God’s Work with the Alyawarr people

By Michael Jacobsen

Pre-1950 the Lutheran missionary Pastor Friedrich Wilhelm Albrecht began visiting the Alyawarr language area (Sandover region). After 1958 his son Pastor Paul Albrecht and FRM Board member Gary Stoll, both fluent Arrernte speakers and long-time employees of the Finke River Mission, began regular visits to the Sandover, 300 kilometres north-east of Alice Springs.

During that time a number of Aboriginal pastors emerged, engaging in God’s work amongst the Alyawarr peoples. This included Colin Malbunka (then evangelist) and Pastor Davey Ingkamala who also played a significant role in this ministry. Conrad Raberaba, senior pastor from Ntaria (Hermannsburg), performed baptisms at both Utopia and Amaroo (Ampilatwatja) before Davey Inkamala’s ordination. For reinforcement, Pastor Immanuel Rutjinama from Yuelamu/Napperby worked in this area, too. He accompanied Pastor Albrecht when he visited the communities in this area.

The Aboriginal Lutheran Church in the Alyawarr and Eastern Arrernte region developed more and more in concentric circles

To read more about the development of the Aboriginal Lutheran Church history, click here.

Read similar stories in the 2020 Summer edition of Christ in the Centre, news from the Finke River Mission (FRM) of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA).

Michael Jacobsen is the Ministry Support Worker
for the Alyawarr Language Area (Central Australia)
Ministry of the LCA’s FRM