Calls – Employment – Volunteering

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand
‘Governance in Mission’ Symposium 2026
Outcomes and Way Forward to 2027

Following the robust engagement of leaders from across the church at the August 2026 Governance in Mission Symposium, the General Church Board (GCB) and College of Bishops (COB) are asking for expressions of interest from the people of the church to serve on one of five allocated working groups for the Symposium.

The Symposium was called to prepare the church for a proposal from the LCA’s Western Australia District to be tabled at the church's 2027 Convention of General Synod. This proposal asks ‘that the General Church Board undertake a review of the structure of the LCANZ in collaboration with the College of Bishops and the Districts, to leverage its resources into an agile, mission-oriented structure, presenting possible alternatives for consideration and implementation to the 2030 Convention of General Synod’.

The goal of these five working groups is to produce issues and questions for consideration relevant to that group’s terms of reference. This material will be provided to GCB and COB in the preparation of an issues paper for delegates prior to the Convention of General Synod 2027.

The five groups are:

1. MISSION CLARITY & COMPELLING VISION
2. CHURCH STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & OVERSIGHT (INCLUDING BISHOPS)
3. FINANCIALLY FLOURISHING
4. LABOURERS FOR THE HARVEST (WORKFORCE, TRAINING AND EQUIPPING)
5. SUSTAINABILITY, TRANSITIONS AND GOOD ENDINGS

The groups will meet online with the group chairperson appointed by GCB/COB. All meetings will be online, with work completed by early May 2027.

If you would like to express interest in serving on one of these working groups or if you would like further information about the terms of reference and membership for each group, please email soc@lca.org.au

Expressions of interest close at 5pm (SA time) on 11 November 2026. Click here to download the five key areas of focus for the working groups.

God bless your deliberation on this service in the church.

In Christ,
Pastor Paul Smith
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand

Now open, the LCANZ Church House Exhibition Centre features displays reflecting our Lutheran heritage, current ministries and services, and future directions. We need volunteers for this exciting new space. If you are interested, email exhibitioncentre@lca.org.au

Friends of Lutheran Archives, North Adelaide SA

Friends of Lutheran Archives (FoLA) meets nine times per year to tell the stories of God at work in our Lutheran Church. We are looking for a small team of people – to work in pairs – who could operate the live streaming equipment on a voluntary and rotation basis.

Meetings are held on Thursday evenings at Immanuel Lutheran Church, North Adelaide, for the months of February to October.

Full training will be provided.

Please contact Helen Schubert on 0447 740 711 or email FOLA@lca.org.au.

LCA International Mission is always seeking volunteers for work with our overseas partner churches. There are all sorts of opportunities for people with all sorts of skills. Take a look at the LCA International Mission website for videos and stories about short-term and long-term volunteering opportunities in Southeast Asia.

Lutheran Archives is looking for volunteers to undertake the meaningful tasks of photo digitisation and data entry/indexing. These opportunities will enable those who want to learn about archival processes and at the same time learn about the history of the Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand to join our wonderful volunteering community.

For more information please visit the Lutheran Archives volunteering page.