Murray Valley Lutherans celebrate community
The Lutheran communities of Monarto and Murray Bridge have worked hard to change the image of practicing Lutherans in the area.
In 2025, events like the annual Blessing of Soil and Seed and the inaugural Roadshow film of John Gladigau’s ‘Kick off ya Boots’ held at the John Dohler Hall, kept volunteers busy with mission outreach and fundraising. The recent Callington Show held on Reformation Sundayis another event where Murray Valley Lutheran Community (MVLC) can support the locals with the Home Baked goods stall. Proceeds from the event were raised for the Murraylands L2P Learner Drivers’ Program, assisting disadvantaged young people, victims of domestic violence, and immigrants all needing a licence to travel to work.
Volunteers at the MVLC Baked goods stall Callington Show 2025
Other events throughout 2025 included celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Murray Bridge Concordia Kindergarten on 10 August, followed by twin centenaries of two of the three churches within MVLC. The first centenary was held at Monarto Zion on 21 September, where 115 people attended, followed by a hosted luncheon where only a few families now worship regularly. At the opening of the 1925 new Monarto church building, over a thousand attended and in the same year a new church building was erected in Murray Bridge for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Cross Congregation. This centenary was celebrated on 15 November 2025 at Holy Cross, with 215 people attending.
Celebrating Murray Bridge, Holy Cross centenary on 15 November 2025
It was an incredible accomplishment that, in 1925, the same architect and builder, Mr Ben (Bernhardt) Pobke together with members, completed two remarkable limestone church buildings within twelve months. The churches were built in the same parish and are only 14.8km apart. Local stone was cut and used for Monarto Zion, while Murray cliffs limestone was cut and brought over the bridge for Holy Cross. In the 1970’s, the Dunstan government changed the Monarto area with land bought for the new idealised city which never took off, this affected membership with farms sold and families moving on.
The current Pastor, David Kuss, led both services with guest preacher Emeritus SA-NT District Bishop David Altus at Monarto Zion and Emeritus Pastor Graham Harms at Holy Cross. Many previous pastors, local politicians, councillors and many invited past family members attended both services. For the Monarto celebration the oldest living member, Stella Altmann and Esme Hein attended to the cutting of the cake, while at the Holy Cross service, the current and longest active member, Helen Carroll was present to cut the cake with Stella Altmann.
Cutting the cake at the Monarto Zion centenary, Stella Altmann and Esme Hein.
The ongoing support and hard work from the dedicated volunteers, is appreciated and applauded. Sadly, their numbers are dwindling each year due to age, and, at times, through church apathy. We hope and pray that the Murray Valley community will open their hearts and continue to support the Lutheran community into the future.
For further information visit MVLC Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mvlcsa or website mvlc.org.au
Top image: Celebrating Monarto Zion centenary on 21 September 2025.
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