• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

COVID-19: Updates and Resources

  • LCA Portal
  • Staff Login
  • Login to (old) LAMP
  • LCA Online Donations
  • 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 RETURNING TO WORSHIP
      • 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

      • BULLETIN INSERTS
      • CALLS – EMPLOYMENT – VOLUNTEERING
      • eNEWS LISTS
      • BOOK: SPIRIT FILLED
  • DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES
    • DEPARTMENTS

      • DEPARTMENTS – OVERVIEW & SEARCH
      • DISTRICTS
      • OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
        • LCA INTERNATIONAL MISSION
        • RECONCILIATION MINISTRY
      • LOCAL MISSION
        • CHILD YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
        • CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY
          • Cross Cultural Ministry Conference
        • LUTHERAN MEDIA
        • MINISTRY WITH THE AGEING
        • 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 YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRY (GROW MINISTRIES)
      • COMMUNICATIONS
      • CONGREGATION WEBSITES
      • DAILY DEVOTIONS
      • DOCTRINAL STATEMENTS & THEOLOGICAL OPINIONS
      • EMPLOYMENT & VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
      • ENEWS
      • FORMS
      • HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM
      • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
      • LAMP2
      • LCA FACEBOOK
      • LCA NOTICE BOARD
    • SERVICES & RESOURCES

      • OVERVIEW & SUMMARY
      • LCA LOGO
      • LCA POLICIES & STANDARDS OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR
      • LCA SONG
      • LUTHERAN ARCHIVES
      • MINISTRY WITH THE AGEING
      • 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

      • CONFERENCE – SENT
      • CONFERENCE – New Horizons
      • TRAINING – Continuing Education for Pastors
      • TRAINING – Professional Standards
      • TRAINING – Congregational Leadership Training
      • TRAINING – Reconciliation Ministry
      • TRAINING – SENT Evangelism Training
      • TRAINING – New Life New Love – Videos
      • TRAINING – Campaign against Family & Domestic Violence Resources and Training
  • PROJECTS & EVENTS
    • PROJECTS, CONSULTATONS & EVENTS

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

      • OVERVIEW: PROJECTS, EVENTS, CONSULTATIONS & DIALOGUES
      • CONVENTION OF GENERAL SYNOD 2021
      • LONGEST LUTHERAN LUNCH
      • LUTHERAN WINEMAKERS ANNUAL RELEASE
      • RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN
  • FIND A …

Refugee Week 2019

19 June 2019

by John Henderson
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud labourers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)

Did you know that 17-23 June 2019 is Refugee Week all around the world?

The sheer numbers of internally displaced people, refugees, asylum seekers and ‘irregular migrants’ in the world today are overwhelming.[i] There is little sign that this number will fall substantially in the foreseeable future. It seems more likely to increase.

Many Australians, New Zealanders, and citizens of other wealthy countries worry about refugees and asylum seekers from places plagued by war, injustice and poverty entering their community. What will it mean for us that they come to stay in our country? Will it be a drain on our society, welfare systems, public services and employment? What about crime and those who pretend to be refugees but are actually criminals? So we worry that somehow our place will be changed permanently in ways we won’t like.

Our voting behaviour seems to reflect such insecurity, self-interest and poverty of spirit. The truth is, we know that for the most part we have it pretty good. We are afraid of losing our good times and that the troubled past of refugees is contagious. So we vote for politicians who promise to defend us from things that might threaten our way of life and our comforts and conveniences. This puts our more moderate politicians into a difficult position, for unless they are firm about ‘who comes here and under what circumstances’, other candidates who exploit voters’ fear and self-interest will replace them at the next election.

Christians too, who have lived in a wealthy country for most or all of their lives, and who have little or no experience of persecution or poverty, fall into such ‘this-worldly’ thinking. But the gospel message doesn’t stop at the church door. It is for all the world. Jesus calls us to a different way of thinking (see for example Matt 6:25-34; Mark 10:17-31). As we learn to trust in our heavenly Father’s generous love and care for us, the more free and generous we become, doing what is right for our neighbours in need, and acting as Christ to them.

The following short prayer could guide us as we pray for all people at this time in our troubled world: Change the world, Lord, beginning with me.

Additional prayer points

  • That Christians will show the way to others by recognising that their fellow humans are created in God’s image, and by treating them as such;
  • For Christians in wealthy countries, that we may grow to trust more and more in our heavenly Father’s love and care for us, that we may be freed to do what is right for our neighbours in need;
  • For authorities with the difficult task of regulating the movement of refugees and asylum seekers and arranging for their care—and where appropriate, resettlement—and for all who work in partnership with them, such as Australian Lutheran World Service and Lutheran Community Care organisations;
  • For groups such as the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce, which lobby for refugees and ask us to become a more generous society;
  • For initiatives to support refugees within our own communities and churches;
  • For the many hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have spent many years living ‘in limbo’ in refugee camps, and whose plight is unknown or ignored by people like us.

Questions to think about

How might followers of Jesus respond to claims that Australia and New Zealand are ‘our place’?

Might those of us who are concerned about being ‘swamped’ by uninvited migrants reflect on the experience of Aboriginal Australians over the past two hundred years?

Pastor John Henderson,
Bishop, Lutheran Church of Australia
Canberra,
21 June 2019

[i] The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) breaks the figures down as follows: Total displaced people 68.5 million, comprised of: Internally displaced people 40 million; Refugees 25.4 million; and Asylum seekers 3.1 million.

« Thank God for democracy
Bishop reflects on Refugee Week 2019 »

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
  • Daily Devotion
  • Feature Stories
  • Features Homepage
  • LCA Bishop
    • Heartland (The Lutheran)
    • Messages
    • Sermons & Presentations
  • 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

50.500 Aboriginal/Indigenous aid ALC ALWS appointments awards bishops children church workers COVID-19 easter ecumenism forms Grow Ministries HRS 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 Vic-Tas WA women in leadership worship youth and young adults

Archives for all Posts

  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2011
  • 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

    © 2021 Lutheran Church of Australia

    Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

    Designed by LCA Communications