“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Philippians 4:4

Recently, I shared this verse with our staff and was reminded of the familiar hymn, This Is the Day, with its joyful words, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

There is certainly much to rejoice about at LORDS. The weather is beautiful, our end-of-year celebrations are approaching, and preparations for 2027 are well underway. Soon, we will welcome new students and families through our Prep and Year 7 Orientation programs. It is a wonderful time in the life of our school.

Paul's encouragement to rejoice reaches beyond the good times. Writing to the Philippians, he reminds us that our joy is found in the Lord, even when life presents challenges. Our circumstances may change, but God's love and faithfulness remain.

Joy also invites us to be grateful. To recognise the blessings we have received, appreciate the people around us, and give thanks for the opportunities before us. Even through difficult experiences, we can grow in faith and learn to see God's goodness at work.

As parents and educators, we have the privilege of helping our young people develop this understanding. We want them to approach life with grateful hearts, recognising God's blessings while also developing compassion for those whose circumstances may be very different from their own.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the joy we find in You and for the many blessings in our lives. Help us to remain thankful through both the good times and the challenges we face. Open our hearts to the needs of others and guide us to share Your love through our words and actions.
Amen.

• This LORDS Voice, we will be praying for families in our community and their needs:  Ciccia-Bradley, Cifuentes Quintero, Cluss, Cochrane, Cognet, Cole.
• We give thanks for the many blessings in our LORDS community as we approach the end of the year. Bless our students and families preparing for 2027, particularly those joining us for Prep and Year 7 Orientations.
• We pray for our Year 9 students and the six staff members participating in Street Retreat. May their experiences deepen their compassion and understanding. Bless the charities and service providers who care for people experiencing homelessness and those facing hardship in our community.
• Thank you for providing for our needs and blessing us. We pray you would continue to keep us from harm and danger. Into your hands we commend ourselves, our school, and all things.

This week, our Year 9 students are undertaking one of the most significant learning experiences of their time at LORDS: Street Retreat.

Over four days and three nights in Brisbane City, students and staff engage in service learning designed to deepen their understanding of homelessness and the challenges faced by vulnerable members of our community. The experience includes working alongside charities and service providers who support people experiencing homelessness, participating in a mall sit, and experiencing what it means to sleep rough.

Street Retreat is an important culmination of our learning beyond the classroom and Service Learning programs. It challenges our students to move beyond what they know and encounter the experiences of others. This is a powerful expression of our LORDS commitment to Learning for Life, serving our community and Growing Relationships with God, Self and Others.

I hope our Year 9 students return with a greater understanding of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, but also with a renewed appreciation for the opportunities and blessings in their own lives. This connects beautifully with our devotional thought from Philippians. Rejoicing in the Lord encourages us to recognise what we have been given with gratitude. That gratitude can also move us towards action, using our blessings to serve those around us.

Experiences such as Street Retreat help our young people develop that understanding. They challenge assumptions, encourage compassion, and provide opportunities to grow in confidence as they learn more about themselves and their responsibilities to others.

I sincerely thank the six LORDS staff members who have accompanied our Year 9 students throughout this experience. In particular, I acknowledge Mr Chris Kearney for his leadership and organisation of Street Retreat.

Craig Brown

Principal

Welcome back to Term 4! It has been wonderful to see our Junior School students return, reconnect with friends and teachers, and settle back into learning. We have already had a busy start to the term, with several special events bringing our community together.

One of the highlights has been our fundraising efforts to support the people of Nepal through ALWS. Students learnt about Nepal, the challenges communities have been facing, and how we can help support others during difficult times. They also created beautiful prayer flags, adding their own messages and drawings as a way of sharing hope and care. Together, our Junior School community raised $465 to support the important work of ALWS. Thank you to our families and students for getting involved and helping us put our values of compassion and service into action.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day was another wonderful highlight. It was lovely to welcome so many grandparents and special friends into our classrooms to spend time with students, see their learning and experience a little of what makes our Junior School so special. This is always a special day on our school calendar, and we are grateful to everyone who took the time to join us and share in the morning.

