Pastor Tommy David died at Docker River on Wednesday 29 June 2016. He was a faithful pastor, serving his people right to the end of his life.
Amid the vast landscapes of Central Australia, thousands of kilometres of dusty red roads draw travellers towards distant hazy horizons. Along the way, there’s time to think. To wonder. To be. People who come out here feel a deep connection with God or with creation, often for the first time in their lives. For many, a trip to the Centre is an awakening of their spirit. For the people who have lived here in the Centre for thousands of years, the spirit world has been as real as the red earth and the scorching sun. Long before white people ventured out here, the Aboriginal people were passing down their sacred stories from generation to generation. They have always known there is more to life than what they can see and touch. So, when Lutheran missionaries arrived at Finke River in 1877, the Aboriginal people were ready to hear the new stories about God the Creator, and his Son, Jesus Christ. They had always seen God in nature, but now, at last, they could know him in person. Today, there are around 7000 Aboriginal Lutherans in the heart of Australia. Christ is in the Centre.
At Kintore the peels of a church bell are once again calling the people to worship on Sunday mornings, after church and community came together on a joint ‘bell-raising’ project.
FRM offers three ‘bush’ courses every year to provide theological training for pastors and potential pastors. FRM also provides at least one ‘bush’ course per year for indigenous women.