The Lutheran February 2014 by Lutheran Church of Australia

Print Post Approved PP100003514 VOL 48 NO 1

NATIONAL MAGAZINE OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage [Psalm 84:5] Vol 48 No1 P1

FEBRUARY 2014

EDITOR/ADVERTISING phone 0427 827 441 email rosie.schefe@lca.org.au

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www.thelutheran.com.au We Love The Lutheran!

Rhonda and John Paech, Paul Schenscher and Graham Henschke (closest to camera) all from St Johns, Naracoorte, enjoy catching up on a few months’ reading while the fishing is slow on the Murray River, downstream from Waikerie, South Australia.

As the magazine of the Lutheran Church of Australia (incorporating the Lutheran Church of New Zealand), The Lutheran informs the members of the LCA about the church’s teaching, life, mission and people, helping them to grow in faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. The Lutheran also provides a forum for a range of opinions, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or the policies of the Lutheran Church of Australia. The Lutheran is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association and as such subscribes to its journalistic and editorial codes of conduct.

Photo: Errol Schenscher Send us a photograph featuring a recent copy of The Lutheran and you might see it here on page 2.

We Love The Lutheran! CONTACTS Editor Rosie Schefe 197 Archer St, North Adelaide SA 5006 phone 0427 827 441 email rosie.schefe@lca.org.au Executive Editor Linda Macqueen 3 Orvieto St, Bridgewater SA 5155 phone 08 8339 5178 email linda.macqueen@lca.org.au

People like you are salt in your world [ Matt 5:13 ]

National Magazine Committee Greg Hassold, Sarah Hoff-Zweck, Pastor Richard Schwedes, Heidi Smith Design and layout Comissa Fischer Printer Openbook Howden

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Eric Bahnisch

Valerie Schirmer

Annemarie Klingenberg

Immanuel, Wandoan Qld Farmer/grazier Enjoys historical society and church involvement, driving Fav text: John 3:16

Trinity, Pasadena SA Retired Enjoys working with her hands, reading and keeping family in order Fav text: Ephesians 5:1,2

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The Lutheran February 2014

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‘Come to Central Australia, they said. You’ll have fun, they said.’ We were about an hour north of Port Augusta on the Stuart Highway, headed for Alice Springs, when this monotone refrain began to be heard from the back seat. In almost perfect unison, the teenaged variation on ‘Are we there yet?’ was expressed roughly every half-hour or so, relieved only by the equally enthusiastic, ‘There’s a tree’.

FEATURES 05 Walking life’s path 10 Encouraging mission

The Bible has plenty to say about journeys, roads and pathways. People wandered, resting where God told them, or they travelled with deliberate purpose in mind. But they travelled knowing that God was with them. God was in the cloud by day and pillar of fire at night, which kept the Israelites company for 40 years in the wilderness. The disciples followed Jesus across Galilee, Samaria and Judea, ultimately to Jerusalem. Paul’s journeys spread the message of salvation into the heart of known civilisation, with the help of the Holy Spirit. And then there are the promises: not just that Christ will be with us on the path, but that he is our path. ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’, Jesus tells his disciples in John 14:6. Hebrews 10:20 reminds us too that he is the ‘living way’ opened up between us and God our Father. The way isn’t easy, ‘small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life’ (Matthew 7:14a), but we have the Holy Spirit and God’s word to guide us. When my family is on a road trip, we begin each day with prayer. As the highway opens up in front of us and the cruise control is set, we pray over the day and the road ahead. We ask God to be with us and protect us. We thank him for the blessings he has already given and ask that he will open us up to new blessings and opportunities. Come to think of it, that is a good prayer for every day of our journey through 2014.

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24 Stepping out 26 Forgiven to forgive

COLUMNS

Normally, my family enjoys long road trips; we have been blessed to have children with strong stomachs, who—provided we take reasonable rest breaks—don’t begin fighting to the death only half an hour into the journey. They sleep in the car if they want to, and they are capable of conversation. But the Stuart Highway was stretching it—big time. As much as I hate the reality TV cliché that this idea has become, much of life is a journey. There is much anticipation and planning involved, but there is room for uncertainty too. Danger may be lurking around the bend. There are opportunities to see new things, or revisit places you’ve been before (good or bad). The unexpected happens. And sometimes it can be boring.