We have also enjoyed welcoming our 2027 Prep students and their families to our orientation morning. It was lovely to see our newest learners begin to become familiar with their classrooms, meet some of the people who will be part of their school journey, and connect with other families. We look forward to welcoming them officially to LORDS next year.

As we look ahead to the rest of Term 4, there is still plenty to look forward to. Thank you for your continued partnership and for the many ways you contribute to our Junior School community. We look forward to sharing the learning, celebrations and special moments that make this time of year so memorable.

Upcoming events Term 4

• Year 3 Sleepover – Friday 16th October
• Year 1-6 New Students 2027 Orientation – Tuesday 20th October
• P-3 Swimming – Tuesday 27th October – Friday 30th October
• Prep 2027 Orientation – Saturday 31st October
• Day for Daniel – Friday 30th October
• International Staff Day – Friday 30th October

Blessings,

Rebekah Bruyn

Head of Junior School

There’s something special about bringing generations together!

On Monday afternoon, we welcomed our students’ grandparents and special friends to LORDS for a lovely afternoon of connection and discovery.

Guests enjoyed afternoon tea before heading off to explore our school, with Junior School classroom visits and Secondary School tours offering a glimpse into the learning, friendships, and experiences that make up life at LORDS.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the afternoon so special. Special thanks to our Secondary Hospitality students for their superb tea and coffee service, and the delicious afternoon tea supplied by Black Sheep Brew & Chew.

We loved sharing a little of the LORDS community with you!

This term, in STEM, students will embark on exciting, hands-on learning experiences as we explore the topic of life cycles. Incubation units will be arriving on Monday, marking the beginning of our ‘Egg to Chick’
unit!

Students will observe the incubation process, record changes, and investigate how technology supports the development of new life. They will design, build and test prototypes to explore the engineering principles involved in creating suitable conditions for incubation.

Once the chicks have hatched, students will have the opportunity to take them home (minimum 3), provided suitable arrangements have been made to ensure their wellbeing. If your family is interested in taking a chick home, please register your interest with me at your earliest convenience, as availability is limited.

Keira Bartley (STEM)

On Thursday, 8th October, our LORDS Secondary School community came together for a day bursting with colour, energy and House pride, all in support of communities affected by the recent tragedy in Nepal.

THE CHALLENGE? CLIMB MOUNT EVEREST — ONE LAP AT A TIME!

With the summit of Mt Everest standing at 8,848.86 metres, students and staff took on the ambitious challenge of walking enough laps around the oval to match its height. From brain breaks during lessons to our afternoon Colour Fun Run, every lap counted!

LOGAN HOUSE TAKES THE CROWN! With an impressive 1,003 laps completed during the afternoon, wristbands returned and House spirit on full display, Logan led the way! Pimpama followed with 938 laps and Albert with 917. Congratulations to all three Houses for getting behind the challenge!

THE CLIMB CONTINUED ON FRIDAY! Building on the 342 laps completed in the morning and a further 2,858 in the afternoon, our LORDS Secondary community laced up once more and kept the momentum going towards our Everest goal.

With 5,646 laps still to go, reaching the summit was an ambitious challenge — but every lap, every step and every contribution demonstrated the power of a community coming together for a meaningful cause.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated, encouraged others, and helped bring this initiative to life. Your energy, generosity, and House spirit made it a memorable two days!

Three Houses. One community. One meaningful cause. Together, we climb!

In support of ALWS and the people of Nepal following the recent floods, our Prep – Year 12 students came together to create beautiful Tibetan Prayer Flags.

Traditionally, Tibetan Prayer Flags are used to express hopes, blessings, and positive intentions. Rather than carrying prayers to one person, they are believed to share messages of peace, compassion, wisdom, strength, and harmony with the wider world. As the wind moves through the flags, it symbolically carries these intentions beyond ourselves and into our communities.

Each flag created by our students represents a heartfelt message of care, hope, and solidarity for those facing hardship in Nepal. It has been a meaningful way for our students to reflect on the power of compassion and to stand alongside others in times of need.

As these flags flutter in the breeze, may they serve as a reminder that even small acts of kindness can have a far-reaching impact.

Our Year 10 General English students were recently treated to a fantastic live performance of Romeo and Juliet by Shake & Stir Theatre Co.

