Installation at Hermannsburg
Meet Pastor David Kuss, the newest pastor to join the ranks of Finke River Mission (FRM). Pastor David is the first fulltime ‘fly in fly out’ Pastor that FRM has ever had. He was installed on Sunday 24 March 2013 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Hermannsburg. The service was officiated by the District President, Pastor David Altus. Assisting with the service was Pastor Davey Inkamala, Pastor Rob Borgas, Pastor Ray Morris, Pastor Ken Schultz and Evangelist Rodney Malbunka.
Pastor Dave’s calling to FRM fulfils a lifelong ambition he has held to live and work in the Australian Bush, active in Aboriginal ministry. Pastor Dave has years of bush living experience having started life on Patsy Springs sheep station in the far northern Flinders Rangers of South Australia. When it was time for school the Kuss family moved to Verdun and then Mt Barker (which was a small country town then) when Pastor David went to school.
David spent most of his working life on the land as a farmer and livestock carrier. He finally decided to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and great grandfather by training to become Pastor Dave at Luther Seminary in 1996 and was ordained in 2001. His first assignment was to Geraldton in Western Australia, where he claims he was prepared for remote ministry by the wonderful people of the Midwest Lutheran Parish.
Pastor Dave’s passion for Aboriginal ministry is also driven by the opportunity of interacting with deeply spiritual people ‘who see God’s work through very different eyes, yet the spiritual perspective is the same as ours.’ He has worked with Aboriginal people in Geraldton, Murray Bridge and Alice Springs. Pastor David is now called to serve in the Arrarnta area from Kulpitjarra in the west to Harts Range in the east – an area about the size of Germany or France.
Pastor David is married to Ilona; they have three children, Samuel, Annemieke, and Sarah. He is also the proud owner of a Harley Davidson and an Arab gelding.
