God can be trusted to save us
by Janette Lange
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
… for today the Lord has brought deliverance to Israel (1 Samuel 11:13b).
Read 1 Samuel 11:1–15
Have you ever felt backed into a corner with no way out? Have you ever been unsure about how you would escape a situation? That’s the feeling the Israelites had when Nahash the Ammonite threatened to attack them. He was cunning. Gouging out one eye would mean the Israelites wouldn’t be able to use a bow and arrow to defend themselves; however, they would still have enough sight to make perfectly good slave labour.
The people felt helpless and started to weep. When Saul came in from the fields, he asked why they were crying. Even though the Israelites had a covenant with God, they didn’t feel like he was enough to defend them. They doubted his ability to save them. They wanted a human king, like their neighbours had, who could protect and lead them. They saw in Saul their solution and made him their king. Under Saul’s leadership, they were victorious in the battle. But Saul was really just the vehicle – the victory ultimately came from the Lord.
We can feel the same way when things are out of our control, or we feel under attack. Perhaps we are experiencing grief or strained relationships. Maybe we have been unfairly treated. Perhaps we are stressed or under great pressure, or illness or mental health issues are making our lives challenging.
Here, God reminds us that we are not alone. We don’t need to deal with this by ourselves. He is ultimately in control, and he can be trusted. No situation is greater than our God, our King of Kings. He is the one who saves us – from ourselves, from the world, from all evil. When we are under attack, when times are tough, let’s remember that our loving God is our protector and our Saviour, and we will be victorious in him.
Mighty Deliverer, thank you for rescuing me from death, from sin and from myself. Help me to always trust in you and not be afraid. Remind me that I am never alone because you are always with me. No matter what battles I must face, you will keep me safe in you. Amen.
Janette is a member of Glynde Zion congregation, a vibrant multicultural faith community in suburban Adelaide. She works as an archivist and translator of German historical documents. In her free time, Janette enjoys reading, solving cryptic crosswords, learning languages, travelling, researching family history and relaxing in her garden. Thanks to her husband’s influence, she now enjoys watching Formula 1 and golf.
Safe Church – Child Safe Information
What is a Safe Church Coordinator (SCO)?
ChildSafe identifies the SCO role as primary operational oversight of safety management of ‘vulnerable people’.
The role includes implementing ChildSafe in a way that drives a culture of change and improvements including overseeing training, screening, reporting, fostering a Safety culture, people working with children are suitable/supported, response to complaints are child focused and the awareness of keeping children safe through continual education and training.
‘Vulnerable people’ includes ALL Children and may include adults with disabilities, mental or physical illness, chronically lonely people, the frail aged, those recently bereaved, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
However, not all people in these categories consider themselves vulnerable.
SBLC Child Safe/SMO Coordinators
Bethany/Tabor - Marilyn Mensforth bethanytaborsccoord@gmail.com
Grace/Schoenborn - Jenny Noll jedanoll@gmail.com
Langmeil - Emma Hiscock emma.hiscock@lca.org.au
Lyndoch - Graham Fromm grahamfromm@outlook.com
Blessings to you all.
Firstly, thank you to those who attended the Confirmation last Sunday at Faith College. It was extremely uplifting to see a passionate group of young people, worship together and affirm their faith publicly. We pray that you were blessed by this worship service like we were. We pray now that the leaders of this team can rest, recharge and have a break so that they can return and lead our 2026 group.
As shared in our last update in June, a key milestone in the “Framing Our Vision for the Future” process has been completed with the recent survey. Of the 721 surveys sent out, we received 380 responses, a fantastic 50%+ response rate. Thank you! Pastor Stephen Schultz gave a brief overview of the results following the Combined Worship Service on 31st August. The SA&NT District staff have now completed detailed analysis of the data.
At a recent Governance Council (GC) meeting, it was agreed to hold a workshop to review the data and plan steps to enact the vision. We have asked Pastor Stephen Schultz and District Administrator Angela Rogers(SA&NT District) to present the detailed findings of the survey and discuss the amalgamation process. The workshop is scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday,19th October at Langmeil.
Please pray for our leaders as they meet together and plan the way forward for the SBLC. The leadership teams who will be involved with the workshop are:
SBLC Governance Council, SBLC Ministry Team, SBLC Call Committee, the 6 Church Councils from our individual sites - Bethany, Tabor, Grace, Lyndoch, Schoenborn & Langmeil, the two Parish Church Councils - Bethany/Tabor & Lyndoch/Rowland Flat.