and ministry

04 Heartland

09 Reel Life 12 Little Church 13 Inside Story

17 Letters 19 Directory 20 Stepping Stones 22 Notices

23 Bookmarks 28 Bring Jesus 30 Heart and Home 32 World in Brief 34 Coffee Break

'So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known' (Matthew 10:26 NRSV). Have you ever been anxious or afraid in the presence of a pastor? Has a pastor ever been the source of your fear? We treat our pastors with respect and honour them, which is the right thing to do, considering the call and task they have been given by God. They are among us as those who share the word of God, and guide and lead us in faith and holy living. We treat the ministry as a divine vocation, which it is. When we ordain our pastors, we lay on them a very high moral standard—the standard of Jesus himself. They take vows to be examples of Christian conduct and life. When they fall from this commitment, pastors require confession and absolution as much as any other Christian does.

Our pastors are not above or ‘over’ the rest of the congregation. They are alongside and ‘beneath’. That’s the model of Christ-like service. Even when they seem high up in the pulpit, they must first apply God’s word of law and gospel to themselves, before they are ready to speak of it with anyone else. So it’s not right that you should be afraid in the presence of your pastor, or any other person in authority within the church. It’s not right that a pastor should make advances, or demands on you, which are not his to ask. It’s not right that he should ask you to keep secrets out of fear. Pastors are human, but they may not use their weakness to put you into compromising situations. Plainly put, that is abuse and it is well covered in the LCA’s Safe Place Policy and other statements of the church. Above all, I think it is plain scriptural and Christian common sense. The LCA Safe Place Policy, in addressing matters of adult sexual abuse, says: ‘The LCA is committed to hearing and responding to people who feel that they have been subjected to sexual abuse and sexual harassment in any form. Those who hold positions of trust in the church are called to guard with great care the trust placed in them. They have an absolute responsibility to avoid all forms of sexual abuse and sexual harassment.’ You can

take the word ‘sexual’ out of this statement and it still applies. The LCA does not support and will not deliberately conceal any culture of abuse. It’s not just policy—it needs to be fact. Beginning with the Professional Standards Unit, we will do our best to listen to and investigate complaints about abuse whatever

The LCA does not support and will not deliberately conceal any culture of abuse. It’s not just policy— it needs to be fact. the circumstances. You can safely tell someone else what has happened or is happening to you by calling confidentially on 1800 644 628. There is also information on the LCA website at http://www.lca.org.au/safeplace--child-safe.html Help us make the LCA a truly ‘safe place’, where the love of Jesus shines out and we Christians help each other grow in faith and love, without fear or need for secrecy holding us back.

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Photos courtesy Richard and Jonathon Zweck

Joining Europe’s pilgrims —ancient and modern— is a life-changing experience.

Walking life’s path by Richard Zweck

Buen Camino! On 13 September 2013, my son Jon and I stepped, weary but triumphant, into the huge courtyard in front of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The story behind our own pilgrimage was a pilgrimage in itself! For most of my life, I didn’t give pilgrimage a moment’s thought.

Behind us lay an experience we will not forget. We had completed walking part of the Camino Portugués (Camino means ‘path’)—the pilgrims’ way that links Lisbon in Portugal with Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

This changed the first time I visited Chartres cathedral in France. Notre Dame, Chartres, has the most famous labyrinth in the world, and I was there to train as a labyrinth facilitator. (Scholars believe that labyrinths were placed in churches as a convenient mini-pilgrimage).

Santiago de Compostela is, by tradition, the resting place of St James, Jesus’ brother, and has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. This pilgrimage grows in popularity every year; recently it was celebrated in the film The Way.

On the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday, I was woken by a great deal of noise outside my room. Unable to sleep, I went out to investigate. To my amazement there were thousands of young people packing up after an

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Pilgrimage— like life—is often hard work! outdoor service beside the cathedral. I watched as they hoisted their banners and set off in a long line towards Paris. On Monday after Pentecost an even larger group of young people arrived in Chartres from Paris. I later found out that I had witnessed the annual Pentecost Pilgrimage between Chartres and Paris. The local newspaper’s headline announced that there were over 23,000 young pilgrims. The Lutheran February 2014

Photos courtesy Richard and Jonathon Zweck

Left: Pilgrim humour! Right: Richard and Jonathon’s enthusiastic taxi driver gave them an unforgettable experience in the Spanish town of Pontevedra.

Twenty-first century France is very secular, so this open display of faith had an enormous impact on me. Is pilgrimage another old/new way for the church to reach out to young people? The Catholic Church certainly thinks so. Pilgrims walk in groups of 20 to 30 and a priest or nun accompanies each group. Every year, according to pilgrimage web-pages, several young people decide to make the church their vocation.

