• 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 …

Sharing the chance to say goodbye

19 May 2020

by Tania Nelson
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The words of the hymn ‘I’ll go where you want me to go … ’ were dear to the late Pastor Paul Albers. They were played in a photo presentation at his funeral recently in suburban Adelaide.

His son-in-law, Pastor Avito da Costa, shared, ‘Dad Albers had organised everything about his funeral. The funeral was prepaid and he would be committed next to his beloved wife Erna. There was even a note that said, “I haven’t paid for the refreshments yet”.’

The funeral, however, did not proceed as originally planned, due to COVID-19 restrictions meaning just 10 people could attend.

Paul’s daughter Anna da Costa said the situation was ‘very distressing’. ‘Interstate relatives and friends had to cancel flights and accommodation’, she said. ‘Sadly, two of my siblings were unable to attend the funeral.’

Emails and phone calls were hurriedly sent and made and, thanks to Concordia Lutheran Church, Loxton – where Pastor Paul attended in the 1990s and where the da Costa’s live – an In Memoriam page was added to their website including the obituary, service order and Pastor Chris Gallasch’s sermon.

Born in 1924 in Illinois in the US, Pastor Paul answered the call to serve in Australia from 1960, with the Great Commission as his personal mission. Now he was a lover of chips, nuts and popcorn. So Anna bought small packets of each snack to the committal and, while maintaining physical distancing, the small family group celebrated Paul’s life, with his favourite refreshments, and the knowledge that Christ’s mission, for Paul, was accomplished.


  • Visit www.lca.org.au/spread-the-word to find promotional materials (bulletin inserts, A5 flyers, PowerPoint slides and social media posts) to help you spread the word about our Story of the Week.
  • Read the full Story of the Week and other stories like it in The Lutheran. 11 editions/year. Only $45 (Aust), $47 (NZ). Gift subscriptions available. To subscribe: online www.thelutheran.com.au email lutheran.subs@lca.org.au phone 08 8360 7270

READ MORE STORIES ABOUT COVID-19, deaths, pastors, SA-NT

« God is leading us through this crisis
A great chance to show love »

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