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I am hoping to be able to critically reflect about all that I am learning about Lutheran Perspectives of Spirituality and have an in depth understanding of the theological concepts that will help me deliver an important piece of the Lutheran curriculum to teach my students a sound understanding of what it means to be Lutheran and having the upmost respect and love for our God.

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God's grace as revealed in Jesus is central to a Lutheran understanding of spirituality.

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What is important to you? What are you passionate about?

I value my friends and family. The importance of having these people close to me and involved in my life.  I have lived abroad for the past 20 years in the UK and HK. Having friends and family staying connected to me was like a life line. The importance of feeling safe and being in an environment which allows me to grow as a person and feel able to do this.

I also have 3 children, so they are extremely important to me, and I am passionate about wanting to install good values in them to set them up for success in the future as an upstanding adult human being.

I am passionate about educating children, not only focusing on curriculum and education but also guiding students to understand how to be apart of a community which allows them to be who they are and support their ideas, wonders, beliefs and common interests. I am passionate about having strong connections with family and friends and allowing these people to be apart of your life during both happiness and times of sadness.

What has brought you to this Lutheran school or ECS?

Honestly, I had heard about the school due to the current Principal as she worked in HK and I knew she was a fantastic educator, fair, kind and very knowledgable about Education. So because of this, I researched the school she was at and was pleasantly surprised to see that many of my values aligned with the Lutheran philosophy. When I had my interview, I felt that sense of warmth and community and knew this was a community I wanted to be part of.

What questions do you have about Lutheran education and your role?

I want to know how to better weave Lutheran values through my everyday teaching. I want to know more about theology so I have the understanding to answer any sort of questions. I would like more guidance about Devotion as I am a novice.

How will I be able to learn with my class about God and his Grace?

How do I support students learning when I may not have all the answers?

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Please click here to find submission information and instructions.

Before submitting, please feel free to delete instructions and other items that aren’t necessary content for your submitted ePortfolio (e.g. the first and last column).

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Lutheran education is centered in the belief that God invites all people to join God in ongoing creation and care for the universe.

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God’s word inspires and guides Lutheran education communities

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God has created us for relationships and Christian spirituality finds expression in love, service and our vocations.

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Upon appointment to my role at Immanuel, I was apprehensive about teaching in a Lutheran school as it is my first time in a school of Faith. I have very little experience of religious studies. I was baptised and went to Sunday School as a little girl, but that is about as far as it goes.

I was relieved to find out about being in the Connect course as I was immediately provided opportunities to explore, ask questions and gain more knowledge. I am grateful to be able to learn more about the Lutheran Faith and how I can integrate it in both my life and into my class.

I hope that my participation in Connect can provide me with more clarity about the Lutheran Faith and allow me to confidently impart knowledge and act as a role model for my students.

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Articulate how your learning in Connect has influenced your understanding, practice and contribution to your Lutheran school or early childhood service.

Outcome 1:  I feel like the training in Connect has significantly benefited me as a Lutheran teacher. The process has allowed me to be really honest with myself and reflect on what I do know, and what areas I need to explore further in order to work in a Lutheran school. The process has also allowed me to feel okay with knowing that it was okay that I started this course with only a basic level of understanding and their was not judgment around this.

I learned that Grace is the term Christians use to describe God’s unconditional love for everyone, whether or not they have behaved as he wants them to.

A quote that stood out to me was;

Romans 5:20–21

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I found this interesting as my interpretation is that as the world matures the punishment for doing bad things increases. But so does Grace. From anything negative, we can shine light on it with Grace. We might die for our sins, as Jesus died for our, we have the Grace to know it may lead us to eternal life through Jesus.

What this means for me and my role is Grace was an area which significantly supported my understanding on Lutheran Education. It is an area which at the start I thought I knew nothing about apart from connecting it to people saying Grace before a meal. I soon discovered that Grace is an aspect I believe which brings all of this learning together. Grace allows you to demonstrate forgiveness, love, compassion, acceptance, and many more towards yourself, God, peers and our environment. By understanding Grace and Lutheran values I have come to discover my words, actions and teaching is an essential part of teaching at a Lutheran school. The Lutheran values of Grace are not just related to Christian Studies. They should be used in our everyday life through our actions, language and thoughts.

