Training

Nungalinya College, situated in Darwin, is the premier ecumenical Bible and community development training facility for Indigenous students in Australia.

The last of the three pastors bush courses this year was held at the end of September at Harts Range, about 215 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs.

In late September the people of Imanpa, a Pitjantjatjara community 270 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs, welcomed Indigenous church leaders from all over Central Australia to a teaching course.

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.

On Saturday 1 July, ABC TV will screen a documentary about the work of the Finke River Mission on their Compass religious affairs program.

Professional Standards officers have delivered the first ever LCA Standards of Ethical Behaviour presentation specifically for Aboriginal pastors and church workers – all the way out at Docker River.

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.

Storytelling has always been a major way of teaching in every culture. Bible storytelling was the focus of the 2016 FRM Aboriginal Women’s Bible Leadership Camp led by Ann Eckert.

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.

Lost and found – this was the theme of the Finke River Mission women’s Bible Study camp, held this year at the Mission Block in Alice Springs.