Pastors & Staff

Melbourne’s city skyline was a stark contrast to the vast verdant landscape of Central Australia for four Aboriginal delegates attending the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand’s 20th Convention of General Synod from 9 to 12 February 2023.

After 12 years of outstanding service, Tim Stollznow steps down as FRM Board chair.

I was born out in the bush on 16 October 1947, so now I am 75 years old. When I was young I never thought I would become a pastor. I was a stockman, riding horses, doing cattle work.

Since starting work part-time with Finke River Mission last November, it has been challenging to establish any kind of routine. COVID restrictions and family commitments have created interruptions to my ministry in the Anmatyerr area, where there are about a thousand speakers of the language.

Lindsay Tjapaltjarri Corby was born on 1 May 1954 at Haasts Bluff and ordained as a Lutheran pastor on 22 June 2008. He passed away on 4 February 2022 at Kintore.

Casey Nelson was a faithful Lutheran. He died on 21 December 2021, after a serious heart condition. His funeral took place on 4 March 2022 at Arlparra. He was buried next to his older brother Ronny in the bush cemetery at Soakage Bore, where Casey had lived before settling in Arlparra.

It is with great joy that we welcome longtime SIL linguist David Strickland, who has joined the Finke River Mission team as a support worker in the Anmatyerr Language Area.

In March this year, I joined the Lutheran Mission Development (LMD) Board. This board was established to support and promote the aims, beliefs and articles of faith of the Lutheran Church of Australia.

Pastor Philippus (‘Longjack’) Tjakamarra passed away on 25 August 2020.

Pastor Trevor Tjampitjinpa Raggett passed away at his outstation near Haasts Bluff (227 km west of Alice Springs) on 26 November 2020, a few weeks shy of his 66th birthday. He was the son of Pastor Obed Raggett, a much-loved and respected former pastor at Papunya.