FOR CONGREGATIONS
New fund to grow your local mission
Does your congregation have a local mission idea that needs financial support to become a reality? The LCANZ’s new Local Mission Fund might be the answer to your prayers.
A total of $400,000 is being made available annually, with Local Mission Seed Project funding grants of up to $10,000 annually, and Local Mission Fund major project grants of up to $100,000 each.
The LCANZ Local Mission Fund opened in July with a churchwide call for applications for mission projects.
We are hopeful that the fund will enhance a missional culture across the church. A missional culture keeps a strong focus on our
witness and service to the Lord in our local communities.
Most funds will be available as major project grants, which support the collaboration of more than one entity. We are keen to see projects in which multiple congregations (regions) work together or congregations and agencies develop partnerships. Seed project funding grants will support local, specific projects that have the potential to grow over time.
Both project types will need to align with selection criteria and be approved by the selection committee. Successful applicants will also have to follow reporting requirements.
The announcement of the fund has been enthusiastically received across the church and an encouraging number of applications was received. The successful applicants will be announced at Convention of General Synod.
APPLY FOR A GRANT
1. Place 2025 Local Mission Fund on your meeting agendas.
2. Read the application criteria at www.lca.org.au/localmission-fund
3. Invite your members to start thinking and praying about the local mission opportunity God might be placing before your congregation.
ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL MISSION FUND
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page 4 NEW LCANZTELSTRA PARTNERSHIP
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‘Let us not become weary’
It is not an overstatement to say that the LCANZ is facing its most significant collective challenges since Church Union in 1966.
When multiple challenges confront us all at once, we can feel so overwhelmed that we might succumb to despair, blaming others, or even anger. This is not what God wants for us. At this difficult time in the life of our church, I encourage each one of you to continue to trust in his promises, to seek his peace amid the turmoil, and to eagerly look and listen for what he is teaching us through these challenges.
At the Churchwide Office, among other things, the opportunities before us include evaluating how we do things, and carefully assessing the services we offer to congregations. We are focusing on providing the services you tell us you need and want, particularly those that reduce the burden on congregation volunteers.
We also want to focus on how we deliver our services, making them easy to use, timely and with excellent support from our Churchwide team. This means we need to listen to you and openly invite and receive your feedback – about what is working well for you and what is not.
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page 7 HELPING YOU CARE FOR CHURCHWORKERS
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This report contains only a small sample of the innovations and inroads we are making for the purpose of better supporting you. Please talk to us about ways in which we can serve you amid the challenges and opportunities you face in your congregations.
‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’ (Galatians 6:9).
brett hausler Executive Officer of the Church
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
I commend to you this wonderfully informative new report from our Churchwide Office. I hope you notice throughout the report the focus on the mission that our Good Shepherd calls us to, including the work of care for each other. May the services provided by our Churchwide Office help the people of the communities of our Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand give a good account of the hope we have in Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Peter 3:15).
In Christ, pastor paul smith LCANZ Bishop
Savings for you from LCANZ-Telstra
The Churchwide Office and Telstra have partnered to provide new tailored and improved plans for congregations and other agencies of the LCANZ (districts, schools, aged-care services etc).
The contract with Telstra covers mobile phone accounts, landlines and modem voice systems, email security and internet/interoffice connectivity. In addition, it includes 24/7 enterprise-level firewalls and monitoring. The arrangement reflects the changing environment we all operate in, particularly in relation to cyber security.
Discounted pricing for services has been negotiated for congregations. Depending on what services you are currently using, the additional benefits and potential cost savings for your congregation could be significant as indicated by the example scenario in the table.
When you apply, a representative of TAA Connect (a Telstra partner) will contact you. The representative will work with you to assess your needs and decide on the best service plan for you.
This new offer is a great example of how our congregations and agencies can gain from our use of the collective buying power across the church. We hope your congregation will reap the
benefits of our Telstra partnership very soon.
HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS OFFER
1. Assess your current and future phone, internet and cyber security needs and costs.
2. Visit the Telstra Partnership page www.lca.org.au/telstrapartnership to compare services and costs.
3. If you see a potential cost saving or other benefit, apply via the Apply Now button on the Telstra Partnership webpage.
THE HACKERS ARE OUT THERE
Our LCA email system defends up to 15,000 attacks a week. We are constantly monitoring and upgrading our defences but by ourselves we can only do so much. Cyber security is the responsibility of every one of us. Just one crack in our fortress leaves all of us vulnerable. So, let’s join forces and work together to build one unbreakable line of defence against the attackers. www.lca.org.au/cyber-security
Safe Church training gets tick of approval
The new self-paced online format of our Safe Church training program is receiving positive feedback from participants.
