Lutheran Women of Australia

Subscribe now and save!

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:26:00 +0000

The June issue of Lutheran Women Magazine will be hitting the letter boxes this week and it is full of inspiring stories and news. If you take out a new subscription before the end of June, you can receive the remaining issues for 2012 for just $5.00! Click here to subscribe.

You are precious

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:11:00 +0000

Mother's Day may be over, but if you need to be reminded of your worth, check out this post on Pastor Adrian Kitson's new blog! It's beautiful.

Countdown to Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 01:28:00 +0000

It is now one year until we meet again as women of LWA in Convention. This means that during this next 12 months you will be receiving lots of news and information about this upcoming event.

Our Convention will be held on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 April 2013 at Immanuel College in the Adelaide suburb of Novar Gardens. Convention will be held during the LCA Pastors’ Conference and just prior to the LCA General Convention. A significant celebration will be held on the Sunday just after our convention and at the beginning of the general convention to mark the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the first Lutherans in Australia. Plan now to attend one or maybe all of these events; you will not regret staying on at least for the Sunday celebration. Lutheran Men of Australia are also planning to hold their Convention at the same time and venue as LWA and we are hoping to share some activities and facilities, so spouses/drivers will also be catered for. Keep checking each issue of Lutheran Women as there will be more up-to-date information with each edition. By the way if you are coming by car or if you are planning to use a mini bus to attend Convention, there will be adequate room for free parking. Details of available accommodation will be published as soon as we have the details.

Our December magazine contained details of our Quilt Project for Convention. How are your plans coming along? When making your quilts please do not forget to add the label with the wording as given in that article. Please keep the information in a handy spot and if you have any queries our quilt coordinator Shirley Teusner will be happy to help. Her contact details are in the December Lutheran Women or under Lutheran Women of Australia in the LCA Yearbook.

We are also planning a special feature for convention and we would like each women’s group to take a photo of your group and send it to us, please. You may like to take your group doing something special, in Bible Study, making your quilt, or whatever you wish, but please don’t send too many of having cups of tea! Also try not to have any backs of heads showing – we want to see your faces! You can send a photograph if you wish or a digital photo via email (make sure the a digital photo is a jpeg format and about one Megabyte [MB] in size). Please add the name, address and the number in your regular group. You have until November 2012 to get those photos to us, but you can send them whenever you wish to either the President or the Secretary of LWA. Our names and details are on Page 2 of every issue of Lutheran Women.

Grace Bock
President LWA

Easter is the gift...

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:04:00 +0000

Easter Is The Gift...

Easter is the gift of HOPE
Easter is the gift of PEACE
Easter is the gift of LOVE
Let us rejoice in Him,
Who gives them all.

May God bless you at Easter,
And keep you all year through.
May God give you all the faith it takes,
To make your dreams come true.
May His love and wisdom always help,
To guide you on your way.
May His light shine down upon you now,
To bless your Easter Day.

Author unknown

Label it, please!

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 01:22:00 +0000

Don’t forget to add a label to the back of your quilt or rug that you are making for our service project ‘Quilts for kids and seniors too’.

All the specifications for the quilt labels can be found here. (Hint: sew the label in one of the corners before you bind the quilt. Then the label will be caught under the binding too).

Attaching a label to a knitted or crocheted rug is a little more difficult, but we would still like them to have a label when they are distributed to those in need. Perhaps write the wording onto some card (or if you have a computer and printer you could print the words on the card), punch a hole in the corner and pin the label to the rug with a sturdy safety or nappy pin. You might also like to add some washing instructions for the particular yarn you used (have a look at the ball band).

Knit together with love

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:23:00 +0000

In case you knitting and crochet aficionados were concerned that you were being overlooked in the “Quilts for Kids and Seniors” service project, the good news is that knitted and crocheted rugs are also most welcome!

With longer winter nights approaching, now would be the perfect time to sort through your yarn stash and start making stacks of squares. And getting a group together to chat while you stitch will not only be fun, but your blankets will come together in no time.