Grace also has a strong connection to community, relationships and creation. To build strong authentic relationships you must show Grace to others and accept Grace. This can be applied to creation and co creating with God.

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What is important in Lutheran education?

After browsing (Lutheran Education Australia, 2023) and (Growing Deep, 2023).

I was pleased to see that 'our acceptance by God does not depend on our own worth or achievements but on his unconditional commitment to us as evidenced in the life and death of Jesus’

God’s spirit is active in the lives of the community leading children to know and trust God.

Lutheran education is faith-centred and at the core of everything we do.

Hope, love and forgiveness.

Core values of things such as compassion, love, forgiveness, service and hope. I have seen this in action at IPS.

Not just a school but a community valuing each uniquely create person.

High standard of teaching and learning inspired  by God’s word.

Service, worship and education coming together.

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We pray your journey in Lutheran Education is rich and rewarding.

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1. How does creation theology inform the why and how of Lutheran education?

God created us all and is continuing to create everyday. God created and continues to create all that is and all that is in the world, including each unique individual person. What he has created is good and demonstrates Grace. Lutheran education celebrates this and allows students to understand the importance of his creation and show our love and care towards it as co creators. All of God's creations are unique and this is a message shared within a Lutheran school by accepting diversity, learning abilities and many more in our everyday practice and life. We learn from God to accept the world, our self and others.

2. How does creation theology shape an aspect of your work with students?

God created us to co create and to continue to serve his creations by looking after the environment, school community, students and each other. As a teacher, my role is to model this expectation and provide students with the understanding of the importance of co creation. As part of building a class culture and classroom norms, with students we created the expectations on how to look after God's creation within the school yard (not littering, watering plants, caring for each other etc.). Our second Unit is called Sharing the planet and looks specifically at the effect humans have on the earth and how our responsibility is to care for the environment. This ties in with our class room agreement and Christian Studies. During this learning it sparks conversations and wonders about God and creation and how what he made was perfect and our role is to care for it all.

3. What questions or issues does the concept raise for me and how can I explore my questions?

Having completed a Bachelor of Nursing prior to teaching, my whole work life before teaching was all about science and medicine. So to get my head around the fact that God created human is a hard concept to navigate. Also, especially difficult when we teach relationships and sexual education. There is scientific evidence from egg and sperm creating life, so to entertain the possibility that God created first man and woman is hard for me to grasp without scientific evidence. So that naturally makes it hard for me to teach.
I do, however, like the idea that God created the first of everything, and from then, we, the stewards take care of our world and keep it healthy and loved so that everything can reproduce or regenerate with the attention that we give it. I can also seek advice or knowledge from our school pastor and practising Lutherans from my school.

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1. How can we know about God?
What can creation tell us about God?
When we see the wonder and beauty in the world we can see that God loves beauty, he loves creatures great and small, he loves growth, and diversity of all things living. Having travelled a large part of the world I see the beauty, but I also see some of the despair and I do wonder why? Why does God not ever intervene, like when I went to a concentration camp in Munich. I know humans make their own choices, but why doesn't God intervene when there is such brutality.
We know about God through the life of his son Jesus. Jesus lived 2000 years ago.
God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
The sacred text is the bible. Through the bible we get the understanding of Jesus and who God is.

2 How does God’s word form and inform Lutheran education communities and my role?

We have Devotion twice a week for staff and once a week for our Year students.
We have weekly Worship with the whole school.
My role is to ensure that the Bible is interwoven throughout our curriculum and that Gods message of Grace, Love, Forgiveness, Creation and Compassion is clear.

