Seasonal Resources

A festival of readings and carols – Word | PDF | PPT standard | PPT widescreen
Service with the Christmas story – Word | PDF | PPT standard | PPT widescreen

Christmas Carols Copyright

Click here to get the APRA AMCOS guide to copyright holders for a wide range of Christmas carols.

Lutheran Tract Mission

'Experience Jesus' this Christmas

Share with your congregation and friends this new daily devotional. It begins on 3rd December and continues until Epiphany (6th January). These devotions look at Jesus' birth and life using our senses: sight, taste/words, touch, smell and hearing.

Download and print copies for your congregation and friends or download on your device. It can also be read directly from your device as a flip book. Don't forget to customize the back page with your Christmas service times!

View the flip book here.

LTM have a wide range of Advent and Christmas resources, including:

Stand-up Nativity set and Part B with more characters (40016 and 40019) These are a great way to have a nativity set in your home, aged care, hospital or children’s gift to take home. They are only $2 each and children and adults alike can have fun putting them together and then playing with the set.

Seek & Find (37216) This is an A5 card which has many things on the reverse side for the children to do and find. Great as a gift or for Sunday morning children’s activity – only 25c40019 - Part B -119425 Pop Out Playset Proof02

Joy and Peace to you this Christmas (37218) A large print greeting tract to use as a Christmas card to your friends and relatives

That First Christmas (37219) Tell the whole Christmas story with pictures – straight from the Bible – great as an outreach tract or for letterbox drop.

What does the baby Jesus have to do with Christmas? (37221) This is a mission-edge tract to help those unchurched or searching to understand the Christmas season.

Stickers (40018) There are 15 stickers on this sheet for $1 to be able to add to your Christmas cards or presents this year.

God’s love came down (37215) A square text card with a hole to add as a gift card to any gift or to then hang as an ornament from your tree.

To browse all Advent resources, click here.

To browse all Christmas resources, click here.

Christmas Plays

The following Christmas Eve orders and Christmas plays have been prepared for congregational use. The first five were originally prepared by the Board for Congregational Life of the LCA in the 1980s. In 2016 and 2018, we requested congregations to send in copies of Children's Christmas Presentations they had written and were willing to share with the wider church. Thank you to all those who contributed! We present here an edited selection which would be suitable for a variety of situations, with thanks to the original authors. They've been reformatted into Word documents. Feel free to edit them to suit your congregation's needs. Change or omit the carols/hymns/songs; double up on the reader parts and involve youth and adults. Be creative!

The Elf-angelist Evangelist - a simple play for a small group of children with limited opportunities to practice.

Worship the King - focuses on Jesus the King

Three Questions for Christmas - travel back to Bethlehem for the census with Mary and Joseph!

Hands Up for Jesus! - See also this PPT file which can be used to provide visuals during the service or as ideas for making banners.

Good News From Heaven - based on Martin Luther's famous carol 'From Heaven above'.

Happy Birthday Jesus - cast in the form of a Birthday Party. Children will participate as they do in a birthday party.

And You Will See - Rather than a retelling of the Christmas story, this deals with the theme of darkness and light and God’s rescue of his people. Written by Alison Barkley and performed by the Jesus And Me (JAM) children at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Greenock. These PowerPoint slides accompany the script: And You Will See PPT

Christmas A to Z - This idea would be best suited for a Sunday School with limited resources or mostly very young children. It would work well with the involvement of youth or parents.

Someone's Coming - Quite a few parts in this play, so it’s suitable for a reasonable number of children of different ages. Songs are suggestions only.

Surprise, Surprise - There are 10 characters who would have to be slightly older children. Young children could act some of the scenes or be angels or animals. Songs are suggestions only.

This Baby Changed My Life - Here is a program suitable for whole congregation involvement, or perhaps youth and children of all ages, when numbers of children are limited. Songs are suggestions only.

The Colours of Christmas - Written by Rob Handreck and first performed by the kids of St Paul's Lutheran Church, Box Hill. This is very suitable for a group of young children, but can be adapted to include older children too.