Acrylic yarns are probably best from a laundering perspective but machine washable wool would also be suitable- just ensure that all the squares in your blanket are made from the same sort of yarn.

It doesn’t matter how big your squares are as long as they all fit together to make a square or rectangular blanket. You could use different “plys” on different needles to get the same sized squares but the weight or thickness will vary. For this reason it’s probably easier to stick to the same ply throughout. Likewise, if there are a number of people contributing blocks, you will need to check your tension/gauge so that the blocks are all the same size.

The finished blanket size can be anything from baby blanket size to single bed size.

A mix of crochet and knitted squares in colour co-ordinated yarns would look fantastic - be creative!

Plain knitting (or garter stitch) is great for squares and doesn’t take a lot of concentration in front of the television or on long drives. But if you want to be more adventurous, try other stitches including cables and lace. A narrow border (4-6 rows top and bottom, 4 stitches at either end of each row) of garter stitch or moss stitch makes a firm “frame” and will stop your square from becoming misshapen or curling.

If I'm sittin', I'm knittin'!

You can find lots of free patterns for squares on the internet. Here are some particularly useful sites:

§ http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/motifs_squares.php - knitted squares in a variety of sizes

§ http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/grannies.html - mostly crochet in a variety of sizes and ideas for edging

§ http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/afghans/sampler.htm - stunning knitted squares to whet your appetite!

§ http://www.halfknits.com/ - patterns for 6 inch crochet and knitted squares and different crochet edges for blankets.

It’s going to be so exciting to see all the quilts and blankets on display at the LWA Convention in 2013! God bless your handiwork.

Time to get your quilt project going

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:11:00 +0000

You may recall in a blog late last year (29 September 2011) we told you of our big service project: ‘Quilts for Kids (and seniors too)’.

We have now released all the information you need to begin your quilt/rug making endeavour. A challenge for those who love to sew, knit or crochet.

Here are some details for those who would like to make a fabric quilt:

Most quilters speak in inches, so inches are used here. However most rulers and tape measures have both inches and centimetres marked on them. But for accuracy, stick to either inches or centimetres throughout. Something as small as 24” by 24” would make a blanket for a car baby capsule; 38” by 38” would be suitable for a baby cot quilt or small knee rug; 48” by 48” or larger for a knee rug or cuddle quilt; or from 38” by 53” to 43” by 63” for a cot to a single bed. These are suggested approximate sizes. Anything in between would be fine. Incidentally anything from 36” to 48” square is also suitable for a wheelchair rug.

Pure cotton fabrics are best for good quilting, but off-cuts from ‘Sheridan’ ‘Actil’ etc could be used; also poly cottons.

Polyester batting is an economical choice, or cotton. These are good for quilts that may need frequent washing. Old blankets or worn-out old quilts also make good batting.

Old denim backed with fleecy cotton makes a warm blanket. Several squares of flannelette simply sewn together with the seam allowance (make the seams at least half an inch) cut into strips (fringing), washed and tumble-dried also make a beautiful soft, warm quilt.

For those who do not quilt, the layers can be tied (or knotted) together and this method works well.

Quilts can be costly to make. Perhaps in your group some could contribute towards the cost by collecting some fabric pieces or buying off-cuts from a fabric store. Stores like ‘Spotlight’ often have ‘fat quarters’ for about $2 each (watch for ‘sales’ or ‘bargain/remnant boxes’). Once you have a collection of fabric pieces, one or two members may like to contribute by doing the sewing. There may be embroiderers who do not sew but would like to embroider a square or two to add to the quilt.

Most likely there will be at least one among you who is already a keen quilter and will be happy to coordinate the project, but you imaginative women will think of all sorts of ideas. If you do not have any quilters or sewers in your group, perhaps there may be a member of your congregation/parish who is and who would probably be happy to help.