Face-to-face training is being phased out in 2024. The move from face-to-face to exclusively online training was made after listening to feedback from church members, particularly regarding the time commitment for volunteers. The revised format, which was introduced in June, makes Safe Church training more robust, effective and sustainable.
An updated version of the Level 2 training is now available online via the ALC iLearn platform. Like the current Level 1 modules, this latest
iteration of Level 2 is significantly briefer than its predecessors, reducing the time burden on volunteers.
There is also an option for ‘live online’ training. We have introduced this additional format to accommodate people who prefer a live training experience. Live online training will deliver the best of both worlds. Participants can attend an online training session at the scheduled time that best suits them; they will not need to wait for a trainer to visit their region or parish for a workshop. They will still be able to interact with their online trainer and have their questions answered.
IS YOUR TRAINING UP TO DATE?
1. Visit the Safe Church Training page www.lca.org.au/ safechurchtraining to find out who needs to undertake Level 1 and Level 2 training.
2. Check to ensure that your volunteers and staff are up to date with their training. If they don’t know, contact Professional Standards to find out: psd@lca.org.au
3. Visit the Safe Church Training page to discover the options (self-paced online or ‘live online) and support your people as they undertake the training.
Share the good news confidently
Gospel Fluency Workshops are designed to give your congregation members the vocabulary, context and practice to confidently share the good news in word and action with those around them. You can request one of our facilitators to conduct a workshop (that fits well into a Saturday morning or weekday evening, for example) for your congregation or cluster of congregations. Or we can train and coach a local facilitator to conduct your workshop. More than 450 people have attended a workshop in the past 12 months!
www.lca.org.au/gospel-fluency
Congregational Life web hub - new!
A new website hub to support LCANZ communities in all areas of congregational life will be launched at General Synod.
The curation and collation of resources for the new online hub is a joint project of Churchwide communications staff and District mission directors.
The first phase of resource curation and collection is expected to be complete by mid-2025. After that, Churchwide and District people
will identify where gaps exist and will work together to develop additional resources to better equip our people for service in their local contexts.
Longer term we are planning to incorporate pathways for training into the hub, so that everyone serving in any way in the church can grow their skills and confidence at a pace and level that matches their life circumstances and vocational goals.
Social media can be a challenge. The Churchwide communications team is constantly striving to use social media for good and to avoid hurt or harm. We also keep abreast of changes in legislation around social media. We have a Social Media policy, which applies to and assists congregations and other agencies of the church.
As you prepare social media guidelines for your own congregation, you might find the management procedures we adopt at the Churchwide Office helpful. You are welcome to adopt or adapt these documents for your local context. Visit www.lca.org.au/socialmedia
We’ve made it easier to find what you need
We’ve arranged the hundreds of resources on the LCA website into categories based on what people are likely to be looking for. They don’t even need to know what they’re looking for! They simply click on one of the three starting buttons on the LCA website homepage to be transported to links to resources that most closely align with their self-identification as a visitor, member or leader. As congregation leaders, you’ll be keen to discover what lies beyond the Leaders link, and you will also find the new Congregational Life hub (story above) immensely helpful in your responsible roles.
Helping you care for your churchworkers
Church life and work can be challenging, not only for churchworkers but also for their families. Recognising this, the Churchwide Office has engaged the Christian organisation Empatia to provide wellness support services for your churchworkers and their families.
The LCA’s Church Worker and Family Wellness and Support Program offers the services of Empatia to pastors in active service, layworkers and employees paid through LCA HRS at no cost to them. The program is also available to the families of churchworkers.
Empatia’s services include short-term, solution-oriented counselling, coaching and referrals to support churchworkers and their
Pastoral Carers Network
families in meeting the challenges and demands of work and personal life. The program is not intended to replace pastoral care and support but can be a useful addition.
Professionally trained staff are available to offer Christ-centred caring, compassionate and confidential support to address challenges in areas such as workplace conflicts, relationship issues, anxiety and depression, stress management, grief counselling and trauma support.
Our Churchwide Office partnership with Empatia is helping you to care for the people who care for you. Please keep in touch with your churchworkers, so that you recognise when they need some extra support.
WHEN A CHURCHWORKER NEEDS EXTRA SUPPORT
1. Let your churchworkers and families know now this service is available at no cost to them or to your congregation.
2. Point them to www.lca.org.au/ wellness-support and assure them they are under no obligation to share with you or anyone else why they are accessing the services of Empatia.
Recognising that many people across the church are anxious in the leadup to General Synod and its potential outcomes, the College of Bishops has introduced a churchwide pastoral care program to support the ministry already being done in this area by pastors and other congregation-based carers. The Pastoral Carers Network has trained people for this ministry, and they are available to provide pastoral care simply by contacting the network at pastoralcare@lca.org.au The program will continue beyond 2024. Please let your members know about this important service.