News - People Saved By Baby - Imagine how things might have been if today’s technology was available in 40AD, and someone just turned on the radio to hear the news...

King of Kings - Written by Rob Handreck and first performed by the kids of St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Box Hill. This play traces the Old Testament story of God’s interaction with His people through a selection of kings (these can be varied), finishing with the King of kings.

A Studio Christmas - The Director of a photo shoot is organizing a publicity shot for Christmas and begins by getting the nativity scene set up with the usual cast of Mary, Joseph, Animals, Shepherds, Wisemen, Angels and of course, the Baby.

Lent

Mid-Week Lenten Services

It has been customary in the LCA to conduct mid-week devotional services on the passion of our Lord throughout Lent, usually on Wednesdays. In church tradition, Wednesdays, like Fridays, were kept as days of fasting, since it was on a Wednesday that Judas arranged to betray Jesus. It is a good custom to reserve these days during Lent for special study and meditation on the suffering and death of our Lord, so that the Sundays in Lent may focus on the lectionary readings, with their themes of repentance and discipleship, and the teaching of the catechism.

Note that it is not necessary for the pastor to lead these devotional services. If a suitable meditation has been prepared for reading, a lay reader may lead the service. This may be especially suitable in multi-point parishes, so that every congregation has a midweek service each week.

Sermons and Reflections

Many pastors preach on a theme or series across the mid-week Lenten services, rather than on the specific readings for the day. Lay readers are encouraged to use the sermons for a complete series rather than mixing them up, for continuity's sake. It's advisable to read the sermon text before the sermon. In some series a sermon for Good Friday is provided as the final part of the series.

The Last Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross - written by the late Pastor Vernon Kleinig and edited for lay-reading.

Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Good Friday

John's Gospel - Sermon series from 2018 by the late Pastor Darrin Kohrt (with permission from Vanessa Kohrt), Pastor David Buck and Pastor Peter Traeger. Sermons will be added as they are edited for lay-reading.

Ash Wednesday, Week 2, Week 3, Week 5, Good Friday

SOS (Shadows of the Saviour) - Sermon series by Pastor Mark Tuffin focusing on people and events in the Old Testament which foreshadowed Christ.

Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5

Services - Year A

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 1

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 2

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 3

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 4

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 5

Services - Year B

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 1

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 2

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 3

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 4

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 5

Services - Year C

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 1

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 2

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 3

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 4

Mid-week Lenten Services, Week 5

Easter

Holy Week Services

Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Day

Service Preparation Resources will be made available each year for these services.

Easter Vigil

Altar Colour: White or Gold

Note: The altar is bare at the beginning of the service. After the procession into the church, the altar may be dressed in white or gold, heralding the resurrection.

The Easter Vigil is a part of the ‘Three Days to Easter’ celebration, completing the action that was begun on Maundy Thursday. This service is the most ancient service in the heritage of the Christian church in both the East and the West. Traditionally it is held in the evening either as it grows dark or approaching midnight, as worshippers wait for the resurrection of Christ. While Holy Communion is often celebrated in the vigil, a service order without communion is provided for vacant congregations.

Worship resources for Easter Vigil

Easter Vigil (includes very helpful advice about timing, practical organisation, music, involving children etc)
Easter Vigil (basic service order outline)

Service Orders

Ready To Go Resources

Easter Saturday Vigil 9 OT readings without HC (Word / PPT standard / PPT widescreen)

Service Orders Without Holy Communion

Easter Vigil with 4 OT readings (Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen)
Easter Vigil with 9 OT readings (Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen)

Service orders with Holy Communion

Easter Vigil with 4 OT readings, Baptism Affirmation and HC (Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen)
Easter Vigil with 9 OT readings, Baptism Affirmation and HC (Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen)

Sermon

Sermon 1 Easter Saturday Vigil Romans 6:1-11

Readings

There are two options for the Easter Vigil. The shorter version includes 4 Old Testament readings. It may be most helpful when the Baptism and Holy Communion elements of the service are used, or if a longer message is being given. The longer version uses all 9 OT readings and may be the best option for a lay-led service without Holy Communion, as the Sermon could be omitted, or a short address is read. The readings are long, and it may be wise to involve multiple readers. The psalm responses may be read or simply viewed silently onscreen accompanied by appropriate images. Alternatively, the responses may be sung (see Easter Vigil for suggestions).