When your project is complete we ask you to add a label at the back, no larger than 7” wide by 4” high, with the wording:
Made by Lutheran Women of Australia
Sharing God’s love.
The wording can be done, say with a fabric pen, or embroidered; just make sure that the label is washable or could be dry-cleaned.

The finished quilts can be brought or sent along to the LWA Convention in April 2013, where they will be dedicated and displayed during Convention before being sent to Lutheran Community Care for distribution.

If you are looking for some inspiration, visit Quiltville. Bonnie Hunter has lots of free quilt patterns that can made from the tiniest of scraps- just scroll down the list on the right hand side of the page.

May God bless your efforts of love for him and those in need.

Birthing kits for PNG

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:41:00 +0000

For many years, LWA in collaboration with the LCA Board for Mission has been providing “birthing kits” to bring the gift of hope and life to new born babies and their mothers in PNG. Babies are often born in huts, on dirt floors, or at best on a bed with wooden slats– certainly not on a sterile delivery table in a hospital. The kits are distributed to health workers for use in the remote villages.

To date, thousands of these kits have been sent to PNG, but (as you can imagine) the need is ongoing! (See this post for more information). Perhaps your women's group would like to be involved in putting some kits together? Getting together to pack them can be a fun time of fellowship and may give you an opportunity to invite or involve women who aren't normally part of your group.The requirements for each kit are listed below:

What’s in a PNG village birthing kit?
• 1 metre square of plastic (no particular thickness or quality is required, since it is used to provide a clean area for the delivery and then discarded)
• 1 metre square of old linen (make sure it is clean)
• 2 cloth nappies (no disposable ones, may be second hand)
• 2 safety/nappy pins (useful but not essential)
• 5-10 squares of gauze available from the chemist, or 3-4 inch (75-100 mm) squares of soft cloth/linen to be used as wipes
• 2 x 20-25cm (8-10ins) pieces of ½ inch cotton tape (similar to bias binding) for tying the cord
• 2 disposable gloves
• 1 cake of soap
• 1 baby size singlet (newborn size - may be second hand)
• Pack the above items in a press seal or zip lock plastic bag
A small text card/tract from LLL can be added (someone in the village can usually read some English)

Please note that razor blades are no longer required. They were found to rust too quickly in the tropical conditions. A surgical scalpel blade (size 21) can be added to each kit (you can sometimes purchase these from pharmacies) but if you cannot obtain them readily, they will be supplied by LCA Board for Mission before being sent to PNG.

Completed kits and/or surplus items should be sent to LCA Board for Mission, 197 Archer Street, North Adelaide SA 5006. Monetary donations to cover the cost of freight are also gratefully accepted. LWA groups please send your monetary donations (only) to your state treasurer or you can send money (only) to the LWA treasurer Janette Neumann, PO Box 200, Balaklava, SA 5461. Please mark all monetary donations "Birth Kit Shipping".

God bless you in this valuable service!

The 'wonder'of it all

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:15:00 +0000

If you have ever watched the face of a young child as it watches something new and amazing for the first time, you will understand the meaning of ‘wonder’.

Imagine the experience of those lowly shepherds – the ‘wonder’ they experienced on those quiet, wintry hillsides just outside Bethlehem. First, the angel and the heavenly choir bursting with light and magnificence onto that quiet scene. Then the message and the song of all songs: a baby born to be their saviour, and the invitation to go and see this remarkable occurrence. Imagine the ‘wonder’ of these humble people.

Imagine the ‘wonder’ of those eastern sages when they discovered a new star and consulted together about what this meant. A new king born to rule in Judea! They must hurry to see this new king and be among the first to offer their loyal devotion and treasure!

Imagine the phenomenal experience of Mary and Joseph – the ‘wonder’ at this child born to such lowly people. This God, but still a child who had been entrusted to their care, but would later die, and rise to life again as Saviour of the world.

Imagine the ‘wonder’ of this first Christmas!

May you also experience this ‘wonder’ as you worship again at the manger, and may you be truly blessed.

