Synodical Assembly Update
We have exciting news to share as our very first Synodical Assembly draws closer.
In brief:
The Synodical Assembly will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hamilton, Victoria on 28-30 August 2026.
The program is now available
We have special international guests delivering the keynote address at the Formal Dinner and delivering Bible Studies during the Synodical Assembly
Observer tickets go on sale 1 June 2026
Program
The program for the Synodical Assembly will include:
Special Guests
We will be hosting a number of special guests including representatives from international church bodies.
The President of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison and his wife Kathy will attend the Synodical Assembly, bringing greetings from the LCMS.
Rev Dr Juhana Pohjola, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF), will deliver the keynote address at the Synod Formal Dinner. Bishop Pohjola also serves as the Chairman of the International Lutheran Council. Over the last few years, he has faced criminal prosecution for publishing a booklet on marriage according to the Word of God and continues to challenge this assault on freedom of religion through the European Court of Human Rights. The ELMDF has faced many of the same challenges we are now experiencing in LM-A, and his keynote address will offer great wisdom and encouragement as we seek to plot a faithful course for the future.
Rev. Michael Frese, Deputy Director of Church Relations for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, assisting the President of the Synod in fostering and maintaining fellowship with over 100 church bodies across more than 70 countries. In this role, he helps lead international theological dialogues and ensures that all interchurch relationships are grounded in fidelity to Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
Prior to his current role, Pastor Frese served in parish ministry in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and in Adell, Wisconsin. He also served more than twenty years as a military chaplain in both the U.S. Army and the Indiana Air National Guard, including overseas assignments in Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan. During his active-duty service, he was awarded the Purple Heart after sustaining injuries during deployment in Afghanistan.
Together with his wife, Janet, Rev. Frese founded Emmanuel Press, which makes works essential to confessional Lutheran theology available worldwide through classic reprints, original devotional books, and catechetical, homiletic, and liturgical resources.
Pastor Frese holds a B.A. in behavioral science from Concordia University Nebraska and both an M.Div. and S.T.M. from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne where he also taught for a time as an adjunct professor in Pastoral Counseling. He and Janet have three children — Alex (†), Nadia, and Gabriel — and currently reside in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
At this Synodical Assembly, Pastor Frese will be leading Bible study on Friday and Saturday mornings.
Registration
Member Representatives have received their invitations and are asked to complete the registration process as soon as possible. A Member Representative Forum is being held on Saturday 20 June to run through the Synod program, meeting procedures and to discuss the Synodical Order (see separate article). Congregations will be invoiced for the member representative tickets.
Observers - Lutheran Mission- Australia members and friends are welcome to register as observers for some or all of our inaugural Synodical Assembly.
Tickets should be purchased via the Eventbrite link below.
Ticket sales open on 1 June 2026.
Ticket prices
Thursday evening reception - free but registration is required for catering purposes
Observer tickets - $45 per day/$20 children 2-12/children under 2 free. Includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea each day.
Formal Dinner - $75 per person/$35 children 2-12/children under 2 free
More information is available on the ticketing site. Note that each order attracts a booking fee.
Payment methods and group bookings
The preferred method of payment is online using credit or debit cards or PayPal. We appreciate that not everyone is able to or is comfortable with paying online, so we have set up the ticketing system to permit payment by cheque or by invoice. Ticket purchases must still be made using the Eventbrite site.
To assist those who may struggle with technology, it is possible for one person to place orders on behalf of a group. Congregations placing group orders may choose this method and can opt for payment by invoice if they wish. If placing a group order, please ensure that you have collected the dietary needs for all people you are ordering for.