In preparation for their upcoming analytical exam, students had the opportunity to see Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy brought to life on stage, deepening their understanding of the characters, relationships, themes, and dramatic techniques they have been exploring in class.

It was a wonderful opportunity to take learning beyond the classroom and experience the power of Shakespeare in performance.

A huge thank you to Shake & Stir for an engaging and memorable experience!

Our World Scholar's Cup Teams made us so proud!

Our Year 10 team came 7th overall! They received 8 gold medals and 13 silver medals.

Huge congratulations to team member Amy, the 8th highest-scoring Scholar at the event!

Our Year 11 team came 3rd overall! They received 23 gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 3 trophies! Highlights for this team included placing 2nd in the Challenge, 3rd in Writing, and 4th in Bowl!

Both of our teams have earned an invitation to Yale to compete in the World Scholar's Cup Tournament of Champions in November.
Congratulations!

Millie C and Caleb F had the incredible opportunity to attend the prestigious Griffith University Gold Coast Leaders Lunch at the JW Marriott.

Accompanied by top business and community figures, our students heard an inspiring keynote address from Wesfarmers CEO and former Olympian, Rob Scott, who shared invaluable insights into what it takes to achieve excellence in both sport and business. Mayor Tom Tate was also in attendance, and he sparked exciting discussions about the future of the Gold Coast as we look ahead towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Millie and Caleb represented LORDS exceptionally well at the event, embracing the opportunity to rub shoulders with leaders from the Gold Coast business, education and sporting communities. The future is looking bright!

Queensland’s School Immunisation Program (SIP) provides secondary school students in Year 7 and 10 with the opportunity to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases by receiving free immunisations. This program is part of the National Immunisation Program.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Term 4 Interhouse Activities: Get Involved!

There is plenty happening across our Term 4 Interhouse program, with a range of opportunities to connect with your House, try something different and contribute to your House’s points tally ahead of the 2027 competition.

Check the attached schedule to see what’s on and when, and make the most of the opportunities available throughout the term.

Week 5 – House Meetings, Swimming Carnival Nominations and Team Selections for the Sports Throwdown

During the Week 5 Sport timeslot, students will meet in their House groups for a short meeting led by the incoming House Captains. Students will then complete nominations for the House Swimming Carnival to be held on Thursday 26th November.

Following this, Houses will select their teams for the Interhouse Sports Throwdown on Thursday 19th November. Each House must field a team in every sport and division:

Junior: Years 7–8
Senior: Years 9–11

The sports will include volleyball, netball and oztag, with each team required to have at least one-third of its players being girls.

There are plenty of ways to contribute, whether you’re a regular competitor or keen to try something new. Get involved, support your House and play your part in building momentum towards the 2027 House competition!

On Wednesday 7th October, LORDS School was proud to host the Annual Lutheran Futsal Cup, a much-loved event that has now been running for six years!

The tournament brought together Lutheran schools from across the South East corner of Queensland, with students travelling from Gatton, Redeemer, Faith and Bethania to join us for a fantastic day of futsal, friendship and fun.

The carnival provided students in Years 3–6 with the opportunity to participate in a social futsal tournament, experience the excitement of a futsal carnival and build connections with students from other Lutheran schools.

A special highlight of the day was seeing our senior school students putting their Futsal Referee Course skills into action. Having completed their referee training earlier this year, these students confidently officiated matches throughout the day and did a fantastic job supporting the carnival. The school was also lucky enough to have the help of the Year 10 Sport and Rec students, who coordinated different jobs throughout the day.

Division Results

Year 3/4 Boys – A Division

Winners – LORDS

Runners Up – Faith

Year 3/4 Boys – B Division

Winners – Peace

Runners Up – LORDS

Year 5/6 Boys – A Division

Winners – LORDS

Runners Up – Faith

Year 5/6 Boys – B Division

Winners – Redeemer

Runners Up – Bethania

Year 5/6 Girls

Winners – LORDS

Runners Up – Redeemer

Congratulations to all teams for their effort, sportsmanship and enthusiasm throughout the day.

It was wonderful to see our Lutheran school community come together for a day filled with connectedness, fun, teamwork and some amazing futsal. The beautiful weather made it the perfect day for a Futsal Carnival!

