BRISBANE SOUTH AND GOLD COAST ZONE – 57th RALLY DAY

BRISBANE SOUTH AND GOLD COAST ZONE – 57^th RALLY DAY

BETHANIA 8^th July

“We are God’s Masterpiece”. Celebrating our faith in our Lord and Saviour.

On a crisp winter morning, 46 ladies gathered together at Bethania Lutheran Church focussing on the Theme chosen for the Rally.  Christine McDermott, Bethania’s President, welcomed the ladies present. Kaye Rossmann (Zone Secretary) expanded on the theme emphasizing God’s unique creation and purpose for each lady.  God created people with a purpose and people are priceless to God.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us.  God is an artisan creating us exceptional and beautiful, with potential that we cannot grasp.  What you are is God’s gift to you.  What you make of yourself is your gift to God. Zone membership has increased from 86 in 2024 to 94 in 2025.

Ruth Geitz (LWA President) and Val Kath (LWQ President) shared updates including the discontinuation of the birthing kits project due to logistical challenges of rising freight costs, having someone to receive the kits in PNG and the drop in demand for the kits because of better services now available.  Val remembered our sister in Christ, Naomi Marks who served as our Zone President for many years and was called home to her eternal rest on 4 March this year.

Pastor Tom Kitson (Bethania Congregation) led devotion with our theme by first asking us, “When you get up in the morning and look in the mirror, what is your response to what you see looking back at you?  Is it “Oh my goodness?  What a Masterpiece!!”.  We are a wonderful gift of God’s handiwork.”  Ephesians 2:10.  God has given us our physical bodies, and we are to care for them, but it’s not all about looking good on its own.  It’s for doing good work, for being a good work made in God’s good image and that’s who we are in God’s eyes.  That is how he sees us.  God knows us intimately.  God loves us and he calls us to be part of his kingdom.  God’s handiwork is not only something to look at but something that is alive, something that has gifts to share, and love to receive and share with others.

The current Executive was maintained with Kaye Rossmann agreeing to serve as President and Secretary for 2025, 1^st Vice President – Sharon Tegan, 2^nd Vice – Leanne Kopp, Treasurer – Colette Mangan and extra members – Narelle Lanyon and Sue Dewitt. Pastor Tom installed the executive with reference to 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 followed by prayer.

Members who passed away since the last Rally, including Naomi Marks and Olga Roenfeldt, were remembered with the singing of the age old hymn, “Abide With Me.”

Three proposals were passed:  the Zone Project for the year is Asia Focus;  offering for the day of $700 be donated to ALWS for children’s aid; and $2,000 be donated to Asia Focus and ALWS.

Zel Lowein from Bethania greeted all present.  Zel gave a short presentation on being God’s Masterpiece.  This was followed by a Youtube presentation which was a children’s book by Elizabeth Hasselbach and also a powerpoint presentation.  The ladies were then given a piece of Rainbow Art Scratch Cardboard to create their own artwork.  Three lucky door prizes were drawn.  The prizes were beautiful paintings donated by the artist, Sue Marks.  There was also a lucky chair prize.  Everyone then joined in singing “I am a New Creation”

In closing, Pastor Tom shared a prayer titled “The Ritual for Morning Coffee” from a little book “Every Moment Holy”. Val Kath. President of LWQ encouraged each one of us to talk to God and step out in faith and find that He will use you in surprising ways.  If we don’t our guilds and fellowships will no longer exist and our church will be much poorer if we, as Lutheran women, aren’t here to support the church and women in general in so many ways.

All joined in the closing hymn: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.”

A wonderful day celebrating “I am alive in Christ: God’s Masterpiece” Ephesians 2:10

Reporter: Colette Mangan.

Download Report: BS & GC Rally