This open display of faith had an enormous impact on me The joy of these young people boldly expressing their faith, combined with my own work with the labyrinth in schools—where I explain how the labyrinth is a mini-pilgrimage—led me to dream of one day walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. In 2013 this dream finally came true. I received an LLL grant to do an advanced labyrinth facilitator’s course in Chartres and decided to walk the Camino on the way. The Camino Portugués is much shorter than the more famous Camino Francés, which starts in Paris. It begins in Lisbon, 6

The Lutheran February 2014

Portugal. My son Jon and I, however, began our Camino further north in the town of Barcelos. A fit person could probably do the walk to Santiago in the ten days we had allocated, but I have Motor Neurone Disease (MND), so I walk very slowly! To cover the distance in ten days, we took taxis for a small section of the trip—but we still walked around 115 kilometres. What a joyful and memorable Camino it was for both of us! Three things stand out: First, pilgrimage—like life—is often hard work! Much of the path is flat, but there are steep sections, and walking every day with a backpack is a challenge. My favourite pilgrim humour on the way was a red stop-sign—under which someone had scratched the word, ‘complaining’! Pilgrimage may be exhausting, but it is also very enjoyable. The scenery is beautiful and the food delicious and cheap. Portuguese food is notable for offering chips, rice and salad with every meal. Spanish food is memorable for its amazing tastes. The ribs and chorizo I ate in Santiago were the best ever. The people you meet also make pilgrimage wonderful. We met no other Australians on the way but lots of friendly people from Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic. Most people carry

a shell on their pack. It is a wonderful symbol, as it reminds us that from our baptism we are pilgrims. The Camino path itself is very easy to follow, as a yellow arrow marks every turn. On the way, the standard pilgrim greeting is ‘Buen (pronounced ‘bwun’) Camino’—‘have a good journey!’ It’s a welcome greeting from most, but I had mixed feelings about the cyclists! They appear out of nowhere, almost run you over, cover you in bulldust and disappear into the distance, crying ‘Buen Camino!’ I also experienced the kindness of strangers. Most days we walked around twelve kilometres, but on the second day we pushed 17 kilometres. It was too much for my legs (MND attacks all your muscles, including your legs) and when we got to a country pensione, I knew I could go no further. Jon had gone ahead and tried to book us a room there, but it was already full. I walked up some stone steps still hoping for a room, but when I got to the last step my right leg collapsed and I fell down again—head first. I lay there unable to move, cut, bruised and with a black eye. However, the good Samaritans staying there (some German pilgrims) rushed over, picked me up and gently carried me up the steps. The owner of Vol 48 No1 P6

Photos courtesy Richard and Jonathon Zweck

Left: Richard takes in the view over São Bento, Portugal on the second day of his pilgrimage. Right: Richard and Jon celebrate the end of their Camino in the cathedral courtyard, Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

In the Bible we read how Abraham was called by God to make the pilgrimage to the Promised Land the pensione rearranged his guests and gave us a wonderful room and the most memorable stay of our Camino. He treated us to a delicious dinner and breakfast and to his 30-year-old

port! Over dinner he told us that every year the number of pilgrims grows exponentially, and in 2012 there were 200,000 registered pilgrims. Another person we remember fondly was a young taxi driver in Pontevedra, Spain. He was so determined to find our hotel in the old quarter of this beautiful town that he drove down some steps leading to the central square. In the movies cars just keep on going—but not in real life! We shuddered to a stop and were soon surrounded by dozens of Pontevedrans, all shouting their advice in Spanish. A policeman saved the day by

organising some men to carry the car down the steps. It was the funniest thing that I have ever seen. Fortunately, the car didn’t seem damaged—but we did give the driver a tip for his troubles. The other person who stands out on the Camino is my son Jon. My wife Susie and I are blessed with an amazing family, and the Camino was a great way to strengthen the family bond. I also hold our pilgrimage dear as a wonderful spiritual experience. Some may argue that pilgrimage is ‘Catholic’ and therefore not ‘Lutheran’. However, pilgrimage is a tradition much

Jonathon Zweck reflects: I never expected that one day I would be walking the Camino with my father. To be honest, it was only when our feet touched the cobblestone streets of Lisbon that it all came together for me. It was as if a tsunami of reality, faith and fear hit me where I stood. The time we spent walking the pilgrimage would rate as one of the greatest accomplishments and experiences of my life. This walk changed me. Vol 48 No1 P7

It strengthened my relationship with my dad, with God and with the dozens of people I would now call my friends.