A knitted Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:45:00 +0000

For all you avid knitters out there with odds and ends of yarn in your stash, here are some FREE Christmas knitting patterns to get your fingers itching for some stitching! These adorable bears can be knitted up in no time- click here for the pattern.

These sweet mini stockings are by the same designer. The pattern can be found here.

If you prefer crochet, here are some heart ornaments to try.

A little Christmas tree for the table or mantle piece- would make an lovely gift for someone in a nursing home. The pattern can be downloaded here.

This pudding looks good enough to eat! The pattern can be found here.

Here's a great gift for the tea connoisseur in your life!

Last, but not least, a cute little jumper to hang on the tree. This pattern can be found here.
Get those needles clicking!

Time for reflection and preparation

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:45:00 +0000

Murchison River, WA.

November: a month where many of our women’s groups hold their final meeting for the year, maybe hold an Annual General Meeting and prepare for Christmas.

What has your group achieved during this year? Have you recruited any new people to attend your group? Perhaps this year has seen the passing into eternal life for one (or more) of your elderly members. Perhaps your group is struggling as your numbers decline. Maybe you are frustrated that some women don’t seem interested.

Just maybe your group has managed to attract some new members and you are rejoicing in their new ideas and enthusiasm. Maybe your group has achieved some goal that you set yourselves at the beginning of the year or achieved a target set years ago.

As we once again approach the celebration of our Saviour’s birth and give thanks for his coming into our world may we all take time to reflect on this act of loving salvation for us, and may we be inspired to continue on in our groups as we love and serve God, each other and the community and world around us.

‘This is, in one sense,
    the real purpose for our salvation,
    that we might serve God and all people
    and thus fulfil that destiny
    for which we were created.’ Epistles/Now

Christmas Quiltagrams

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:51:00 +0000

We are now into October...daylight savings has taken effect in many states and it's less than 12 weeks until Christmas! Time to start your Christmas crafting if you're the type of person who likes to give handmade gifts.

Instead of sending a store-bought card, why not make a "Christmas Quiltagram" for that special someone? If you are a quilter familiar with foundation piecing and with lots of little scraps of Christmas print fabrics on hand, then this project is for you!

To make the Candle quiltagram, click on the image above. A larger image will be displayed- right click on the larger image and save it to your computer. Then just print it out and follow the instructions. To make the Christmas Tree quiltagram, click on the image below and follow the same procedure.

Enjoy! Take a photo of your creation and email it to us so we can share it with everyone!

Quilts for Kids (and Seniors too)

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:27:00 +0000

At the LWA Council meeting in July, it was decided that we launch a service project that will culminate in the dedication and display of Quilts at our Convention in 2013.

This is a project for all you handy craftswomen and we ask you to make one (or more if you wish) quilt or throw, either cot-quilt or lap-size (actually it may be any size you wish, but we are suggesting smaller for convenience), and bring or send it along to the Convention where the quilts will be dedicated and displayed before going to Lutheran Community Care in Adelaide, who will act as distributors of these gifts to the needy Australia-wide.

So whether you sew, knit or crochet, get your thinking caps on and your materials ready. Watch this space (and Lutheran Women magazine) for more information.

May you be inspired and may God bless your service.

Our LWA Council

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:06:00 +0000

The Council of Lutheran Women of Australia (LWA) is made up of the presidents and one representative of the various district women’s groups (NSW, Qld, SA/NT, Vic/Tas, and WA), the LWA Executive and two pastor Counsellors. The Council meets mid-term during the three years between national conventions, and immediately before and after Convention to organise and plan the business of the LWA and to ratify decisions made and actions taken by the LWA Executive, who meet on a more regular basis.

Our Council held its current mid-term meeting a few weeks ago. We set a date and planned for our next National Convention during this time, as well as examining our financial position, having an overall look at our various projects that we support, and reviewing our magazine, Lutheran Women.

