.

Nikki Spaans is the communications officer for the LCA NSW and ACT District.

This story was first published in the NSW–ACT District’s August eNews.

To read the full interview with Boaz Gill, click here.