The foundation of Lutheran education is the gospel of Jesus Christ (which) informs all learning and teaching, all human relationships, and all activities [The LCA and its schools, 2001]. The Lutheran lens identifies key theological concepts that underpin Lutheran education. The lens provides a way of seeing and being in Lutheran education.

https://growingdeep.lutheran.edu.au/index.php/our-foundation/

3. What are the most significant aspects of Lutheran theology for Lutheran education? (eportfolio reflection)

The word of God is the foundation of Lutheran education.
The centrality of Grace throughout the Bible.
I see this at Immanuel PS through Restorative Practice, we look at restoring the problem not punishing it. Supporting them. This informs my role by being open minded when dealing with challenging situations. Also being transparent with parents. I had a challenging day during our recent sports day when one of my students with learning needs was not coping with losing the events. This in turn affected his parents who also became quite upset. Being restorative with the family and being compassionate made the outcome of the day a much better ending than it could of been. To be able to see their distress/perspective made my approach to an uncomfortable situation, become a situation that was diffused with minimal engagement from Senior leaders and made the following Monday a rather normal day!

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Bible Gateway passage: Hebrews 1:1-2 - New International Version

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God's Final Word: His Son - In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

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What are important aspects of spirituality from a Lutheran perspective?
After watching the video from Bishop John Henderson, I understand that grace is something that helps us to show service to others. We do not need to earn or work for God’s love and grace; it is always freely given and available to us. Therefore, it is our responsibility to show grace to others in our lives whether this be through living our vocation, caring for others, or helping the earth.

In what ways might the concept of grace shape Lutheran education communities?
Grace is important to many aspects of Lutheran education. I think that grace fits in well with an inclusive education model. As we all have God’s grace, and it is our responsibility to serve others all children need to be welcomed and included in a Lutheran community.

The concept of grace also underpins how we can look at behaviour management. All individuals have God’s grace; therefore, we are all worthy and deserving of respect and forgiveness. A punitive or rewards-based behaviour management system would not fit well in a Lutheran school. A restorative behaviour system that respects students and understands that even when we make mistakes, we are still worthy of love and care fits well with Lutheran education.

In what ways might the concept of grace inform the understanding of my role and my contribution?
Grace informs my daily practice and interactions with students. If I see each student as having and being worthy of God’s love, I need to treat them as such. When students are making difficult choices, I know that they are inherently still good and loved by God. Therefore, My response to difficult behaviours needs to reflect this.

What questions or issues does the concept raise for me and how can I explore my questions?

How can I show grace in my daily interactions with students?

How can I help students to know that they have God’s grace when they make mistakes?

I can explore these questions through conversations and observations of teachers I respect who have more experience in Lutheran schools than myself.

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1. Why does Lutheran education value community?

I referred to the lutheran Education: Christian studies framework, which highlighted the the key ideas; The key ideas are:

Christians believe that God creates people to live in relationship with Him and each other

Christians are called to love and serve the world

Christians have a responsibility to love and serve the world

From referring to this source I took away that God created humans to work together and build relationships. Everyone is different and these differences help us to accept, understand and build our skill set to have relationships with one another. By building successful, cohesive and positive relationships, communities are able to form.

2. In what ways has the learning about community informed your understanding of Lutheran education and your contribution?

This my first year teaching at Immanuel. When starting at a new school it is always overwhelming and can make me feel nervous to meet new people, understand how the school operates and to become involved in the school community. From the very beginning I noticed Immanuel focused on welcoming and building strong relationships with new staff members. Due to this it allowed me to feel safe, supported and confident to apply this to my teaching. I feel that

I believe at Immanuel both staff and students are all apart of the community and by building strong relationships and demonstrating this to students it helps to develop a warm, supportive culture. In year 3 there is a huge emphasis placed on loving your differences and sharing your talents. We engage in Circle Time lessons where each child get to share their feelings or wonderings and this is done in a very respectful way. This type of learning incorporates an activity in which the children have to collaborate and work together, each time the children mix in different groups. We did this through creating classroom norms which by the end of the year students would remind each other of. Some of them were to always listen respectfully, understand different points of view, share your ideas and opinions and always encourage/support one another. Students shared this with other classes and their parents at home and by doing this it allowed myself, students and parents to have a very open relationship, which was built on trust, honesty and acceptance.