I can’t think of anything else in the

The Camino unites people. You walk closely with people you have never met before in your life—strangers, to whom in any other circumstance you wouldn’t say two words. On the pilgrimage, however, you talk to them, share stories and help each other reach the next destination. By the time you part ways, you could easily call them good friends.

was over I had an instant connection

world that has the effect on people the Camino has. Even when the pilgrimage with anyone who saw that I was wearing a backpack with a shell on it. The symbolism is so clear: we are walking this road together. One day I am going back. There are many roads to Santiago, and I’d love to find out what God has in store for me on them. The Lutheran February 2014

older than the Reformation and even the church. It is not the tradition of one denomination: it is a Christian tradition. In the Bible we read how Abraham was called by God to make the pilgrimage to the Promised Land. The Israelites were pilgrims in the wilderness as the Lord led them to the Promised Land. In Luke we meet the young Jesus making his first pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. Our hymns also draw on the image that God’s people are pilgrims. The church has long sung, ‘Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land’ (Lutheran Hymnal #347). I believe the LCA has its own pilgrimages, even though we usually don’t describe them that way. How many Lutherans have made the pilgrimage from Adelaide to the Barossa

Pilgrims are constantly reminded that they are doing something that Christians have done for centuries Valley to discover the history of our church? Or been to Oberammergau to see the passion play? I know many Lutherans who have made pilgrimages to Germany to see the Luther places, or to Israel to see where Jesus lived. Our schools run camps and service trips that are very similar to pilgrimages, and in 2011 and 2012 I led the ‘Queensland Pilgrimage of Grace’. It was a great experience, with an enthusiastic group of Lutherans walking between the two oldest Lutheran churches in Brisbane: Nundah and Woolloongabba. It is true that Luther wasn’t fond of pilgrimages, which were enmeshed in the ‘works’ theology of his day. Generally, however, Luther did not dispose of church traditions; rather he 8

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reinterpreted them in the light of grace. On reflection, maybe Luther saw in his pilgrimage to Rome as a young monk a learning experience and a seed of the Reformation. Later he wrote, ‘It is almost incredible what infamous actions are committed in Rome; one should see it and hear it in order to believe it. It is an ordinary saying that if there is a hell, Rome is built on it.’ Luther attacked the iconoclasts like Karlstadt, who emptied churches of their symbols and art. He wrote, ‘I am not of the opinion that through the gospel all the arts should be banished and driven away, as some zealots want to make us believe; but I wish to see them all, especially music, in the service of him who gave and created them’. I certainly saw our pilgrimage in the light of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. I believe that, like Christian Life Week camps and church retreats, pilgrimage is a way to connect with people who are not churchgoers. In a church where the majority of the young people in our schools are not churchgoers, this is something for us to consider. The Scandinavian Lutheran church has made pilgrimage a major outreach program. In his book, Pilgrimage, a spiritual journey, Ian Bradley writes that the church has found that people ‘who are apprehensive about going to church are happy to walk and talk about their faith … About half of those who take part in the pilgrimages organised by pilgrim pastors in Sweden describe themselves not as Christians but rather as seekers.’ Certainly our Camino affected Jon and me deeply. In the liturgy we celebrate that we commune not only with God’s people living now, but also with Christians past and future. The Camino is very similar. There are many old churches and water fountains, so pilgrims are constantly reminded that they are doing something that Christians have done for centuries. Another moving experience is the Pilgrim Mass. This is held in the Santiago Cathedral every day at noon. The service is in Spanish, but this celebration of faith and hope is

beyond language. The church is always packed and the service ends with the amazing swinging of the incense burner. It is huge and was originally used to fumigate the pilgrims. On the very hot day we finished our pilgrimage, this may still have been a reason! Six people operate this ‘thurible’ as it rockets from one side of the church to the other. Everyone is drawn into this wonderful moment of celebration, which concluded with applause. As it says in the Psalms, ‘Let my prayers rise like incense before you!’ (Psalm 142:2) For me, completing so much of the pilgrimage was also a miracle. I have had symptoms of MND for over two years; some sufferers barely make twelve months. To be able to complete this Camino has left me with an ongoing spirit of grace and thankfulness. God is good! Wherever you are on your own life pilgrimage—Buen Camino! Pastor Richard Zweck lives on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in retirement with his wife Sue, while continuing to share Jesus through his ministry of stillness and the labyrinth. Jonathon Zweck is their third of four sons (he also has two sisters). He worked at Mount Binga Outdoor Education Centre for three years, but now works for Suncorp Bank in Brisbane. His main interests are writing, reading and travelling.