The GC sees this gathering as essential to ensure all leaders share a common understanding and can effectively communicate with their congregations.
Next steps: Distribute the action plan and timeline to all members and Host several Q&A sessions to address your questions.
Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers as we move forward together.
Yours in Christ The SBLC Governance Council.
SBLC Sunday 5th October Worship Services
Bethany 10:30am Lay led - Dennis Canute
Grace St John’s 9am HC Pastor Peter Kriewaldt
Langmeil 8:45am and 10:30am both HC Pastor Peter Bean
Lyndoch 10:30am
Schoenborn 9am
Tabor No Service
Bible Readings
The First Reading Lamentations 1:1-6 The deserted city of Jerusalem
or Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 The righteous will live by faith
Psalm 137 or Psalm 37:10-9
The Second Reading 2 Timothy 1:1-14 Encouragement to be faithful
The Gospel: Luke 17:5-10 Faith and duty
As part of the implementation program of the ordination proposals from the 2024 Convention of General Synod, Dr Pauline Simonsen has been appointed as the LCANZ’s Advocate for Women in Pastoral Ministry.
This is a voluntary role to provide a primary contact for women of our church who are considering training for the office of the public ministry, and women serving as pastors among us. Pauline is serving in this work in 2025, after which time the General Church Board (GCB) and the College of Bishops (CoB) will review the role.
This is a key role, providing advice and support to LCANZ Bishop Paul Smith and the wider church, including GCB and CoB, as we journey together as the people of God with pastors who are women.
In this role, Pauline will attend to matters such as developing support networks for women who are candidates and pastors, helping to ensure that concerns of women who are candidates or pastors are identified and addressed in a timely way, and ensuring that there is a repository maintained of matters relevant to the support of and guidance for women.
A spiritual director and an experienced Christian retreat leader, Pauline serves as the dean of Emmaus, a Christian training provider in Palmerston North, New Zealand. She has served on various committees of the church in New Zealand and Australia, including more than 20 years on the Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations. Pauline and her husband Roger belong to the Manawatu Lutheran Parish.
Women who are considering ordination to pastoral ministry in the LCANZ are invited to connect with Pauline at advocateWPM@lca.org.au
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Confirming that Tanunda Lawn Bowls Club has been booked for 6pm Friday October 24th, for our next Men's Fellowship event.
The club has indicated there will be a cost of $25 per head, which includes bowls hire/green fees and dinner supplied (beef or chicken schnitzel).
They require an RSVP with numbers the week prior, so they can cater effectively.
Also remember that bowling is not mandatory - you're welcome to come along for the food and fellowship, and to sling criticism at those who are bowling. If you plan to bowl, please wear flat soled shoes.
It's always a great evening, so I hope you can make it along. I will be sending a reminder out closer to the date, but please RSVP to me by email or phone.
Jarome Graetz
The LCANZ’s new Church House in Adelaide’s CBD is taking shape not only as an office building, but also as a purpose-built hub to support mission, ministry and collaboration across the wider church.
Now in the final stages of refurbishment and fit-out, the five-storey building at 139 Frome Street is expected to welcome staff from November.
Levels 2 and 3 will become home to the Churchwide Office, Australian Lutheran College (ALC), Lutheran Media, LCA International Mission, Australian Lutheran World Service, Lutheran Education Australia and Finke River Mission.
While the building’s design offers modern workspaces and flexible meeting areas, the vision for Church House goes far beyond infrastructure. Space will also be available for visitors and other Lutheran ministry partners, which the LCA’s Executive Director of Church Operations, Brett Hausler, said ‘reinforces Church House’s role as a shared resource for the wider church community’.
A standout feature of Level 3 is a reconfigurable meeting space designed to host workshops, training sessions and gatherings – all supporting the church’s mission to grow, serve and reach out in Christ’s name. The space will also be available for use by other Lutheran entities.
On the ground floor, a welcoming reception and new exhibition and events space will offer opportunities for community engagement and education. Featuring displays that reflect both Lutheran heritage and future direction, the area is intended to invite conversation, learning and connection, both within the church and the broader community.
‘Designed to support both the wider church and community outreach initiatives, this exciting addition will foster engagement, learning and connection,’ Brett said. ‘This area is designed to welcome both internal and external visitors, supporting community engagement and outreach.’
More than a new location, Church House represents a new season for shared mission, collaborative ministry and outreach across the LCANZ.