3. What questions or issues does the concept raise for me and how can I explore my questions?

- How do I continue to contribute to a team/person if they are not wanting to build a relationship or be apart of a community? What strategies do you use?

Throughout the year and during our Connect sessions I have had this conversation with fellow peers and it has always been a question which does not have an easy answer. In the future I would like to read some further Padlet resources to find more answers.

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How does creation theology inform the why and how of Lutheran education?

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How does creation theology inform the why and how of Lutheran education?

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Lutheran schools and early childhood services are communities that value learning as God’s gift to people for their wonder and growth, and to inspire them to respond to the needs of the world.

Lutheran schools and early childhood services are communities which acknowledge God as Creator and join in the ongoing creation and care of the world and all people.

Growing Deep - Leadership and formation framework - http://growingdeep.lutheran.edu.au/index.php/our-foundation

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How does creation theology shape an aspect of your work with students?

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How does creation theology shape an aspect of your work with students?

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God created us to co create and to continue to serve his creations by looking after the environment, school community, students and each other. As a teacher, my role is to model this expectation and provide students with the understanding of the importance of co creation. As part of building a class culture and classroom norms, with students we created the expectations on how to look after God's creation within the school yard (not littering, watering plants, caring for each other etc.). Our second Unit is called Sharing the planet and looks specifically at the effect humans have on the earth and how our responsibility is to care for the environment. This ties in with our class room agreement and Christian Studies. During this learning it sparks conversations and wonders about God and creation and how what he made was perfect and our role is to care for it all.

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What questions or issues does the concept raise for me and how can I explore my questions?

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What questions or issues does the concept raise for me and how can I explore my questions?

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Analyse and describe the ways Lutheran theological perspectives can shape practices in an early years’ service, school or classroom.

In the Induction we explored what is important to Lutheran Education and what we do in Lutheran Education. I learned that our teaching can shape meaningful practices in an early years’ service, school or classroom in a number of ways. These include emphasising the importance of developing a relationship with God, teaching the value of prayer and reading Scripture, emphasising the importance of family and the role of parents in their children’s upbringing, and emphasising the importance of love, compassion, and mercy. Additionally, Lutheran theology places a strong emphasis on education, and this can shape practices in the early years’ service, school, or classroom by sharing the importance of providing a quality education to children, and teaching children to think critically and to make informed decisions. Lutheran theology also emphasises the importance of teaching children to respect the dignity of all people and to be kind and compassionate to others, which can shape practices in the early years’ service, school, or classroom by focusing on respect for diversity and inclusion. Finally, Lutheran theology emphasises the importance of stewardship and service to others, which can shape practices in the early years’ service, school, or classroom by encouraging children to develop a sense of social responsibility and to serve the community.

What this means for our school is that we start from the very foundation of learning about respect, compassion, forgiveness and the wonder and beauty of God and all that he has given us. By having Christian studies as a subject it is something we refer to each week, and I feel these lesson really bring a sense of calm to the classroom, there is an aurora of peace and tranquility when teaching Lutheran theological perspectives. My favourite one this week was 'praying in colour!' (see photo).

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Lutherans live out their beliefs through

WORSHIP:

The best way to understand worship in the Lutheran school context is to experience it.

Whole school worship is pure joy and happiness and often the highlight of my week.

This phrase was fantastic -’communicate the relevance of the gospel to the lives of students in a range of ways as God works differently in different people at different times’.

I think this is important because every person expresses and experiences their faith in their own way

DEVOTIONS:

Staff devotions encourage belonging and togetherness. Celebrate and ask for strength.

I value other staff contributions and a chance to see faith through their eyes.

LEARNING AND VALUES

Staff devotions encourage belonging and togetherness. Celebrate and ask for strength.

