Be perfect therefore, as your Be perfect therefore, as your Be perfect therefore, as your Be perfect therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect. Father in heaven is perfect. Father in heaven is perfect. Father in heaven is perfect.

(Matthew 5:48)(Matthew 5:48)(Matthew 5:48)(Matthew 5:48)

District NotesDistrict NotesDistrict NotesDistrict Notes Victoria/Tasmania District

16th February 2011

A word from the President...A word from the President...A word from the President...A word from the President...

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Easter is very late this year, which means we are having more ‘Sundays after Epiphany’ than usual, and this in turn means we are hearing more of Jesus’ teaching in the section of the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5. In it Jesus is unequivocal about call-ing us to a righteousness well beyond the limits of formal law, and certainly beyond the standards of the world today and the comforts of our own flesh. Jesus teaches that adultery, for example,

is not limited to sexual intercourse in breach of marriage, permitting all sorts of quibbling a la Bill Clinton, but that the sexual purity God calls us to goes to the very inner recesses of our hearts and its desires. So too for other matters taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, like our respect and regard for others, the way we speak about them, what we do when we are in conflict with others, how we handle trouble in marriage, and how we respond to people who are set against us. Reflection on our own behaviour in light of this should clearly bring us to our knees begging for forgiveness, and throw us onto Christ for him to carry us across such holy ground. Anything else is a denial of both our sin and our Saviour. Which brings me to the true character of the ‘Christian ethos’ and what we ask people who work in the agencies of the church to understand and live out – nothing other than repentant Christian faith. The Baillieu government’s plans to roll-back some of the Equal Opportunities Act employment exemptions and exceptions for religious bodies is to be welcomed if we are to continue to have a space in our com-munity to provide public services like aged care and education. But it’s getting a hammering in the press, which conveniently forgets that all sorts of other exceptions are deemed appropriate in our soci-ety, such as the freedom for politicians to exclude people from opposing parties from their electoral of-fice staff, or freedom for employers to require staff to wear certain corporate clothing, or even permitting the ABC to require its staff to only refer to football grounds by their generic names rather than by the name of their sponsors! The high minded church-bashing that’s going on is incredibly hypocritical be-cause requiring employees to put into practice their organisation’s core beliefs is a regular part of the em-ployment relationship. The issue is that religious bodies teach and implement a faith that clashes with pluralism’s presumption that ‘religion’ should only be exercised in the private, personal realm and not in any collective, corporate life and activity. Yet religious people and their enterprises are a significant part of our community (which is why Mary MacKillop has been so praised). If this is to continue for our church, we need the freedom to invite people to work with us on the basis of a commitment to grow in and live out our core beliefs, with their centre in the gospel and repentant faith in Christ. One request to pastors: Lutheran Youth of Victoria needs pastors for its Christian Life Week camps. They are keen to hear from anyone who may be willing to journey with campers as camp pastor – a great ex-perience, with the possibility of your family attending at lovely Tandara or homey Araluen as well. Con-tact Elissa at District office if you are interested. God’s peace to you in our holy Lord,

Pastor Greg Pietsch President

Prayer PointsPrayer PointsPrayer PointsPrayer Points

• Continued prayers for Marlene Pietsch

Prayer points can be emailed to Elissa at District Office on elissa.havjar@vic.lca.org.au

CallsCallsCallsCalls

• Pastor Peter Traeger has declined the call Pastor Peter Traeger has declined the call Pastor Peter Traeger has declined the call Pastor Peter Traeger has declined the call to the Minyip/Warracknabeal parish

• Pastor Chris Gallasch has declined the call Pastor Chris Gallasch has declined the call Pastor Chris Gallasch has declined the call Pastor Chris Gallasch has declined the call to the Tabor parish

NoticesNoticesNoticesNotices

Prayerful Hearts Family Devotional Resource for Lent—Year A

Lent is the Christian season of preparation for Easter. The forty days of Lent are a time for confessing sins

and recognising our need for Jesus’ forgiveness.

I encourage your families to spend some time each week during lent reading the Psalms and in prayer

reflecting on what God has done for us

through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

You may like to write your own prayer points for each week on a heart shaped piece of paper and paste

onto a sheet of poster paper to create a cross.

Print out the attachment, Prayerful Hearts, use yourself and pass onto others as well.

Blessings for the Lenten season.