Useful information This site will send you your pilgrim credentials. You are then a registered pilgrim: http://www.pilgrims-tosantiago.com/ http://www.santiago-compostela.net/ On the Camino Francés there are companies that will transport your luggage—but not on the Camino Portugués. We used a company called SEUR to transport our suitcases to Santiago where we picked them up from their depot. John Brierley writes extremely helpful guides to all the Camino routes. Vol 48 No1 P8

Heartbeat interrupted Hollywood hits a home run. What was a profound and enthralling book has been turned into an equally meaningful movie for the summer crowds. The Book Thief is based on the New York Times Bestseller of the same name. Markus Zusak’s story is of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl placed with foster parents during World War II because her mother is a communist. She comes to live on Himmel (Heaven) Street in the little town of Molching, where she meets her new parents, Mama and Papa Hubermann. At first the Hubermanns seem to be a sad pair to be stuck with. Rosa (Emily Watson) is stern, with a razor-sharp tongue, and Hans (Geoffrey Rush) is a house painter struggling to hold down a job. But together they teach Liesel how to read and care for herself, with a sense of humour that helps her to see the better side of life: Liesel: What’s an accountant? Hans: Something we’ll never need. The Book Thief is a perfectly paced tale, with characters who worm their way irresistibly into your heart. But the most interesting individual is no person at all. The story is narrated by Death, given voice by Roger Allam. The Book Thief is, in fact, the story of Death’s interest in Liesel and the various occasions on which he encounters her. Through Death’s eyes we are introduced to the real heartbreaks of the human race, including the tragedy of young men marching off to war: ‘It’s always the same – the excitement. I’ve met so many young men over the years who thought they were running at their enemy when the truth was they were running at me.’ Personally, I’m in favour of any book or film that encourages us to take a closer look at death. Not the glamorised sacrifices slotted into Vol 48 No1 P9

Hollywood dramas, nor the disturbing titillation that overflows in horror films. I mean real death, the unavoidable cliff every human being will have to come to terms with, sooner or later. Hans Hubermann struggles to assist those oppressed by the Nazi regime, including a number of Jews. Doing so, he reminds his neighbours that life is about reaching your last day having lived like a real human being. Of course it’s expected that a fair amount of humanism will work its way into a book that acknowledges death but offers no real sense of what comes next. In the face of the worst tragedies, The Book Thief often misconstrues death as blessed release. ‘In the end, there are no words’, Death tells us, ‘only peace’. But this is small comfort to those pondering the grave problem of evil. If the same fate awaits Hitler as awaits Liesel Meminger, why follow Hans’ example? In the book, at least, Death admits he knows nothing about God or his plans, but both versions encourage their audiences to give some thought to the day they move on from this world:

THE BOOK THIEF Rating: M Distributor: Fox Release date: January 2014

‘His soul sat up. It met me. Those kinds of souls always do—the best ones. The ones who rise up and say, “I know who you are and I am ready. Not that I want to go, of course, but I will come”.’ The Book Thief does us a favour if it encourages us to consider how we will feel one heartbeat after our demise. If the prospect of dying fills us with dread, it challenges us to ask why. If we cling to the things of this life because we have no assurance of peace in the world to come, then it would certainly be better to sort that concern out on this side of the grave. And if a Christian is there to tell us about the one man who defeated Death, so that no-one need live in fear— then all the better.

Comments on contemporary culture

by Mark Hadley The Lutheran February 2014

Photos courtesy Nevin Nitschke

What happens when lay workers from around Australia join together? Here’s just a taste—in their words

Encouraging mission and ministry by Barry Klaer, Joanne Schache, Sarah Kubenk, Steve Burger and Keren Loffler The National Lay Workers Conference at the picturesque Warrambui camp in early November was one of inspiration, encouragement and growth for me. These biennial events are much more than an exercise in networking. Old friendships are renewed, new friendships are established and experiences shared, confirming that the body of Christ is alive and well and growing. Heart-to-heart connections are created, as the love of Jesus is seen radiating from fellow lay workers. I attended the conference with an anticipation and desire for the Lord to 10

