To mark the closure of the Robertstown Lutheran Women’s Fellowship, President Audrey Ruediger wrote this concise history as a record of the groups activities over the 77 years of affiliation with Lutheran Women of S.A./N.T.
The group will continue as a bible study group in the future, to which all members of the Parish are welcome.
The first Guild began in 1948. In the early days, Robertstown, Point Pass, Emu Downs and Geranium Plain had their own groups; Emu Downs and Geranium Plain later formed one group and when they closed, members chose to join either Point Pass or Robertstown.
We met together for meetings with devotion, bible studies, there was some parish fundraising and business, but always met separately with our own business and congregational funds.
We purchased kitchen needs -a microwave and refrigerator for our hall and some pew cushions, an artificial Christmas tree, hymn books etc for our own congregation. We also paid for some manse carpet and blinds.
I became a member when both children started school in 1981 (the same year Sunday School teaching). Annual events included zone retreats, zone rallies, state conventions and World Day of Prayer.
Zone events included groups at Eudunda, Kapunda, Carlsruhe and our Parish. We visited the Eudunda Hostel residents-two ladies were rostered each month for visiting; and hosted a visit of a busload of Hillcrest patients – once we gave thirty- two and a half dozen eggs to Hillcrest.
Some conventions included overnights at Port Lincoln and Bordertown. We held an annual luncheon meeting with stalls and guest speakers, inviting many Fellowships and ladies from other denominations.
We also attended many similar functions at Clare, Balaklava, Morgan, Cambrai and many Barossa groups. We did so much catering for many funerals, clearing sales, weddings, golden weddings and many ministers fraternals.
There were some Parish bus trips – some places visited were to the Archives, LCA Office, Tract Mission and Seminary. Until the last couple of years we have sorted and packed aa lot second-hand clothing and household goods for Lutheran Care.
We took turns to host an Annual Advent evening, sometimes with a meal and with devotions, items and guest speakers.
In 1988, I was appointed as secretary, then president in 1993. In 1998, we had a 50th Anniversary Service when many former members visited and some from State Executive.
Elma Pfitzner made the special 50th Anniversary banner which still hangs in Robertstown Hall today. Helen Wittwer became treasurer in 1997. We welcomed Pastor Andre Meyer, a new graduate in 2005, after Pastor James Janetzki left in 2008.
In November 2008, Point Pass and Robertstown Guilds amalgamated to become Robertstown Parish Women’s Fellowship. We had sent 30 bags of honey biscuits to Lutheran Community Care annually, so now with the additional Point Pass quota, we supplied 50 bags.
We started contributing to the Samaritans Purse Shoebox Project, donating to the Barossa organiser, and later in2016 began doing our own project completing all contents of the boxes.
Dehla Schmidt and I joined a South Australian bus group to attend LWA Convention in Melbourne in 2009. Pastor Peter Pfitzner and Deborah were installed in 2011 after Pastor Andre Meyer left for Perth.
Judy Milde became Fellowship secretary in 2013. In March 2020 we received news of the Coronavirus so we missed four meetings that year and
so much changed with limited functions.
With Desma Wilksch organising and sewing for the shoeboxes, we continued sending many until 2024 (one year we filled 50 boxes).
In September 2021 we held a meeting in our Church Hall to formalise the dissolution of the Light Zone Ladies Group (after 54 years) with former members and some of State Executive attending.
Pastor Joshua Muller left in mid-2022 and we welcomed Pastor Jacob Fabich at our April meeting 2024.
It has been a privilege to lead and share so many things with so many devoted ladies. Thanks be to God.
