Outer Eastern Lutheran Church - Croydon, Victoria, Australia - Lutheran Churches on Waymarking.com

The Outer Eastern Lutheran Church (OELC) is a Congregation of the Lutheran Church of Australia.

OELC was formed in August 1999 as a combination of two former congregations – The Open Door Lutheran Fellowship, Croydon, and Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lilydale. The preaching place at Yarra Junction also came into OELC at the same time, as a ministry of the former Immanuel Congregation.

The two worship centres are still known as ‘Open Door’ (Luther College Chapel Croydon) and ‘Immanuel’ (11 North Road Lilydale).

Background

Although Lutheran services were first held in Melbourne from the late 1840's - and a Lutheran congregation was established at Doncaster (Waldau) in 1856 - it took almost a century before any further congregations were established in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

Over the years services were held for varying periods of time in a number of eastern suburbs, largely for groups of Lutheran families living there. The pastors of inner city congregations usually took responsibility for these services.

Both world wars and the Church's perception of itself as an ethnic organisation significantly hindered the growth of Lutheran churches in Victoria. It wasn't until after World War Two, that both former Lutheran synods (ELCA, UELCA) began to look to these rapidly growing suburbs to establish new permanent congregations.

The eastward movement of a Lutheran presence is indicated by the dates congregations were established:

1948:

St Paul's, Box Hill (ELCA)

1961:

Good Shepherd, Ringwood (established by Box Hill)

1963:

St Paul's, Nunawading (UELCA)

1968:

Our Redeemer, Glen Waverley, (established by Box Hill)

1972:

Immanuel, Lilydale (established by Ringwood)

1974:

Our Saviour, Knox (established by Ringwood)

1983:

Open Door, Croydon (established by Ringwood)


A number of factors combined to inspire the formation of a Lutheran congregation at Croydon:

The Victorian District of the Lutheran Church of Australia was keen to see the establishment of a congregation east of Ringwood. It saw the gap between Lilydale and Ringwood being filled by an expanding population. By the end of the 1970's, the District perceived that the time was ripe for the formation of a new congregation and a Croydon church could similarly be established with firm support from Ringwood.
The anomalous position of students boarding at Luther College was also a factor in the formation of the Croydon church. During the early years, Luther College boarders joined Ringwood congregation for Sunday services. Ringwood congregation grew so rapidly that a second service had to be introduced to enable boarders to continue attending the church. From 1973, boarders attended the second service at Ringwood once a month and another congregation once a month. On alternate Sundays, a service was held at the College. It soon became apparent that to integrate boarders fully into the life of a congregation they would need to attend one congregation regularly. This need, along with the needs of new families moving to Croydon because of Luther College, strengthened the case for establishing a congregation at Croydon.
Coinciding with discussions about establishing a congregation at Croydon were deliberations over the need to call a second Chaplain at least on a part-time basis, to meet the spiritual needs of the Luther College community as it expanded from 350 to 500 students. The initiative for a joined chaplaincy with Ringwood (or a new Croydon congregation) and the College was mooted.
In short, God's people recognised that geographically the nucleus for a new congregation existed at Croydon, particularly with Luther College as a major attracting force situated on the edge of development in the North Croydon and North Ringwood areas; the spiritual needs of the Luther College boarders would be better served by a congregation at Croydon and buildings to commence services already existed.

The Church shares the site with two schools -

The Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School and
Luther College

The Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School was established in 1979 by the Ringwood Lutheran Congregation, to provide Christian education for its children, and children of other denominations. It is one of more than 80 primary and secondary schools operated by the Lutheran Church of Australia. The School is owned and operated by the Outer Eastern Lutheran Church.

The Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School commenced with an enrolment of 53 students. Mrs Irma Dymke was the foundation Principal. Thirty years later, the school has an enrolment of 530 students and 62 members of staff.

Luther College was opened in 1964. Luther College is a school of the Lutheran Church of Australia, named for the father of the Lutheran Church, Dr. Martin Luther, a 16th century German theologian.

Beginning as a boarding school with students from remote regional areas of Victoria making up a large percentage of its enrolment, the school grew to become popular with International students. However after a decline in International enrolments and worries about the growth of the student body in relation to the school's facilities, the boarding program ended in the late nineties, with the boarding house facilities being demolished or adapted into classrooms. The school now admits small numbers of students from remote areas who take part in a home-stay program, residing with the families of local students.

Luther College caters for students from years 7 through 12 and currently serves over 1,000 students.

Active Church: Yes School on property: Yes Website: [Web Link] Date Built: Not listed Service Times: Not listed

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