by Peter Ziersch
Good on you, Australian Lutherans!!
That’s the sentiment of people you have been
able to help through your generosity in responding to the appeal for those affected by the Western Australian fires and, in particular, the Pinery fire in South Australia.
It has been a privilege and a joy to represent all of you who so generously donated, as I have handed over cheques and vouchers which have brought so much happiness to so many.
The appeal raised more than $300,000 from around Australia, a marvellous effort from people, who, by and large, are not wealthy. In all I was able to distribute more than $130,000, which you so generously gave in response to this appeal.
St Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:6-11: ‘Remember this: … God loves a cheerful giver … and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work … You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God’.
That has been the hope that, as Paul says, ‘your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God’, through your donations to this appeal. With this in mind, I have been hand-delivering the cheques and vouchers in most cases, to show the ‘human face’ of the church to those devastated by this fire who may not be Lutheran, or even active church attenders.
