Lutheran World Federation leaders visit the LCANZ

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary Rev Dr Anne Burghardt and LWF Regional Secretary for Asia Rev Dr Rospita Siahaan have completed a six-day visit to Australia, meeting with church leaders, visiting ministries in Central Australia and South Australia and learning more about the life and mission of the LCANZ.

Accompanied by LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith and Assistant Bishop for the Northern Territory Stephen Radke, Dr Burghardt and Dr Siahaan spent time in Alice Springs, Hermannsburg, Nuriootpa and Adelaide, meeting with congregations, ministry leaders and representatives of a range of LCANZ organisations.

Bishop Smith said it had been ‘a joy and privilege’ for the LCANZ to host Dr Burghardt and Dr Siahaan.

‘Dr Burghardt brought encouragement for the work of the gospel in Australia and New Zealand, whether she was speaking to our General Church Board members or to congregational folk in the Barossa Valley,’ he said.

Bishop Smith said the visitors had also emphasised the significance of ministry among Aboriginal Lutherans in Central Australia.

‘Dr Burghardt and Dr Siahaan both confirmed the importance of connecting with the Central Australian Aboriginal Lutherans as their first stop in the itinerary for this visit,’ he said.

He said the visit reinforced the strong relationships between the LCANZ and Lutheran churches throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

‘We aren’t full members of the LWF, but our Asia-Pacific regional Lutherans work with us as if we were full members.

‘It was clear from the visit that our LCANZ has an important role to play in our Asia-Pacific Lutheran region.’

During their visit, Dr Burghardt and Dr Siahaan visited Yirara College in Alice Springs, where they learned about the college’s ministry among Aboriginal students from remote communities across Australia. They also visited Hidden Valley Town Camp and travelled to Hermannsburg, where they met with local people and church workers and learnt more about the history and ongoing witness of the Lutheran Church in Central Australia.

The visitors later travelled to Adelaide, where they met online with the General Church Board and with representatives of the Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations. Discussions included the LWF’s work and the LCANZ’s relationship with the global Lutheran communion.

They also worshipped with the congregation at St Petri Lutheran Church, Nuriootpa, and they later joined members of Zion Lutheran Church, Glynde, including the Grace Chinese Lutheran Community.

Before departing Australia, Dr Burghardt and Dr Siahaan met with representatives from a range of LCANZ ministry areas, including Australian Lutheran College, Australian Lutheran World Service, LCA International Mission, Lutheran Archives and LLL Australia, as well as members of the College of Bishops.

Reflecting on the visit, Dr Burghardt said it had been ‘wonderful to witness the faith and passion of Lutherans in this country, with their rich ethnic and cultural diversity, reflecting with them on what this means in terms of mission in Australia today’.

The LCANZ is an associate member of the LWF, a global communion of 153 member churches representing approximately 78 million Christians worldwide.