Old Testament Readings:
The First Reading: Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a
The Second Reading: Genesis 7:1-5,11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13
The Third Reading: Genesis 22:1-18
The Fourth Reading: Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20,21

The Fifth Reading: Isaiah 55:1-11
The Sixth Reading: Proverbs 8:18,19-21; 9:4b-6
The Seventh Reading: Ezekiel 36:24-28
The Eighth Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Ninth Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20

Meditative Responses:
Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26 (Response to First Reading)
Psalm 46 (Response to Second Reading)
Psalm 16 (Response to Third Reading)
Exodus 15:1b-13,17,18 (Response to Fourth Reading)
Isaiah 12:2-6 (Response to Fifth Reading)
Psalm 19 (Response to Sixth Reading)
Psalm 42 and 43 (Response to Seventh Reading)
Psalm 143 (Response to Eighth Reading)
Psalm 98 (Response to Ninth Reading)

The Baptismal Reading:
Romans 6:3-11
Gospel:
Mark 16:1-8

Printable, Formatted Readings

Season of Creation

The Season of Creation is an ecumenical response to the environmental crisis impacting the world. The season is celebrated between 1st September to 4th October as an alternative to the regular time after Pentecost. Each year brings has a particular themed focus connected with an aspect to the environment, to raise awareness and inspire responsible environmental action.

The following worship resources have been prepared in collaboration with Lutheran Earth Care Australia and New Zealand, endeavouring to point God’s people to the hope that we have in the midst of environmental chaos: Christ as the Redeemer of the world, who sustains all things by his powerful word, and will make all things new.

There are two suites of resources congregations can choose from: the first is more foundational and general in nature, and could be used in any year, while the second suite has been tailored for the 2024 theme, 'To hope and act with creation.'

Suite 1: Worship Resources for any year

Seasons of Creations Worship Resource

Prepared Worship Service Orders
Word / PPT standard / PPT widescreen

Printable Bible Readings

Sermons for Suite 1
These sermons have been edited for lay-reading.
Sermon 1, Matthew 6:25 – 34
Sermon 2, Genesis 1: 24-31, 2:4b-22

Suite 2: Worship Resources 2024 Theme: 'To hope and act with creation'

'To hope and act with creation' worship resource

Prepared Worship Service Orders
Word / PPT standard / PPT widescreen

Sermon for Suite 2
The following sermon has been edited for lay-reading.
Sermon, Romans 8:19-25

Season of Prayer

In Luke 10, as Jesus sends out 72 local missionaries, he tells them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. So, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out harvest workers into his harvest fields’.

From 10 to 24 September, congregations of the LCANZ are being called to prayer. The Local Mission department of the LCANZ is facilitating an annual Season of Prayer. This year's theme is ‘Lord, renew your church’.

Congregations are invited to spend three weeks of intentional prayer for

spiritual revival, hope, and joy in your church,
the mission of your local congregation and
that people will come to know Jesus through our congregations’ mission and ministry.

We hope and pray that this Season of Prayer over three Sundays will be a catalyst for ongoing, deepening prayer in our churches. Resources, such as Bible studies, ideas for congregational prayer, events and activities, will be available on the LCA website at www.lca.org.au/season-of-prayer

Season of Prayer Worship Resource

The following service resources contain a selection of the liturgy and prayers for each week. They include a selection of Public Domain and contemporary music choices. Please feel free to choose whichever music best suits your congregation's style or substitute your own selections.