Jodi Brook

Child Youth and Family Ministry Facilitator

Lutheran Singles Connect (formerly Lutheran Contact Service): Different Name … Same Helpful Service

Are you single or single-again and hoping to meet someone special to share your life? You might be feeling lonely, or a little shy, or just over-whelmed by the ‘singles’ scene. Perhaps you’ve been widowed or divorced and are looking for companionship. There could be many reasons why expanding your circle of Christian friends isn’t easy for you. Here is one person’s story:

“When I found myself single again after years of unhappy marriage, the freedom from anxiety that accompanies a deteriorating relationship was a huge relief. An advertisement in The Lutheran inviting single or single-again people to join Lutheran Contact Service (as it was then called) caught my attention and within a week I had registered. I am so thankful for the happiness I found.”

Lutheran Singles Connect (LSC) provided the opportunity that helped bring about this happy outcome – and others like it. Whether you’re hoping to meet your future marriage partner or simply seeking friendship, LSC can help you to discover new connections.

LUTHERAN SINGLES CONNECT – helping single and single-again Christians to get in touch 197 Archer St, North Adelaide SA 5006 ph: 08 8267 7300 email: lcs@lca.org.au website: www.lca.org.au/contactservice

DISTRICT CALENDARDISTRICT CALENDARDISTRICT CALENDARDISTRICT CALENDAR

6th February 20116th February 20116th February 20116th February 2011 Nathan Glover’s installation (Bendigo Parish) 3.00pm at Bendigo

13th February 201113th February 201113th February 201113th February 2011 Damien Martin’s installation (Dimboola/Jeparit Parish) 3.00pm at Dimboola

20th February 201120th February 201120th February 201120th February 2011 Thomas Pietsch’s installation (Grovedale Parish) 2.30pm at Grovedale

30th April 201130th April 201130th April 201130th April 2011 Lutheran Women of Victoria (LWV) Convention in Geelong

27th27th27th27th————29th May 201129th May 201129th May 201129th May 2011 LWV weekend retreat (Tandara)

31st May31st May31st May31st May————2nd June 20112nd June 20112nd June 20112nd June 2011 CEP for Pastors and Layworkers

15th15th15th15th————17th June 201117th June 201117th June 201117th June 2011 National Layworker’s Conference

9th July 20119th July 20119th July 20119th July 2011 LWV retreat (Hopetoun)

13th August 201113th August 201113th August 201113th August 2011 LWV retreat (Pakenham)

6th6th6th6th————8th September 20118th September 20118th September 20118th September 2011 District Pastors’ Conference

10th September 201110th September 201110th September 201110th September 2011 LWV retreat (Bendigo)

Tim Jarick’s installation (Wodonga, Victory Lutheran College) 10.30am

Safe Place & ChildSafeSafe Place & ChildSafeSafe Place & ChildSafeSafe Place & ChildSafe

Details of the next available training session are below. For more information, please contact Elissa at District Office on 03 9236 1200.

It’s Your Move As children move from primary to secondary school they can often feel anxious,

particularly around making new friends. Scripture Union has prepared this

wonderful resource to help guide children and parents through this often scary

transition.

As a church we can help resource our families as they journey through the maze

of secondary school. What a great gift this would make for each child in your

congregation beginning high school this year.

This small book is a useful, colourful, fun-packed booklet and contains:

* A-Z survival guide

* Real-life stories from students about to make the move

* Real experiences from students who have made the move

* Wise advice, including the thought that God is with us at all times

* Poems and stories for a good read.

This booklet is only $4.95 per copy and can be ordered from Scripture Union

Resources for Ministry Unit based in Sydney phone (02) 4337 0200 or have a

look at the online shop: www.sushop.com.au or for more information contact

Jodi Brook, Child Youth and Family Ministry Facilitator

Phone 03 98901231 or jodi.brook@vic.lca.org.au

Subscribe to Subscribe to Subscribe to Subscribe to ‘District Notes’‘District Notes’‘District Notes’‘District Notes’

If you would like to know more about what’s happening in our District and are interested in having your own copy of District

Notes sent directly to your email address, please email the words, ‘Subscribe to Notes’‘Subscribe to Notes’‘Subscribe to Notes’‘Subscribe to Notes’ to

elissa.havjar@vic.lca.org.au. We also send District Notes via post! Please contact the District for more information.

Youth Mental Health

First Aid Course

St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Box Hill

The Youth MHFA course is for parents or anyone who has contact with young people and will help you to recognise and respond to problems affecting young people that are otherwise missed. You will learn how to deal with crisis situations and make a real difference to the lives of friends, family and young people in our community.

Course leader: Geoff Spillane from the Austin Hospital and Liz Leorke, Douta Galla Community Health

Date and Time: Thursday evenings, February 10,17,24, March 3, 6.30-10pm

Location: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Box Hill

Cost: A donation of $50 would be appreciated, but this is not compulsory if you have financial limitations. Please register your interest at the St Paul’s Box Hill, Church Office (weekdays Ph: 9899 0623) or email dania.ahern@stpaulsboxhill.org.au Please invite anyone else who you think may be interested.