I value other staff contributions and a chance to see faith through their eyes.

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God created a perfect world and is not responsible for the bad that there is. Even though there is brokenness, faith allows people to believe and see the wonder there is. He deliberately created free will also and allowed humans to sin. Sin is reflected in the destruction of creation. All humans sin and destruct God’s perfect creation in some way. Rather than being resigned to the fact it is decaying, we must not see God’s creation as now corrupt and assume this means he no longer cares for us. We must see creation as an invitation from God to wonder in his creation. All will one day be restored to original perfection. Through Jesus we glimpse the new creation.

I found the statement ‘God is never one with, nor part of his creation' I think this means that any worship of creation is worshipping or admiring the creation rather than the creator.

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This book contains the theological essentials for Lutheran educators and is written in a way which is not only understandable but can be applied in the daily challenges of school teaching, learning and planning. I strongly encourage chaplains, teachers and principals to read and consider these theological essentials to enhance their understandings, discussions and daily work.

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This book contains the theological essentials for Lutheran educators and is written in a way which is not only understandable but can be applied in the daily challenges of school teaching, learning and planning. I strongly encourage chaplains, teachers and principals to read and consider these theological essentials to enhance their understandings, discussions and daily work.

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The Bible Project

I really love the video's from the Bible Project. It sets out the stories and scripture in a very clear way and I think it targets both children and adults alike. I feel like I learned a lot from this website, including the story of Jonah, which I discuss in more detail.

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We believe that the story of Jesus has the power to transform people and entire communities.

Your generous support helps us continue making biblical resources for our growing global audience.

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Study the Story of the Bible With Free Tools

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Learn the Bible with media tools that guide individuals and groups in studying its story. Use our videos and other free online resources.

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Identify and critically reflect on unresolved issues or remaining questions to develop a plan for further learning that will advance your understanding, practice and contribution to Lutheran education.

An unresolved issue or an insecurity I have is that this is my first faith based school, so I am quite novice when it comes to teaching Lutheran Theology. Connect has been extremely helpful in introducing me to rich and authentic resources such as all the padlets. I particularly liked and found very informative, 'Introduction of the Bible' by the Bible Project. Having these rich resources gives me valuable tools that help me understand Lutheran theology and the Bible.
My learning plan is to use these resources to help further my understanding, to deliver a meaningful Worship in the next few weeks that inspires our school. To do this I will also use the help from my own collegues who have a greater knowledge of the Lutheran Church and values, including our very own pastor. I also intend to commence the Equipe Course next year.
As a result I hope to deliver a biblically based Worship that focuses on our Immanuel theme for Term 4 about Giving.

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Choose at least 1 resource from the Padlet which you engaged with and helped you to make sense of this concept, reference it, and explain why it was significant to you.

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Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics is more than the words on the page, it is an interpretation of the words of the page. A way of examining the text.
Behind the text - includes things like history, different  archaeological evidence, social economic life at that time.
The world of the text - the words on the page, is it poetry or a parable, read with a particular set of glasses so we can interpret it, narrative criticism, literary approaches.
In front of the text -  recent last 20 years. Helps to interpret the text as we evolve and change as the world changes, for example, contemporary feminist biblical scholars can give us their interpretation which looks very different today than 100 years ago as we are looking at text from 2000 years
ago. We look at reception theories. Bring our world knowledge to the text from our own experiences
Behind the text - all the words of text to give us a full picture, to give us multiple perspectives
Using reliable sources - biblical commentaries, strong foundation of scripture is,
I found  REd Three Worlds of the Text extremely helpful in breaking this down for me and understanding. A connection I made is a little bit like when we read books at school, we try to make the 3 connections of text to self, text to the world and text to other books and literature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oldTXzkC30

Story of Jonah
Behind the text:

What do we learn about GOD through this story?
Whatever your problem, God solves it with his grace. God’s grace abolishes guilt forever.  It doesn’t matter

what you have done. If you were a hundred times worse than you are, your sins would be no match

for his mercy.
There is a hymn that goes: “Well might the Accuser roa

r / Of sins that I have done / I see them all and thousands more.” Yet if you are in Christ, “Jehovah knoweth none.”10
Keller, Timothy.