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speak into my life through prayer and the gifts of wisdom from presenters. It became a refreshing time in and around the word which brought reflection and challenges and a time of fresh visioning and realigning goals. (Barry)

Presenting—the speakers Growing in our faith and in our relationship with God through Bible-reading and reflection, and then sharing God’s love from our experiences is the theme that the three lead speakers gave to us. John North helped us to reflect on what it means to grow spiritually. Spiritual growth happens through reading and reflection on Scripture. When things

grow they change, and spiritual growth does that: it changes us internally and then that change is reflected externally. Pastor Fred Veerhuis led us in the most thought-provoking Bible studies. Each hour we spent with him had us fully engaged. Small group discussions then gave us a wonderful opportunity to reflect and grow in quite unexpected ways. From Pastor Bob Kempe we learnt that our life experiences can and do help us when we interact with others, especially those who are hurting. Often people who themselves have been wounded can be the greatest of healers. This gave us a time to reflect on our own lives and whom we may Vol 48 No1 P10

Top left: Kicking back … Steve Burger, camp manager, Araluen, Anglesea Victoria. Centre: Jennie Jones and Keren Loffler, St Pauls, Box Hill Victoria, bond over the coffee cups. Right: Children’s Ministry Co-ordinator Joanne Schache from St Andrews, Gold Coast Queensland finds plenty in common with Maria Price from Western Australia. Bottom left: Director of Children’s Ministry at St Marks, Mount Gravatt Queensland, Sarah Kubenk finds out what makes Pastor Richard Fox so happy.

have been able to help to heal or may help to heal in the future. I am not sure if the organisers had this outcome in mind when they asked these three speakers to lead us—but God did! (Joanne)

Worship There was a great sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit as we gathered for worship. A bunch of lay workers singing from our hearts to the one we love so much was moving. Biblical truths were explained in the messages that drew us together in deep discussion. Through worship, I felt the love of our Lord refresh my heart and mind, reminding and encouraging me in my calling to serve. (Sarah)

And what about the people? Each of us were given a little ‘job’. Mine was to thank Bishop John Henderson for coming and talking to us. My heart was racing—I had no idea what to say. I had heard that we had a ‘bishop’ and, to be honest, my heart had cried. I connected the word ‘bishop’ with pomp and human tradition. Although I had read the reasons why the church changed the title—and it all made sense—I was still saddened at the change and made my own assumptions about the new bishop. And then we met him. Vol 48 No1 P11

As Bishop John Henderson spoke to us, my heart changed—dramatically. The walls I had built up in my mind towards this man were crumbling down, fast. As he started to tell us about his life and journey, I noticed that he was not speaking ‘at us’, as I had expected; he was speaking ‘with us’. His raw love for Jesus was so evident and was music to my soul! I thank our loving God for putting such a man in our church as our bishop, to lead and represent the people over the next years. Pray for him—what a big job he has. (Sarah) Two days before leaving for the conference, I was informed my assistant manager had sustained a severe injury and would probably be off work for three months.

contract renewed: it was obviously a burden to him. He shared some private moments also. I had the privilege of speaking with many other lay workers: it seemed to me that there was a ‘we’re-part-ofthe-family’ feel to it all, but it was also apparent that the lay workers I came in contact with were from the real world, with very real challenges in their lives and the breath of the Holy Spirit in them, every single one. It was a real blessing to be there. Even though I had only a few hours each day to try and meet everyone, being unified in the service of our Risen Lord made this conference a joy for me to attend. (Steve)

The last word …

Oh no! I shouldn’t go to the conference—the pressure of work, already significant, is going to dramatically increase. After a prayer or two, it was obvious: I still had to go.

This being my first Lay Workers’ Conference, I came in with an open heart and mind as to what I would experience and receive—and they were soon filled.

I hardly knew anybody there, but it didn’t take long. I instantly took a liking to a guy across the room—I found out later he had formerly been a drug dealer—we had some great chats over the four days. One of my roommates had been on the wrong side of the law, and we had some late-night discussions, with very real honesty. Another of my room-mates was facing the challenge of maybe not having his

I was challenged in my personal relationship with God and to saturate myself in God’s word, prayer, fellowship and quiet time. In my reflection time, God told me to lift up my eyes to see the blessings and gifts I have been given, and to appreciate and nurture them. This time at conference was one of those gifts. (Keren)

The Lutheran February 2014