A new fund

St Paul’s gets the direct benefit of our pastors' extended learning. Do we also want them to be out of pocket?

St Paul’s is a learning congregation. We have enjoyed many teaching blessings over the years, through our faithful Pastors and staff and lay leaders. We have also been, and continue to be, a community that seeks to share with others what the Lord has graciously given us.

Some of you will be aware that both of our Pastors will later this year, at different times, be heading overseas for various learning opportunities. Pastor Andrew will be going to Germany with a group of LCA Pastors and leaders to spend time at the Bavarian Lutheran Church’s Mission Institute in Neuendettelsau. Their invitation has come via the LCA’s Board for Mission.

Pastor Greg will be off to USA in late July to attend the Milestones Ministry conference in Minneapolis and then again later in September, as a Victorian District representative, for further work with the Faith Inkubators organisation. St Paul’s is already using various materials from this organisation.

These great opportunities have been discussed at Council meetings, and although it means that we will be without one or other of our Pastors for various periods of time, we are confident the longer term benefits will be significant, for our Pastors themselves, for St Paul’s, and for the wider church.

While these “invitations” are generally financially supported, in part, by the wider church, our Pastors are often required to pay associated costs themselves. These can be significant. St Paul’s does have a general staff development provision in our annual budget; however, the Council has decided to set up a “Special Purpose Leadership & Development Fund” to assist with opportunities to both support our Pastors in these circumstances and to provide other significant opportunities for our wider staff development. The fund will be administered by Church Council.

Council invites members and friends of St Paul’s to prayerfully consider contributing financially to this fund. It may be a way of supporting St Paul’s mission and ministry that particularly appeals to you. Further information regarding donations to the fund will be available soon. In the meantime feel free to talk to a Council member if you have questions.

David J. Paech
Chairman