• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • LCA Portal
  • Login to LAMP
  • LCA Online Donations
  • Contact

Qld District

Engaging people with God's love in everyday life

24 McDougall Street
Milton QLD 4064
Phone 07 3511 4000

  • Home
  • Who We Are
  • Our District
  • News & Events
    • Calendar
    • Synod
  • Support for Congregations
    • 2022 Floods
    • Drought Support
    • COVID-19
    • Ministry & Mission
    • Governance Change Project
    • Worship
    • Administration
    • Contact

Applying Ginger Nuts to Our Mission

1 July 2019

by Bishop Paul Smith

You might be surprised to learn that there is no single variety of the famous Arnotts’ Ginger Nut biscuits. When you look at the picture that I have attached above, you learn that Arnotts makes different styles of their famous biscuit, for the different regions of Australia. Sometimes, people move from one Australian state to another and then write to Arnotts, complaining about the “changed recipe” to their favourite Ginger Nut biscuit. The Arnotts Company then write back, explaining that there are four different kinds of Ginger Nut biscuits, specifically marketed to four different regions of Australia.

This is more than just ‘interesting information’ for your next trivia night. It is a vital clue to our witness and service as people of the ‘Lutheran Church’ in Australia.

Australia is both a nation and a union of ‘State cultures’. “We are one, but we are many” goes the famous line in the song, “I am Australian.” Each state in Australia has its own broad culture, often influenced by regional factors. For example, in Queensland, we are the one State in Australia which has more folk living outside of the capital precinct than within it. Queensland has ten of the top 30 population centres in Australia and three of the top ten. Queensland has the greatest number of migrants from countries like Papua New Guinea and Finland.

As the Arnotts Company makes its Ginger Nut biscuits considering each ‘regional culture’ of Australia, so too, we people of the Church of Jesus Christ, are sent to bear the Gospel to the people around us. We are people of the God who “became flesh and dwelt amongst us” (John 1). As people of the Lutheran Confession we ask the questions, “Who are the people we serve?” and “How do we best serve them according to the Lord’s great commission, to ‘Go to all nations’?”. Each Lutheran Church of each State (which we call ‘Districts’ in the Lutheran Church) will find different answers to those questions.

Specifically, in our Lutheran Church in Queensland, we have some mission activity that is the same as other parts of Australia or New Zealand, but we also have significant differences which highlight strengths and opportunities to be salt and light in our local communities. These things are gifts from God. Together, let us reflect on those things and work on those things for the sake of the Gospel.

St Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, “I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

In Christ,

Paul

 

Photo sourced: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-20/arnotts-ginger-nut-biscuits-differ-across-australia/8533136 July 8th, 2019, by Paul Smith

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Please follow and like us: https://www.facebook.com/LCAQD/
fb-share-icon

READ MORE STORIES ABOUT bishop, Devotion, District

« Passing it on
One Small Step… of Faith »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Bishop
  • Blogs
  • Community News
  • Feature Stories
  • Job
  • Living Faithfully
  • Ministry & Mission
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Synod
  • Uncategorised

Archives for all Posts

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • Tags

    Anniversary bishop Christmas church community Conference congregation Convention of Synod coronavirus Council Covid-19 Devotion devotions District Church Board Easter event faith Feature fellowship gospel Growing Church Young intergenerational Job Vacancy LCAQD Lent LEQ Living Faithfully Lutheran Services LYQ Meetings ministry mission mission & ministry Paul Smith prayer Professional Standards PSD retreat Synod Synod 2022 Training Walk my way Women workshop youth

    Footer

    Contact Us

    24 McDougall Street Milton QLD 4064
    Phone 07 3511 4000
    Email district@qld.lca.org.au

    © 2023 Lutheran Church of Australia

    Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

    Designed by LCA Communications