Week 1

Season of Prayer Ready to Go Service Order Week 1 Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen

Season of Prayer Readings Week 1

Sermons for Week 1 Sermon 1 | Sermon 2

Week 2

Season of Prayer Ready to Go Service Order Week 2 Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen

Season of Prayer Readings Week 2

Sermon for Week 2

Week 3

Season of Prayer Ready to Go Service Order Week 3 Word | PPT standard | PPT widescreen

Season of Prayer Readings Week 3

Sermon for Week 3

Harvest Thanksgiving

Harvest Thanksgiving Year A

Harvest Thanksgiving may be held at any time of the year, whenever is appropriate for the local context.

Harvest Thanksgiving Liturgy, Prayer and Music Suggestions
Ready to Go Resources (complete services including readings, prayers and hymns): Word / PPT standard / PPT widescreen
Printable, Formatted Readings
Psalm 65 PPT standard / PPT widescreen
Prayer of the Church
Sermon and Reading Illustrations
Sermon 1 / Sermon 2 / Sermon 3 / Sermon 4 (edited for lay-reading)
Top 4 Public Domain Hymns

- LH 467 For the beauty of the earth Backing Track
- LH 377 Take my life, and let it be Modernised Lyrics Backing Track
- “Blest are you, Lord our God” (to the tune of LHB 437 Nun danket alle Gott) Backing Track (for lyrics, refer to Harvest Thanksgiving Liturgy, Prayer and Music Suggestions above)
- LHB 442 Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the king of creation Backing Track
Top 4 AT/LHS songs under copyright

- LHS 811 Praise and Thanksgiving (CCLI, One Licence)
- AT 43 How shall I call you? (CCLI, One Licence)
- AT 265 Take us now, we are yours (CCLI)
- AT 361 Here we are (CCLI, One Licence)
Top 4 Contemporary songs

- All People That On Earth Do Dwell - Emu Music CCLI by Alanna Glover, Louis Bourgeois, William Kethe
- You Crown The Year (Psalm 65:11) - Hillsong Worship CCLI by Brooke Ligertwood, Reuben Morgan
- For The Beauty - Emu Music CCLI by Alanna Glover, Conrad Kocher, Folliott Sandford Pierpoint, Philip Percival
- Praise to the Lord - Emu Music CCLI by Alanna Glover, Catherine Winkworth, Joachim Neander

Harvest Thanksgiving Year B

Harvest Thanksgiving may be held at any time of the year, whenever is appropriate for the local context.

Harvest Thanksgiving Liturgy, Prayer and Music Suggestions
Ready to Go Resources (complete services including readings, prayers and hymns): Word / PPT standard / PPT widescreen
Printable, Formatted Readings
Psalm 126 PPT standard / PPT widescreen
Prayer of the Church
Sermon and Reading Illustrations
Sermon 1 / Sermon 2 (edited for lay-reading)

Harvest Thanksgiving Year C

Note: The Harvest Thanksgiving festival may be celebrated on any day of the church year, as is appropriate in the local context. It is customary in many places to commemorate the festival on one of the Sundays after Epiphany, normally before the beginning of Lent. In year C, however, the first reading for Harvest Thanksgiving is the same as the first reading for the First Sunday in Lent, so in year C you may consider making an exception and celebrating Harvest Thanksgiving on the First Sunday in Lent.

Christian Care Sunday

God’s love comes to life through care ministries every single day in our Lutheran congregations, aged-care and community services.

The LCANZ invites your congregation to celebrate this Christian care by setting aside one Sunday (or worshipping time) in your gathered community to acknowledge, bless and honour those people and organisations engaged in care work.

Whether this is visiting those isolated in their homes, providing meals for people in crisis, playgroups, kids clubs and youth groups for community interaction and a place to belong for children and care givers, right up to the running of residential care facilities, independent living villages and social work services – everyday people are providing care 365 days of the year.

The Christian Care Sunday project provides resources for congregations including:

intergenerational resources provided by Grow Ministries.
Ready-to-Go worship services (on PowerPoint and as printable documents) are available for download,
a Worship Planning Page liturgical resource with suggestions for songs, drama, visual arts, bible readings, prayers and spoken responses.

You can get started today, by heading to Christian Care Sunday - Lutheran Church of Australia to download the free resources and start planning your Christian Care Sunday celebration.

Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week begins on May 27. The theme for 2024 is Now More than Ever, encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. For more information, click here. Some prayer points will be included in the June 2 (Pentecost 2B) service.

National Reconciliation Week first started as the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation in 1993 (the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples) and was supported by Australia’s major faith communities. In 1996, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation launched Australia’s first National Reconciliation Week. In 2001, Reconciliation Australia was established to continue to provide national leadership on reconciliation.

Common Grace has developed a detailed National Reconciliation Week Church Resources Toolkit which includes materials for worship, prayer, Bible readings, Acknowledgement of Country, action steps, and a video message. You may find some of the material helpful in preparing services. The toolkit can be obtained for free at National Reconciliation Week 2024 – Common Grace

You may find these resources from TEAR Australia helpful when planning worship, Bible studies or other Reconciliation Week events:
Reconciliation Action Kit
Reconciliation Liturgy

You will find excellent resources around reconciliation at the LCA Reconciliation Action Plan website https://www.rap.lca.org.au/.

Reformation

Resources for times of crisis or natural disaster

Australia and New Zealand have both suffered from significant natural disasters and other challenges in recent years. In times of crisis, we can all struggle to find comfort and security, whether we are directly involved or watching helplessly as others suffer.
These resources are provided to help congregations draw close to God in times of trouble, and to support and comfort the people around us. While many were produced in response to a specific crisis, they may still be of help in other times of hardship.

Prayers for a Time of Crisis and Loss written for the LCA by Pastor Aub Podlich

Hymn of thanks for Emergency Services

Leigh Newton wrote the following hymn after Black Summer in 2020 for a service of thanks for emergency service workers. He has generously passed it on for use by all churches as we struggle with natural disasters including floods and storms.

Now thank we all our God,
for those who help in crisis,
in rescue, flood and fire,
and those who work in quiet.
For chaplains who give ear
to loss, distress and grief,
who offer sacred space,
that they might bring relief.

For those who give themselves,
for love of unknown stranger;
and those who sacrifice
for property and neighbour.
All gratitude be theirs –
these mates who note the call;
who walk the way of love,
and serve all people well.

For justice and for love,
and joy of serving others,
for honour and for grace –
in common wealth of colours.
We praise the suff’ring Christ,
who knows the cross we bear;
who walks our troubled road;
brings hope in our despair.

Now thank we all our God
For life on Easter dayspring
Good Friday’s loss remains,
But hope is now our wellspring.
These feet and hands are God’s,
enfleshed in answered prayer –
a gift in anxious days,
God’s strength in our despair.

Liturgy and Prayers for a Time of Drought

Hymns and Songs of Comfort

LHS 815 O Christ the healer, we have come (CCLI, One Licence)
LH 854 Be still my heart (Public Domain)
LHS 862 As we step from the edge of morning (CCLI, One Licence)
LHS 869 Like the deer that yearns (One Licence)
LHS 732/ AT 25 Comfort, Comfort (CCLI, One Licence)
AT 294 God give you joy (One Licence)
AT 490 When human voices cannot sing (CCLI, One Licence)
AT 496 Don't be afraid (CCLI, One Licence)

Hear Me, Lord - Emu Music (CCLI)

Robin Mann wrote two new verses for his song 'Comfort, Comfort' specifically in response to the bushfires. The words & the music are free of charge in the wake of Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfires. Download the lyrics here.

Calendar of Liturgical Colours

	White - Epiphany and Epiphany 1, Transfiguration, Maundy Thursday, Easter Day and Easter Day 1–7 (or gold), Christmas Day and Christmas 1, New Year's Eve
	Green Epiphany 2–7, Pentecost 2–24, Last Sunday of Church Year
	Violet Ash Wednesday, Lent 1–5, Palm Sunday, Advent 1–4 (or blue)
	Black Good Friday (or bare altar)
	Gold Easter Day and Easter 2–7 (or white), Ascension (or white), Pentecost 1/Trinity (or white)
	Red Pentecost, Reformation, and other festivals

Calendar of Liturgical Colours

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