The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy

Hodder & Stoughton. Kindle Edition.
The main purpose of God is to get Jonah to

understand grace. The main purpose of the book of Jonah is to get us to

understand grace.

What did Jonah learn?
That God is kind and compassionate. God has Grace. The wrath with the the storm. That God has love for even the enemies.

In front of the text:

What is it saying to me?
There are two sides to the story. It shows me the absolute mercy of God and his Grace to forgive people who have done horrendous things to other people. That it shows me that if God can see this, he can forgive all our sins. (excerpts from The Prodigal Prophet)
That everyone deserves a second chance, no matter the history or event.

What might it be saying about our community?
The story is the message it tells us. That we need to be understanding of each other, that we will have different thoughts and opinions and it is important to give everyone a change to have human agency and perspectives so that we can learn from each other and by understanding and also compassionate.

Keller, T. The Prodigal Prophet (2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLIabZc0O4c
Keller, Timothy.

The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy

Hodder & Stoughton. Kindle Edition.

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Looking through Bible verses gave me a greater appreciation to all of 

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My second evidence of learning through Bible verses.

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My second evidence of learning through Bible verses.

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Genesis 1: 1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Psalm: 8:3-5 NLT- all the work of His fingers - given to us (the lowly ones) to look after

1 Corinthians: 12:4–7 (NLT)- ongoing creation- receiving many gifts from the same spirit (God) - different gifts but used for the benefit of all

Acts 17:22: 24-26a (NLT)- Life- satisfying all needs- everything made
Psalm 139:13-17 (NLT)-For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Genesis 2:3- Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

https://www.bible.com/bible/116/1CO.12.NLT
Gods creationsNIrV Study  Bible for kids, 2015

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Use these or other questions to critically reflect on your learning during this session:
1. Connect: How are the ideas and information presented connected to what you already knew?

Before this, my only understanding of grace was saying a prayer before meals or thanking God internally when something went well. I went to Sunday School when I was small and had a very good friend who lived across the street who were devout Christians, so we would say Grace before dinner and make connections to God whenever I was at her place. The Lutheran idea of grace was completely new learning for me.

2. Extend: What new ideas did you get the extended or broadened your thinking in new directions?

Through my discussions, further reading and Connect sessions I have developed an understanding of Grace. I think it is a powerful concept to teach students. I would like my students to be aware that they are worthy and have God’s love and acceptance simply by existing.

I have not taught this concept in my class before, as it is my first year in a Lutheran School, but I would like to weave this concept through Christian Studies and also everyday school life like our circle times, social concepts and  playtimes.

3.  Challenge: What challenges or puzzles have come up in your mind from the ideas and information presented?

How do we respond to student’s who do not want, or reject God’s love and grace? Or parents who do not believe? Or families of different faiths?

I can challenge these questions through conversations that helped from listening to

Vanishing Grace: An Interview with Philip Yancey

'the West is becoming increasingly post-Christian, and we need to adjust our approach because the Good News no longer sounds like good news. Fortunately, the Bible gives a lot of guidance on this issue, because the Apostle Paul operated within a Roman Empire even more skeptical of and hostile to believers than what we live under today.'

Paul, was sent on a special mission by the Messiah, Jesus, planned by God himself:
2 Corinthians 1 I write this to God’s congregation in Corinth, and to believers all over Achaia province. May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours!

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Education and Lutheranism is our why. Grace is the how.

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Moment of wonder, joy or delight in work

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Moment of wonder, joy or delight in work

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Working across the year groups to support all children allows me to develop a relationship with them.
Having sleepover and making connections
The children feel comfortable with me even if not in my class.

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Education is about preparation for the workforce?

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Education is about preparation for the workforce?

