30 years experience working with Aboriginal people
Mark Thiel has been serving Aboriginal people in the Lutheran Church of Australia for over 30 years at various locations in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
During that time Mark has mentored a number of Aboriginal men, helping prepare them for ministry in the LCA. He is currently employed by the Alice Springs Lutheran Church (in partnership with FRM) supporting and training Aboriginal people for ministry.
“I help lead the Sunday morning multi-lingual worship service, encouraging Aboriginal people to read the liturgy and the Bible in their own language. I coordinate chaplaincy for up to 80 Lutherans at the local hospital at any given time, from all over Central Australia. I conduct regular church services in two local aged care centres with the assistance of local choir members, who lead the singing in Western Arrarnta and Pitjantjatjara language.”
“Each week I take devotion in one of 8 town camps in and around Alice Springs, where Aboriginal people live in their family groups. I also train and support a number of local Aboriginal volunteers, who drive people to church each Sunday in one of the three buses we operate for this purpose. On any given Sunday, we have many visitors from outlying communities who worship with us. I work alongside Pastor Ken Schultz and Pastor Simon Dixon in the Alice Springs town area. Please keep us all in your prayers, as we share God’s word that continues to change people’s lives in Central Australia.”
