LWQ BN&SC Zone Executive President Report

for Meeting on 18th Nov, 2021.

Hopefully to have settled regarding restrictions on numbers and gatherings. There will be details in the next Newsletter. It was good to hear that membership across the state is remaining reasonably constant,700 receive Newsletters and Lutheran Women, even though many Fellowships are closing down Psalm: 57: 9-10. ” I will give thanks to you O Lord, among the peoples, I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens and your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Well here we are at the close of another year which was still under the cloud of “COVID”. However we have to be thankful that the world is slowly recovering and returning to “normal”. We have to give thanks for the many scientists who have manufactured vaccinations to protect us and for all the medical research that has been done, and will be ongoing, for the good Government in Australia and wonderful medical facilities to cope.

We have been able to gather in churches again and also to hold Fellowship meetings and a wonderful Zone Fellowship Day hosted by the Ladies at Caboolture. I was able to attend the LWQ Executive meeting held up in Toowoomba on Friday 15th October.

Thank you to Mavis Thamm and her helpers, for organising a refreshing Zone Fellowship Day programme with lots of wonderful items to entertain the many ladies who attended. It was well planned to accommodate us, even when the winds came up! It was good to have the newly elected LWQ State President, Shirley Horrigan, there in attendance. The offering was donated to the LWA Projects as they had to cancel their Convention in Victoria. There are details in the latest LWA Lutheran Women of the projects we will be able to support. The new LWA Executive are from SA and one member from WA.

During the year I have completed “Level 2 SAFETY MANAGEMENT FOR LEADERS” online with the LCA Professional Standards Department. I completed Level 1 a few years ago. I would encourage all leaders to take these opportunities if possible.

Following the LWQ Meeting up at St Paul’s, I wish to let you know that the LWQ Newsletter will increase in cost by $1.00 to assist with postage. We are writing to the newly elected Bishop, Mark Vainikka, to seek his assistance in appointing a spiritual counsellor for the Executive. We acknowledged Shirley Klinges’ life membership to LNAA. There was much discussion regarding holding a Retreat next year as we have had to cancel two years running now. It was decided that we don’t call it a Retreat but rather a “Friendship” day and it will be held at St Paul’s , Toowoomba. They also decided to hold it in May rather than March. The reasons were that it falls closely on World Day of Prayer days in March, and also will allow things. Many ladies are just meeting to have Bible studies and social support.

We can only hope and pray that we will be able to continue here within our Zone. It was so good to see how much enjoyment the ladies displayed, when we met together at the Rally and Fellowship Days, so we need to keep up these days as long as possible.

I pray that all the Fellowships will find willing people to continue to lead them during 2022.

I wish you all a Blessed Christmas and may God be with you until we meet again.

Judith Smyth.

 President of BRISBANE NORTH AND SUNSHINE COAST ZONE of LWQ.