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Lutheran schools and early childhood services are communities that value learning as God’s gift to people for their wonder, growth, and to inspire them to respond to the needs of the world.
Lutheran schools and early childhood services are communities which acknowledge God as creator and join in the ongoing creation and care of the world and all people.
https://growingdeep.lutheran.edu.au/

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I lead by word and deed simply because I am here doing what I do. If you are also here doing what you do, then you also exercise leadership of some sort.

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Bible versuses that resonated with me.

Genesis 1:31

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening,

and there was morning—the sixth day. (NIV)

God looked at what he had done. All of it was very good! Evening came

and then morning—that was the sixth day. (CEV)

God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning— Day Six

Students in Lutheran schools need to be encouraged to look beyond the impact of sin on God’s good creation and celebrate and enjoy that creation using the gifts and opportunities which they are given.

Students need to be stimulated to proclaim their response to God’s good creation through drama, music, painting, dance, poetry, photography, creative writing, and any other creative and artistic means of expression. Schools need to ensure that such avenues are not reduced by other pressures within the total school curriculum.
Bartsch, M. (2013). A God who speaks and acts: theology for teachers in Lutheran schools. Adelaide: Lutheran Education Australia pp 54-55

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God creates people in God’s image as unique individuals 

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God creates people in God’s image as unique individuals 

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Each person has individual worth and importance in the eyes of God. Created as a unique individual with distinctive characteristics, gifts and abilities.
Theology of creation teaches that each person is created as a unique individual with distinctive characteristics, gifts and abilities, strengths and weaknesses (cf Luther’s explanation to the first article of the Apostles Creed). No two human beings are identical. Each person, therefore, has individual worth and value in the eyes of God.
Bartsch, M. (2013). A God who speaks and acts: theology for teachers in Lutheran schools. Adelaide: Lutheran Education Australia pp 62-64

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Our school values are based on Respect, Flourish and Serve.
Include school photo and a creation mind map of how you target creation in class

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God created all things beautiful. What about all things not beautiful like disease, famine, poverty, natural disasters?
What point can Creation become damaging like technology or creating something powerful that can be use in a negative way?
Where does mental health and care for oneself fit in?
Did God create the Universe/Solar Systems/?
How do we share the creation and order of creation?
How do we explain parts of Creation to our students when we cant answer all the questions?

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God created all things beautiful, humans, nature, the moon and the stars etc. Did he also created death, disease, war??? My understanding after reflecting in my group is that God created humans, he also gave us free will. That free will entitles us to make the decisions that cause good and bad things to happen on Earth, like wars, greed. Part of the nature of Earth is that everything dies and is reborn again, like Jesus. I am still a little perplexed about 'God having a plan for us all,' since we have free will. Doesn't that mean it is our plan, we choose our own path through free will?
I thought God created Jesus, I now know that Jesus always existed, God created the human form of him, but 'God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit' are all the same.
Psalm 8:3-5 says 'the moon and stars you set in place.' So if he created the moon and stars, he created the planets and the Solar System. He created all. What is his plan for the Universe? Are there others out there?
My mental health question is probably answered again by the fact humans have free will to make decisions. Maybe these decisions have somehow impacted on our mental and physical state.
Answering questions to my students can at times be tricky. I think when I don't know the answer, its ok and we should write down all our wonderings and have our pastor 'Damien Larcombe' come and do some teaching and help enlighten us to the ways of Creation

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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An activity we did was to write down 3 words to describe my experience of community in this place I chose 1. Supportive 2. Valued and 3. Relationships. I chose these because I feel that they open the door for all the other key words. With these 3, I have a team, partners, collaborators and if I am valued, there must be kindness, compassion and understanding.

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My first evidence of Learning:                               God values relationships

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My first evidence of Learning:                               God values relationships

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The story of creation (Gen 2:14-25) shows how highly God values relationships. God is concerned that Adam should not be alone but have a companion, ‘a helper as his partner’ (Gen 2:18). God goes to great lengths to ensure Adam finally has another person with whom to share in relationship. Paradise is represented as the place of perfect relationships between God and human beings, human beings and the whole of the created world, and human beings with each other and

within themselves. Before the advent of sin to distort and destroy those relationships, nothing disturbed them.