We are happy to announce that our next LWA Convention will be held at Immanuel College, Adelaide, SA on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 April, 2013. These dates have been set to coincide with the Convention of Synod of the Lutheran Church of Australia.

More announcements will be made over the time preceding the convention, but we ask you to start planning now to attend. Our Executive Committee hopes that it will be a great time of worship, information and celebration.

Women of Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:03:00 +0000

"More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of."

These wise words from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem Morte D'Arthur apply today as much as when they were written by the famous English poet who lived from 1809 to 1892.

One of the greatest services we can render to others is to pray for them, using the example of Christ who prayed for humankind when he was on this earth and continues to pray with and for us to our heavenly Father.

In your prayer life we suggest some prayer thoughts for your consideration.
•   All those who are battling natural disasters, especially our neighbours in Thailand who have experienced devastating floods;
•   Those who are suffering ill health whether physical or mental;
•   The new committee members elected at recent District women’s conventions and those who have served in the past and have retired;
•   The Lutheran Women of Australia Council members who meet this month;
•   Our women’s groups across the nation as they meet together and serve in their local communities;
•   All people everywhere no matter who they are and whatever their situation.

May God bless you all in your prayer lives.

It’s happened – and we are grateful!

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:00:00 +0000

You may remember a recent blog where we advertised the fact that Lutheran Women of Australia had launched a new brochure that explains who we are and what we do.

Praise God! The response has been so great that we have run out of copies, and they haven’t yet been released in Queensland! We had hoped for a positive response to this resource, but we did not dream that we would require a reprint so quickly!

If you would like some brochures, please contact us at lwa@lca.org.au and we will forward them to you. A generous supporter of LWA has offered to cover the costs of a reprint, so we now have a good supply. By the way, you are welcome to add your women’s group or congregation details on the back of the brochure when giving them out. It would be a great idea to add a local contact and a date, time and place where you meet.

Thanks for your interest, love, and support. We pray that God will be glorified and his kingdom extended as together we serve him.

Lutheran Women helping Students

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Fri, 27 May 2011 07:57:00 +0000

Altar cloths in the ALC Chapel were made and donated by LWA Auxiliary

With the generous help of Lutheran Women of Australia (LWA) students at Australian Lutheran College (ALC) can enjoy a few added comforts to make life easier while studying for their degrees.

LWA has elected an auxiliary, who on our behalf attend to these needs and work in conjunction with and on the advice of ALC. Some of the recent improvements for the student body have included refurbishment of the married student accommodation, security upgrades, a playground for children of students with nearby seating for the adults, and the upgrading of the boarding facility for single students.

The students and staff have expressed their appreciation and thanks to our generous women who have made these improvements possible by donations to this LWA Project.

Another project that LWA supports is a fund which is available to offer financial assistance to students of Pastoral Theology at ALC who may find themselves unable to meet unexpected expenses during their time of studying.

Convention Times

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 18 May 2011 05:05:00 +0000

Community singing at the 2009 LWA Convention, held at Luther College, Croydon, Vic.

During the last weekend of April and the first week in May the Lutheran women of New South Wales, Victoria/Tasmania, South Australia/Northern Territory and Western Australia had their annual Conventions.

These are great times of getting together for worship, Bible Study, information sharing and fellowship. The lunch times, and before and after the sessions are great times for reunions, a chance to visit the various displays, and chats. This year was no exception. Convention times also give women the opportunity to look at their past project support and to discuss new ways in which serve.

As your President, I try to get to as many Conventions as possible, but as they are all so close together this is not always possible. However, this year after attending the Convention in South Australia I was able to visit the wonderful women of the West to share in their Convention on May 7.

The members of Ocean Keys Lutheran Fellowship, in Perth’s northern suburbs, were the hosts, and they not only made everyone most welcome, the food they provided for lunch and tea-breaks was a truly remarkable effort! Under the theme for the day, ‘Unveiling God’s Love’, the women explored God revealing himself to us in worship, Bible study and song.

