• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Finke River Mission

Est 1877

  • Home
  • About Us
    • History
  • Activities
  • Stories
  • Events
  • Media
    • Videos
  • Is God calling you?
    • Testimonials
    • Employment
  • Contact Us
  • Donate Now

Mission Block reunion

19 December 2014

by Joan Grosse

Over forty interstate visitors with connections to Finke River Mission (FRM) joined locals on the June 14-16 weekend to celebrate over 75 years of God’s work on the Alice Springs Mission Block and 50 years since the opening of the Children’s Cottages.

The Mission Block was originally purchased by Missionary FW Albrecht in 1938. Since then, the Mission Block provided a place to stay, a place to train and teach others, a place to distribute food and clothing, a place to meet and a place of worship – all of this work still continues today. The Old Church is now a valued meeting room and museum/archive.

The Mission Block reunion program was drawn up by the ‘Old Church History Team’ of Olga Radke, Tony Collins and Christine & Karl Benz. The official welcome on Saturday afternoon gave current FRM Board chairman, Tim Stollznow the opportunity to thank all past and present FRM staff and supporters for their work. He reminded the gathering that, ‘Those Mission seeds planted long ago and nurtured throughout the years, now include 30 pastors covering 40 communities and 6000 Aboriginal people who identify as Lutheran in Central Australia. With God’s grace the Mission Block will continue to serve as an important base for our church in the centre for many years to come.’ The work and presence of both past FRM Board Chairman Mostyn Keller & Superintendent Garry Stoll, who both served FRM for over 40 years was acknowledged.

A thanksgiving service was held on Sunday morning. During this service in the ‘new’ church, a video message (in both English and Aranda) from Pastor Paul Albrecht (former FRM field superintendent) was screened. Pastor Max Stollznow who had previously worked in Alice Springs and at Papunya also spoke. Prior to the benediction, the officiating pastors led the congregation out to the old gum tree, the site of the first worship services in Alice Springs, where the Aboriginal choir sang and Pastor Simon Dixon spoke and prayed.

Sunday afternoon included a tour of Yirara College, a stop at the old Alice Springs cemetery where identities such as evangelist Martin and artist Albert Namatjira are buried, and a visit to Living Waters Lutheran School. Monday was spent at Hermannsburg attending the local school’s closing service in the church, listening to the children sing outside, reminiscing and walking around the historical precinct, and meeting up with local people – a very special time.

« New kids on ‘the Block’ celebrate five years
Volunteer profile – Andre and Eloise Thompson »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Alice Springs
  • Alyawarr
  • Ampilatwatja
  • Anmatjere
  • Anniversaries & Celebrations
  • Areyonga
  • Art & Music
  • Asante Sana
  • Children & Youth
  • Communities
  • Docker River
  • Engawala
  • Haasts Bluff
  • Hermannsburg
  • Imanpa
  • Kintore
  • Kiwirrkurra
  • Kwala Kwala
  • Lilla
  • Mt Liebig
  • Mutitjulu
  • Napperby
  • Papunya
  • Partnerships
  • Pastors & Staff
  • Pintupi-Luritja
  • Six Mile
  • Stirling
  • Tara
  • Ti Tree
  • Titjikala
  • Training
  • Uncategorized
  • Volunteers & Supporters
  • Women
  • Yirara College

Archives

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • December 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • December 2013
  • June 2013
  • June 2012
  • December 2011
  • June 2011

© 2020 Finke River Mission. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Activities
  • Stories
  • Events
  • Media
  • Get Involved
    • Is God calling you?
      • Testimonials
  • Contact Us

Footer

Contact Info

  • 51a Gap Road, The Gap NT 0870, Australia
  • (08) 8952 4666
  • admin@finkerivermission.org.au

Warning: This website contains images of people who have died.

Copyright © 2022 — Finke River Mission • All rights reserved.