Emergency Relief Training Work-shop

On Tuesday 1 March 2011 St Paul’s Lutheran Church Box Hill will host an Emergency Relief Training Workshop,

run by a Lutheran Community Care staff member from South Austra-

lia. This event will be of great rele-vance for any pastors, congregation office staff and congregation volun-

teers who serve people from the con-gregation or local community who apply for emergency re-

lief. Please refer to the information sheet and registration form at-

tached as one document to this email. Also note that Billeting is available.

Please contact Jenny Jones for more information (contact number can be found on the bottom of the

information sheet).

Upcoming eventsUpcoming eventsUpcoming eventsUpcoming events

HAVE YOU REGISTERED? Registrations are closing for the following training workshops:Registrations are closing for the following training workshops:Registrations are closing for the following training workshops:Registrations are closing for the following training workshops: Emergency Relief Basic TrainingEmergency Relief Basic TrainingEmergency Relief Basic TrainingEmergency Relief Basic Training @ St Pauls Box Hill on Tuesday March 1.

Send Registration Form to Elissa at District Office or by email jpietsch@optusnet.com.au Communication & RelationshipsCommunication & RelationshipsCommunication & RelationshipsCommunication & Relationships Grassroots Training @ St Johns Southgate on 4 & 5 March. Register

online at www.grassroots.edu.au Introduction to Counselling Introduction to Counselling Introduction to Counselling Introduction to Counselling Grassroots Training @ St Johns Southgate on 7 &

8 March. Register online at www.grassroots.edu.au For further information contact cheryl.bartel@vic.lca.org.au

Wendish Heritage tour to Warracknabeal and MinyipWendish Heritage tour to Warracknabeal and MinyipWendish Heritage tour to Warracknabeal and MinyipWendish Heritage tour to Warracknabeal and Minyip 12121212----14 March 201114 March 201114 March 201114 March 2011

Following our very successful tour to Dimboola last year, Betty Huf is organizing another wonderful Wendish

tour to Victoria’s Wimmera region, this time to the Warracknabeal and Minyip districts. The itinerary includes

the local historical societies, cemeteries, an historical walking tour, Wheatlands Agricultural Museum, worship

at the Warracknabeal Lutheran Church, visits to the Areegra, Bangerang, Sheep Hills and Kirchheim districts

and a slideshow presentation on the history of Minyip. Our Saturday evening meal will be at “The Rusty Nail”

restaurant and Sunday lunch will be at the Minyip Hotel in the “Coopers Crossing” room. For those who arrive on Saturday morning, a visit to Wheatlands Warehouse will be of interest. It is open from

9.30am -12 noon at 10 - 14 Scott Street, Warracknabeal. Please make your own arrangements for lunch. The tour

will begin at 1.00 pm at the Historical Society Museum, 81 Scott Street.

For further details about this tour contact Clay Kruger or visit our website www.wendishheritage.org.au

Please book by Saturday 5th March with Clay Kruger Tel. (03) 8215 9212; email claykruc@optusnet.com.au

If your congregation would like to advertise an upcoming event, or needs to get a message across to the wider District, please email the details to

elissa.havjar@vic.lca.org.au

EXCITING CASUAL JOB OPPORTUNITY

MINUTE SECRETARY

COUNCIL FOR MINISTRY SUPPORT

The Council for Ministry Support (CMS) is seeking a person preferably with recognized secretarial and

word processing skills to attend its meetings and prepare the formal record of each meeting. CMS

meets on a Wednesday evening on a six weekly cycle up to eight times a year. Meetings run from

6.00pm to 9.30pm and rotate between St. John’s Southgate and the District Office at Box Hill.

This is a paid role with a time commitment averaging ONE DAY a month.

This is a wonderful opportunity to get close to the action and gain insights into much of the exciting mission and ministry

work occurring within the District. If you are interested or would like to know further about the role, please contact John

Huf Chairman of CMS on either tel. 9437 0873 or email johnhuf@bigpond.com - or Miriam Rowley, District Executive Offi-

cer on tel. 9236 1240. We look forward to hearing from you.

Congratulations!!Congratulations!!Congratulations!!Congratulations!!

Pastor Damien Martin (right) Installed in Dimboola on

Sunday 13th February 2011

Pastor Tim Jarick Installed in Wodonga on

Sunday 13th February (no image)

Pastor Nathan Glover (left) Installed in Bendigo on

Sunday 6th February