2015 WA DISTRICT CONVENTION & OPENINGOF ST JOHNS COURT

By Karen Crouch

District Convention was a massiveundertaking for the St Johns congregations.Pastor’s conference preceded synod fromWednesday to Friday, Synod held over theweekend starting on Friday night through toSunday with the opening service andcelebrations for St Johns Court. Thevolunteers did a marvellous job to pull it alltogether.

Extracts from the Popular reportIt is not often that a popular report startsby talking about a building but this one hasto because the building was so importantto the whole weekend. The brand new StJohns Court was where all the meetingswere held over the weekend, the newkitchen feed many people every mealexcept breakfast, the new lounge andoutdoor areas were filled with chatter andlaughter and the underground parking wasoften mentioned with wonder. In short it isa building where we can be churchtogether…….Sunday morning about 520 peoplegathered for the Opening and Dedicationservice for St Johns Court. The church wasfull and the Court building allowed othersto view the service on big screens in thelounge and main hall area....

The rest of the report and photos canbe found at:

http://www.esbconsult.com/lcawanews

WALUTHERANNEWSApril 2015

I first saw Claire Robinspreparing this stunningdisplay in the maingathering space on theFriday of Conventionweekend. Her husbandwas trimming the thornsfrom the roses and shewas using her one goodhand to place them justwhere she wanted them.

Claire Robins had started her “preparation”for Convention and the opening of St JohnsCourt by tripping over and breaking her wrist.But the show must go on, so Claire and herhelpers installed six different floral works ofart around the meeting hall, lounge andchurch.Each arrangement was based on a Bibleverse, a pamphlet was available to describeeach one and give reasons why certainelements and colours were used. The oneabove titled “Praise God” is based on Psalm18:2 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress andmy deliverer”.The one in the Hall wascalled “Sing Glory toGod” based on Psalm 16which inspired MartinLuther to write the hymn“A Mighty Fortress is ourGod”.

FLOWER DISPLAYS AT CONVENTIONBy Karen Crouch

In the Sanctuary was“Worship God” basedon Psalm 127:1“Unless the Lordbuilds the house itsbuilders labour invain”

LYWA (Lutheran Youth of Western Australia)

DADS & KIDS CAMP2015Friday 15th May toSunday 17th MayAdvent ParkCampground, 345Kalamunda Rd,Maida Vale

A special weekend away for Dads and theirkids aged 5-12. Camp forms will be out soon!lywa@wa.lca.org.au

Page 2 April 2015

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH – NARROGIN

100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

15th February 2015 marked 100 years since thededication of the first Church in Narrogin area,on the Lange farm.25th July 2014 was 60 years since the churchwas moved into Narrogin itself and rededicated.

TimetoCelebrateThanksgiving/Celebration service16th August 2015All welcome to help us give thanks for 100years of Lutherans worshipping in Narrogin.

See page 3 for the story of how the churchin Narrogin started.

OCEAN FOREST FELLOWSHIP MEMBERS GETTHEIR HANDS DIRTY WITH JESUS

By Pastor Rodney Witmitz

It wasn’t quite Mother Theresa work – but itwas following Jesus: meeting the need ofpeople in our community, beginning with thefamily of God.With tree roots and general wear havingmade the paving quite dangerous memberswere rallied to rock up to a working bee tohelp the family make it safe for Pat.The family were very thankful for the help.As they said: “You have turned a ‘one dayjob’ of the past twelve years into a reality.It was hard but very satisfying work for allthose involved – and left behind somethingof the flavours and colours of Christ (salt andlight) in the community.We are now looking forward to the nextopportunity to connect, as a fellowship, withChrist’s Service to the world.

Clearing

Levelling

Job Done!

