Women

Daphne Puntjina was born on Tempe Downs Cattle Station, south-west of Alice Springs, in 1944. Her parents had been living a traditional lifestyle around the Petermann Ranges but decided to move to Areyonga for better health care, food supplies, and schooling for the children. While at school, Daphne enjoyed singing and learning bible stories. Daphne… Read more

In October a group of women gathered in the Alice Springs Lutheran Church for a one-day Bible course. The course, the first in a series on ‘God’s Big Story’, covered creation and the fall of humanity and its consequences. Importantly, we learnt how the results of human rebellion and mistrust of God have been reversed… Read more

Alice Springs Lutheran Church held its long-awaited confirmations on 23 June 2024. Five young women confirmed their Christian faith: Rhonda Bob, Shanille Braybon, Ella Williams, Jordyn Williams and Mariah Meurant. Each of these had completed their Confirmation studies over the past 12 months. Rhonda attended school at Yirara College years ago but missed the opportunity… Read more

But Christmas 2019 saw the Spirit of Christ stir the heart of Rita Okai to request to be reinstated as a church worker.

On 5 April, Pantjiti Unkari McKenzie from Docker River was presented with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) by the Administrator of the Northern Territory, Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM.

The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir has received a Special Achievement Award at the recent National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs).

A portrait of Docker River Lutheran Beryl Bell entitled ‘Beryl and Jesus’ has won this year’s  $10,000 Australian Life photography prize. Amy Jean Harding took the photo of Beryl in April 2016.

When Rita Okai graduated from her Certificate III course in Christian Ministry and Theology in 2017, she was quite possibly the first Indigenous Lutheran in central Australia to have ever graduated with a tertiary theological qualification in the 140-year history of the FRM.

Sunny days, crisp nights, and not a drop of rain – the April weather was perfect for our Bible study camp this year!

On 14 January 2018, Kunpry Peipei was installed as a parish worker by Pastor Hezekiel Jingoona and Mark Reid at Mutitjulu Lutheran Church where she regularly leads Sunday services, and assists with Holy Communion.