Dialing down your risk
Whether we like it or not, risk is a part of church life and any ministry you undertake. To do nothing about risk management is a big risk in itself.
How does your congregation manage the 10 most common risks churches face?
1. Personal injury – most common insurance claims result from falls, slips and trips
2. Malicious damage, vandalism and theft
3. Child protection
4. Handling of the offering and finances
5. Hire of church property
6. Burnout or psychological damage – pastor, staff, leaders and key volunteers
7. Reputational damage – both to the congregation/parish as a whole and to individuals
8. Food safety
9. Playground equipment
10. Not having the appropriate insurance cover in place.
LCA Insurance keeps abreast of existing and emerging risks for churches and provides advice on how to mitigate against them. It provides a comprehensive insurance program against insurable risks for congregations and other church entities.
Plan to manage your risks
1. At least once a year, set aside time at your council meeting to complete a risk assessment and make risk mitigation plans.
2. Download the Risk Management Guide for Churches (recently published by LCA Insurance) and risk management documents: www.lca.org.au/riskmanagment
3. Contact LCA Insurance with any questions or concerns: insurance@lca.org.au
A HANDY LIST OF CHURCHWIDE SERVICES
Your Churchwide Office team is working hard to support you in your congregational leadership role. Every day we are developing and improving services to make your job easier. Here is a list of some resources you can access right away from the LCA website. Contact us at admin@lca.org.au if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
FAITH and WORSHIP
www.lca.org.au/faithworship
Bible Studies
Devotions
Doctrinal Statements & Theological Opinions
Ecumenical Dialogues
Ethical Decision-making Guides
Faith at Home (Family Ministry)
Find a Church
Online Worship
Regular Electronic Giving (REG) Study Guides
The Lutheran
Visual Arts
What Lutherans Believe (video series)
Worship Planning Page
MISSION and MINISTRY
www.lca.org.au/missionministry
Caring Ministries
Child Youth and Family Ministry
Cross-Cultural Ministry
Domestic and Family Violence
- Prevention
Employment & Volunteering
Local Mission Fund
New and Renewing Churches
Pastoral Care
GOVERNANCE and ADMINISTRATION
www.lca.org.au/governadmin
Bulletins and Announcements
Business Partners
Calls
Child Safety Standards
Constitution
Copyright
Cyber Security
Disaster & Welfare Fund
eNews
Foundational Documents
Grants and Scholarships
HRS
Insurance
LAMP2
LCANZ Service Centre
Logo and Branding
Ministry Reviews
Podcasts
Policies
Risk Management
Safe Church Training
Social Media
Standards of Ethical Behaviour
Telstra Partnership
Transfer Fund
Websites
Wellness and Support
Program
Who are
blessed to bless?
These days, joy can seem in short supply in our churches. Especially if you’re a leader. Meeting budgets. Finding volunteers. Navigating disagreements.
You need passion plus professionalism plus patience.
For 75 years now, ALWS – Australian Lutheran World Service – has led the international aid ministry of our Lutheran Church. Going to our neighbour wherever they may be, helping you bring your love to life.
Your ALWS ministry follows the example of Jesus in reaching out in a special way to those forgotten by the world. Children. Women. People with disability. The elderly. Those who are sick. Precious people pushed to the edge by a world that doesn’t count them as worthy.
These children in Somalia have been forced from their homes by conflict and poverty and year after year of drought. They live in a country threatened by terrorist groups … … yet there you are. Providing pencils and paper. Schoolbooks. Uniforms. Desks. Clean water. Porridge.
You choose the ALWS action that suits you best:
• Gifts of Grace
• Walk My Way
• 5:1 Government Grants
• Farm Partnership
• Lives You Touch to leave a legacy
• Living Water Perpetual Fund where the principal is never spent, only the benefit it generates, so you can keep on blessing others forever. You can invite an ALWS Guest Speaker to inspire you, receive reports-back so you can see your progress, hold an Asante event to feel the joy of thank you.
The smiles you see show God’s blessing when your love comes to life!
Importantly, your ministry investment works as hard as you do, with audited five-year overheads average at 30 June 2024 of 15.77%. You can also be confident of accountability, with full accreditation by the Australian Government and oversight by the ACFID Code of Conduct.
Plus, personal donations are fully tax-deductible!
If your church feels called to bless neighbours far away, ALWS can tailor a project to match your mission heart:
• support refugee children to go to school
• train farmers in low-cost climate-smart modern farming
• equip an abandoned mum to build a business
• grow the gifts of someone impaired by disability
Simply call 1300 763 407 OR email alws@alws.org.au OR go to alws.org.au
You know best how your church family is blessed to bless. Here at ALWS, we simply work to be a ministry for all the Lutheran family to come together and bring love to life for those the world has forgotten ...
… and that’s a joy worth smiling about!