Although many women are relatively isolated from each other in this large country of ours, it is good to see that their common bond of faith and service draws them close together as sisters in Christ.

I trust that all who attended a Convention, no matter where in Australia, felt as blessed as I did. I am looking forward, God willing, to visiting the Lutheran women in Queensland for their Convention in August.

God bless you all,

Grace.

New LWA Resource launched

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Thu, 05 May 2011 23:51:00 +0000

An exciting new resource designed to help our members tell others about Lutheran Women of Australia was launched at our recent District Conventions.

This bright, colourful information brochure contains information about us, such as who we are, why we meet together and what we do.

How can you use our brochures?

Hand them out to other women’s groups to encourage them to join with us
Have copies available at the front of the church for visitors
Include one in each new member’s kit in your congregation.

If you would like to receive a brochure for yourself or would like some to give out to others, please email us at lwa@lca.org.au and we will be happy to post them to you.

For Holy Week

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:10:00 +0000

This week is known throughout Christianity as Holy Week. Beginning with Palm or Passion Sunday and Christ’s kingly procession into Jerusalem, the week culminates in the Triduum or the Three Days of Easter: Maundy Thursday when we celebrate the Eucharist on the Passover evening on which Christ was betrayed, Good Friday when we observe his suffering and death on the cross for our sins and the glorious, triumphant celebration of Easter Sunday, the day Christ defeated death by his resurrection.

There is an abundance of ideas and sites to visit for worship ideas, prayers, and devotions for this high season in the Christian calendar. Visit here, here , here and here for Lutheran Church of Australia resources.

Some ideas for Holy Week.
•    Strip the altar bare as part of the close of the service on Maundy Thursday in readiness for worship on Good Friday, shroud the crucifix with a black cloth.
•    On Good Friday all adornment is absent. No flowers are needed but a simple crown of thorns, or large nails or a spear could be used in a visual presentation in the narthex. The traditional colour is black for Good Friday.
•    Make or buy hot cross buns for serving during the weekend. Don’t forget to explain the reason for the cross when serving.
•    If the adoration of the cross has been part of the service on Good Friday and a cross placed in the sanctuary, it could remain and be adorned with flowers and butterflies to signify Christ’s resurrection, and could be lit with a spotlight, especially at the dawn service. A paschal candle may also be lit.
•    Take advantage of the colours of white and gold, the colours of Easter when decorating the church for Easter. Flowers and butterflies can be used. Special banners (such as an ‘Alleluia’ banner) could be hung or used in a special Easter Day procession at the beginning of worship.
•    A depiction of an Easter garden with an empty tomb could be a good visual aid in the narthex.
•    Have a celebratory Easter breakfast after a dawn service.

May the God of peace, who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus, provide us with every good thing we need in order to do his will.

Fasting, Abstinence and Works of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:38:00 +0000

Since ancient times the entire season of Lent has been marked by fasting and abstinence. Fridays in particular have been special days of fasting because of Jesus’ death on this day.

Fasting does not mean that we need to stop eating, or cause health issues through this practice. Rather it is an opportunity to give up a particular food or indulgence and assist this denial with prayer and meditation.

Abstinence can be refraining from eating or drinking certain foods (foregoing that coffee and cake treat), but it can also mean giving up or restricting some other activity such as television, movies, and special entertainment to leave more time to focus on the Lenten season and what it means for us.

‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). Love is why Christ came to earth, lived, died and rose again – for us. Love is the story of our salvation and love should be the purpose for our lives here on earth.

What better time than Lent to show God’s love in doing something special for others? Many opportunities are available for us all to make an extra effort as part of our Lenten discipline.

Will you own the gift I bring?
All my penitence I give you;
you are my exalted king,
in your matchless love forgive me:
you have given yourself for me;
I am yours eternally.

John Brownlie 1859-1925, alt.
Based on Greek.