Page 3 April 2015

Frederick William Lange's strong faith andcommitment to his Lord was the driving forcebehind the commencement of the Lutherancongregation in the Narrogin area of WesternAustralia, and his descendants continue to beactively involved in the congregation to this day.He was born in Germany in 1843 and migratedto South Australia in 1855.Frederick, his wife Augusta, and their 10 sonsand 2 daughters left Melrose in South Australiain 1903 after several years of severe drought,with the promise of fertile land in WA, whichhad been reconnoitred and purchasedpreviously by 3 of their sons. They sailed toAlbany on the ship "Marloo" and from there theytravelled via bush tracks and coach roads toWardering, near Narrogin which was laterrenamed Ockley. They brought with themwagons, drays, horses and wooden horsetroughs filled with 900 lbs of homemadebacons, hams and sausages well cured, as wellas farm tools and a single furrow plough. Theyalso brought sheep and cattle purchased inAlbany. The food they carried was soonsupplemented by the local kangaroos andwallabies. The farm was initially called'Langeville' but in the late 1920’s it wasrenamed 'Melrose' as it is known todayApart from clearing land and building straw hutsand mud block houses, Frederick quickly madecontact with Pastor Edwin Fisher in Perth andChurch Services soon commenced in the six-roomed homestead which had beenconstructed by the three sons prior to thefamily's arrival. Pastors Mensing, J.Hansen,Wolters, and Moody serviced the congregation

NARROGIN GETS IT’S START 100 YEARS AGO

By Lyn Alcock with Eileen & Robert Lange

of Lange family members over the ensuingyears and in 1915 a Church was constructed onthe farm costing the Lange family £286/18/6.This Church was dedicated on Feb 15th 1915.School was commenced in the Church vestry in1917 with a public school teacher, until aseparate school was built in the Churchgrounds in 1920. This school was operated until1941 when the building was relocated to thenearby school in Wickepin.After their arrival, all the sons soon purchasedfarms in the area, but Depression times and therabbit plague in ensuing years meant that thesefarms were gradually sold off until only theoriginal farm remained.With the congregational/family membersdispersing over the years it was eventuallydecided to move the Church brick by brick intoNarrogin. This was completed and the buildingrededicated in 1954. This was a cheaper optionthan building a new Church.Frederick's nobleness of character and hissimple belief in the wisdom and power of hisSaviour guided his life at Ockley and thesecharacteristics were extolled at his funeral in1927. He was seen as an amazing influence inthe district, both in the Church and in thefarming community. Love of his family and hardwork were always underpinned by his strongfaith in his Lord. .Following Frederick's death, Melrose farm wasrun by Frederick's 8th son Harry, followed byhis son Geoff. Sadly Geoff died at age 43 yearsin 1971, but his wife Eileen and young sonsRobert and Michael engaged John Mattner tocontinue working the farm until the boys wereold enough to do so themselves. They havebeen joined by their sons Braden and David inrecent years. Frederick's foresight andinfluence are stillfelt andappreciated by theLange family today.

Foresight and faith of one manstill appreciated 100 years on.

LeftTrinity Lutheran Church at‘Langesville’ Wardering,

now called Ockley

RightFrederick & Augusta Lange

Please email your items to: wanews@wa.lca.org.auCurrent and old WA Lutheran News are available fordownload from the new website and also from:http://www.esbconsult.com/lcawanews/On the website you can also sign up to get an emailinforming you of when there is a new newsletter readyfor download.Karen Crouch. Editor, WA Lutheran News

2014 PUBLICATION SCHEDULEArticle Deadline Publication Date

19 June 30 June11 September 30 September

27 November 15 December

Page 4 April 2015

On Sunday 8th February 2015 an installationservice was held at St John’s Esperancewelcoming Pastor Jason Pokela, his wifeBernadette and Olivia (9), Marcus (7),Hudson (5) and Spence (3).Bishop Greg preached about loving being adoing word and encouraged Jason and hisnew congregation to work together to showforth Christ’s love in the community of Esper-ance and the wider parish area of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. He also reminded Pastor Jason andthe whole congregation that the best sermonis lived.When congregational chairman Mark Wandelpresented Pastor Jason with a token of officehe recalled that at the ordination service inDecember, Bishop John Henderson had toldthe newly ordained pastors that they wouldbe called into the wilderness so Markproclaimed loudly “and so welcome to thewilderness!”.Pastor Jason spoke to the congregation hum-bly and said that he would fail from time totime and invited the members to please comeand see him about that because he wanted toalways be working in and for reconciliation.

