Welcome to Illawarra Lutheran Parish

Welcome

Welcome to the Illawarra Lutheran Church on line.

The Illawarra Lutheran Church is a multi-campus ministry comprising St Johns Lutheran Church, Wollongong, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Oak Flats and Joy Fellowship, Nowra. As a part of the Lutheran Church of Australia we are here to serve all people of the Illawarra and South Coast region, not just Lutherans, as we seek to live and proclaim the good news of Jesus who has come to give all people fullness of life and hope through his life, death and resurrection.

On this site you will be able to get information about our worship times and places in the Illawarra as well as information about other ministries and groups that go to make up who we are as the Lutheran church here. You will find resources for your family worship and devotions in 'Taking Faith Home' which is updated weekly along with Bible readings and Prayer points for personal devotions. There are also photo albums from some of our church camps and worship. A link is provided to 'The Southern Cross Reformer', our blog spot.

Please come in and make yourself at home. If you have any ideas or suggestions as to how we can improve this site or provide you with information that you want or need, please feel free to contact us.

Taking Faith Home February 7

Faith Talk: Discuss in your household or small group:
• What makes you scared or afraid?
• Read Luke 5:1-11. Why was Simon Peter afraid? What was Jesus’ response?
• Jesus calls his followers to be “fishers of people”? What does this mean to you?

Devotional Practices: Jesus calls his followers to be “fishers of people” - to cast his Word into the world so that others are drawn to him. In your home devotion times this week, pray by name for up to three people in your circle of friends or relatives who do not know and follow Christ. Pray that God will be able to use you and others as an influence in their lives, and that they are brought to faith in him.

Service: Consider performing one of these “random acts of kindness” for others during this next week (or even better, think up one yourselves!):
• Offer your mail carrier a refreshing drink, a kind word or a thank you note.
• Pick up any litter you see as you go through the day.
• Leave a bouquet of flowers on someone’s front door step.
• Buy a balloon bouquet and ask the nurses at a children’s hospital to deliver it to a child.
• Clean up the yard or garden of someone who is elderly, sick or busy with small children.
• Send a thinking-of-you card to someone you know is struggling.
• Call a friend or relative and tell them why you love them.

Rituals and Traditions: God places his call upon the lives of all Christians, whether they are fisherfolk, preschool children, tradespeople or businesspeople. Take some time to bless and send one another as disciples of Jesus into the various settings in which you live and/or work. Use the following words of blessing and sending based on Isaiah 6.

Leader: God is seeking to send someone into ______________ (name of workplace, school, college, community group) as his representative. Who will go for him?

Response of household member: Here am I – Send me!

Household members place their arms on the back/shoulder of the person as the following blessing is given:

May God make you courageous, strong and wise in sharing him with others. May he bless as you his servant at ______________ (name of workplace, school, college, community group), giving you all you need to do his will. Amen

The Southern Cross Reformer

All living things grow -- you don't have to make them grow. It's the natural thing for living organisms to do if they are healthy. In the same way, since the church is a living organism, it is natural for it to grow if it is healthy. The church is a body, not a business. It is an organism, not an organization. It is alive. For more on this please visit our blogspot...The Southern Cross Reformer at http://illalutheran.blogspot.com/ or click the link in the menu on the left

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