Ideas and resources for Lent

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:37:00 +0000

During the season of Lent, Christians are called to focus on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and follow his final journey to Jerusalem where he took on the punishment sin, suffering and dying on the cross – for us.
To assist them in this focus Christians can choose a discipline of:

repentance
prayer
fasting, and
works of love.

Let’s look at repentance and prayer.
Repentance is turning our back on sin and walking towards God. We can do this by daily remembering what our Baptism means for us, attending worship services for confession and absolution, strengthening our faith through regular Bible reading, and asking God to help lead us to ways of loving him and our fellow human beings more deeply.

Prayer is generally thought of our communicating, or speaking with God, but it can also include listening. Make time each day for a period of quiet in which you can read the Bible, or meditate on a suitable devotional article, bring your requests to God for his forgiveness and blessing, intercede on behalf of your family, friends, and the whole community, and offer thanks and praise for God’s goodness to you and all the earth.

Some resources to help you with your Lenten journey are:

God’s word in the Bible
Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, in particular The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Creed
Suitable devotional material (you can go to the LCA website and click on ‘Today’s Devotion’ under ‘Your daily Bread’)
Listening to Lenten music (hint: do a Google search for ‘O Sacred Head’ and click on one of the Youtube sites)

Stay tuned for more about Lent.

The Church season of Lent

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:36:00 +0000

Lent is the period of preparation for Easter, the central season of the Christian year. It begins on Ash Wednesday (today) and lasts for 40 days, and excludes the Sundays in Lent. Because Jesus rose on the first day of the week, every Sunday commemorates Easter- thus the Sundays during Lent are referred to as being "in Lent" rather than "of Lent". Lent is a period of repentance and abstinence (in the ancient church it was a period of fasting, study and meditation in preparation for baptism at the Easter Vigil).

Lent begins at a different time each year, as the date of the festival of Easter in the Western Church is determined by the lunar calendar. Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or next after 21 March. The liturgical colour for Lent is violet, its dark shade standing for sorrow and repentance, which reflects a time of reflection and subdued activity.

Lent is a season when we can focus on Christ’s sacrifice for us, and a time for Bible study, prayer and serving others in love. Watch this space for some Lenten resources that you might like to use in your homes during Lent.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:10:00 +0000

freedigitalphotos.net

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Romans 8:35a

Our hearts go out once more to yet other people suffering tragedy. We join with the President of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand, Pastor Robert Erickson, whose reaction to the horrific earthquake in that country’s south island was to pray ‘Loving Lord, have mercy’, and we invite you to join fellow Lutherans in New Zealand in a special day of prayer this coming Sunday.

For information on the disaster as it affects our Lutheran church in that country, go to the LCA website and look under the Latest News.

5 minutes with Pastor A

noreply@blogger.com (Lutheran Women of Australia) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:16:00 +0000

Today's interview is with Pastor Adrian Kitson (aka Pastor A) from Ocean Forest Lutheran Church, Dalyellup, WA. He is a gifted musician and songwriter as well as being a blogger- you can visit his blog here.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in various places in the South West corner of the continent along the coast of Western Australia – from Geraldton in the Mid North to Busselton in the South West of WA.

When did you hear God’s calling to be a minister?
I wondered about it in the late teens when people would suggest, “You should go to Sem’” quite a bit, but then finally as a full-time paid youth worker serving at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide, I finally started to listen! I entered preparation for ordination in 1995.

Why did you start blogging?
It was the best way I as Pastor to a school/church community could help our local people who are not regular weekly worshippers to still get something of God’s Word in their week.

How are you involved in ministry to women?
Many of our Pastoral Assistants, paid and volunteer church and congregation leaders and helpers are women. We work together in the gospel in our community.

Favourite hymn?
In Thee is gladness (LHS 386)

What would be on the menu for a special meal?
Poached whole Pink Snapper

In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge facing the church today?
Putting away our many gods and listening and following the only living God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so that we can treat each other with respect, forgiveness and genuine love.