WELCOME TO KALGOORLIE-BOULDER

Wilderness without the ocean!Pastor Jason greeted the PNG families of thecongregation in their own language havingspent some of his growing up years in PNG.He was brought into the church withdrumming and singing for his first visit to StPaul’s on 15th March 2015.

ESPERANCE WELCOMES NEW PASTOR

By Karen CrouchLeft: Bishop Greg

presents Pastor Jason tothe congregation.

Below: Pastor Jason andfamily are welcomed by

the congregation.

Page 5 April 2015

NOT ANOTHER YEAR OF ROSTERS!At the start of a new year as a ‘church member’ it is interesting to think about whether you’re againgoing to be burdened by volunteering for numerous roster ‘duties’ or perhaps you might look at thisin a different way when you are asked to help . . . . . . and better still if this year you don’t wait to beasked perhaps!!We are the Church, Christ’s ‘Body’ with Him as the Head . . . . . . so the idea of a ‘volunteer’ kidney ora ‘part time and grudging’ tibia in a functioning body doesn’t really make sense does it?· Some of us who ‘volunteer’ are sharing our ‘spiritual gifts’· Some of us are sharing a skill or talent· Some of us give of our time because we want to be good team players· Some of us are on a roster because of guilt - guilted by the knowledge that in a small church

there are few people to help so we’d better ‘do it’

. . . . . but could it be that every little act of service or kindness in our local congregation is anopportunity to bring ‘worship’ to our King. . . . . soV for those who ‘clean’ . . . is it just vacuuming, dusting and mopping, getting the chairs set

straight. . . . . or do we have an opportunity each week to prepare the Sanctuary for the Kingand His Bride?

V Many of us like to always sit in the same seat each week – how about as we set out the chairs wepray God’s blessing on the person who will sit there

V for those who provide the flower arrangements each week . . . is it just flowers and vases andwhether its arranged artfully . . . . or could it be that in a similar way to a bride wanting to haveflowers – your gift will bring beauty and joy to the Bride

V for those who care for and teach our children . . . is it just child minding or just lessons . . . . . orare you being allowed the privilege of serving the Kingdom of God (Jesus said the Kingdom ofGod belongs to children)

V for those who play an instrument or sing . . . . . is it that you like to play and sing and is it justabout a song list that you hope everyone will like. . . . . or is yours a sacred role to help us eachand together to build a throne of praise on which Christ can be enthronedV And for us in the congregation is it just about a tune we like or DON’T like, or clapping we

dislike . . . . . . or is it about the precious and awesome privilege for the fruit of our lipsand heart to bring honour and joy to God’s heart

We who follow Christ are identified as:V Servants (Matthew. 20:25-28)V Priests (1 Peter. 2:4-9)V Friends (John 15:14-15)V Sons and heirs (Romans 8)

But even if you can’t quite fully see the spiritual importance or opportunities in your acts of ‘work orduty or service’. . . . . as children of God who come each week to God's House to worship Him, maybeit will help with the ‘task’ if we look at it in the same was we look at the way we are in our ownhomes . . . we don't just skip making the bed or cleaning the dishes or mowing the lawn, we don’t justrefuse to take part . . . . . . . we all have chores and we are expected to make the house run smoothlyand happily and not leave it all to someone else.We are each a child of God, part of His family with the privilege to serve Him and each otherNot ANOTHER year of rosters!. . . . . are we again going to be burdened by volunteering for numerous roster ‘duties’ . . . . or isthere an opportunity for ME and YOU to bring ‘something more’

Annon

Page 5 April 2015

Page 7 April 2015