Bartsch, M. (2013). A God who speaks and acts: theology for teachers in Lutheran schools.

Adelaide: Lutheran Education Australia p15-19

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My second evidence of Learning:               Lutheran History in SA 

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My second evidence of Learning:               Lutheran History in SA 

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During our workshop learning we attended the LESNW office and explored the connection between Kaurna history and the Lutheran church.

South Australia was settled in 1836. It was non convict state.  Germans were being persecuted all of Germany for religious beliefs, so many German Lutherans immigrated to SA to begin new lives while maintaining their faith.

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To be a supportive community where well-being is nurtured, innovative teaching empowers learners to take responsible action, and the message of Jesus Christ is communicated and celebrated.
In my words:
I believe that well- being is paramount in teaching and learning. It empowers us to be effective communicators, lifelong learners who are open minded, critical and creative.  It helps us to be responsible global humans where we embrace and spread the message of Jesus Christ.

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How am I uniquely gifted?

I think I am creative. I love to be mindful with my students or do art. I feel that it tunes as all in and provides a peaceful and inviting environment. I also consider myself to be a good communicator, thoughtful, and kind with children. I feel I have an approachable and bubbly personality. By using these gifts so graciously afforded me to serve my community as a teacher, I am fulfilling God’s calling for me.

What do you bring to your community through using your gifts?

I hope I bring joy to the students who I teach, I hope that I instill a love of learning.

What does the Bible say about using our gifts?

As the verse from Peter 4:10 says, our gifts should be bestowed on others to enjoy and that is the message God is trying to convey.
I also resonate with the verse from John 13:34,35 (NIRV)
I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples.

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How I conduct myself in the classroom by growing deeper.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Reflection: perspectives and

understandings about Lutheran theology and Grace.

Nadia’s stated; “nobody is climbing the spiritual ladder”

This allowed me to reflect after this video and understand there is no ladder or competition with faith. Faith is your own journey and no person is better or ‘higher’ on a spiritual ladder then anyone.

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I really resonated with Nadia's ideology about being honest and having a little Fatih in ourselves and realising that we are not all perfect and that by speaking about our 'jagged little edges' helps us to connect with each other. By being open about our imperfections helps us to sand down these rough patches of our lives and ultimately helps each other, it helps God and our fellow human beings have something to grab onto.

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Telling the Truth About Ourselves | Have a Little Faith

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God invites people to be co-creators – God invites people to join in ongoing creative processes that serve the needs of the world. Our minds continue to be created through lifelong learning. As educators who nurture wondering, curiosity, awe, meaning making and celebration, we also play a role in co-creating the minds of students.

Bartsch, M. (2013). A God who speaks and acts: theology for teachers in Lutheran schools. Adelaide: Lutheran Education Australia pp 51-54

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We viewed the video by Bishop John Henderson,  of the Lutheran Church of Australia which explore the relationship between the Lutheran Church of Australia and Lutheran education through the following two websites.

The Lutheran Church of Australia and its schools (statement) (Lutheran Education Australia, 2021)

History of Lutheran education in Australia (video) (Lutheran Education Australia, 2021)

My questions:

How did Lutheranism come about? I know it is to do with Martin Luther but i would like to know the history.

How does Lutheran Education consider teachers and students from other faith or faithless backgrounds?

What about when people’s actions are awful? Is there ever a time where you cannot be forgiven for your sins?

Where is the place for students who are other denominations and religions in Lutheran education?

How do we ensure that families that may have different values still feel included?

What are the similarities and differences to the Catholic Church?

How do I best include Lutheran perspectives in my daily practice?

How do I answer questions about faith while respecting and including individuals of other faiths or whose life experiences may have contradicting experiences?