A huge thank you to all the students, staff, referees, and schools who helped make the 6th Annual Lutheran Futsal Cup such a successful and memorable event.

Congratulations to Year 1 student, Averey W-C, who has competed in multiple dance competitions and eisteddfods across the genres of Acrobatics, Tap, Musical Theatre, and Hip Hop.

Earlier this year, Averey was awarded National Acrobatics Champion in her age division, competing against performers from across Australia and New Zealand. Averey also placed 3rd in Hip Hop, 3rd in Tap and 2nd overall in Musical Theatre at the National Finals.

Since then, Averey has continued to demonstrate dedication and determination, earning multiple first-place awards, Age Champion titles, and special recognition awards including Most Versatile Performer and Most Entertaining Performer across six different dance competitions.

We are so proud of Averey.

Averey has qualified for the World Finals in Kuala Lumpur, which will be held later this year. We wish her all the best.

Congratulations to Year 10 student Riley W, who has competed in multiple dance competitions and eisteddfods in Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Ballet.

Throughout the year, Riley has consistently achieved outstanding results, placing highly in all competitions and earning numerous first-place awards, highest-scoring and overall championship awards across multiple genres. His dedication, discipline, and commitment to dance have been reflected in his strong performances and continued success on the competition stage. We are very proud of Riley.

Riley has qualified for the World Finals in Kuala Lumpur, which will be held later this year. We wish Riley all the best.

Congratulations to Aaleiya V, who recently represented LORDS and the South Coast football region at the Queensland Representative School Sport Football 10 to 12 years State Championship for Football/Soccer.

With 156 participants in this 4-day Queensland State Championship tournament, Aaleiya performed exceptionally well throughout the championships and represented both LORDS and the South Coast region with great pride, determination and sportsmanship.

We are very proud of Aaleiya's achievements and the way she represents her school and the South Coast region at a State level.

Congratulations to LORDS students Hudson G and Estayah S on being named Club Captains for the season at Ormeau Little Athletics Club!

With training based at Ormeau Woods State High School, Ormeau Little Athletics is a fantastic opportunity for young athletes to develop their skills, fitness, and confidence in a supportive club environment.

Both are excited to take on their captaincy and lead their fellow athletes throughout the season!
We are very proud of you both.

What a year for LORDS student Athena W-I!

Athena has had an incredible year in Futsal! After representing Gold Coast Sharks at the Northern Regional Futsal Titles in April, she was selected for the Queensland City Club team to compete at the National Club Futsal Championships in Sydney next January.

During the recent September holidays, Athena represented Queensland South Coast at the National Schools Futsal Championships, where her performances earned her selection in the Australian team to tour the UK next April!

What an achievement, Athena — we can’t wait to follow your journey!

BIG NEWS FOR LIAM - AUSTRALIAN FUTSAL SELECTION!

In the holidays, Liam C (Year 9) was selected for the Australian Schools U16 Futsal Squad to tour China next year!

Not only that, but he has also been selected for football tours to Spain and Singapore as part of the Football Development Program. Being selected for an Australian squad is an incredible achievement, as is any opportunity to travel abroad and compete.

From football to futsal and everything in between, Liam has had an amazing year of sport — and these selections are the perfect cherry on top!

Congratulations, Liam — what an achievement!

In April, Chloe represented the Gold Coast Sharks at the Northern Regional Futsal Titles and earned selection to the Queensland City Club team for the National Club Futsal Championships in Sydney next January.

Then, during the September school holidays, she represented Queensland South Coast at the National Schools Futsal Championships and earned selection to the Australian Team to compete in Barcelona in May 2027!

Congratulations, Chloe! What an exciting opportunity ahead!

Congratulations to Kalani C (Year 3), who recently competed in the INFQ State Indoor Netball Championships, where her team finished as runners-up.

As an added highlight, Kalani was also selected for the Queensland Rising Stars program to be held in December.

We are very proud of Kalani's achievements and look forward to hearing more about her netball journey.

Frank O recently competed at the National Schools Futsal Championships, where he and his Queensland U15 team were crowned National Champions!

In an incredibly competitive tournament, the team delivered an outstanding performance, going undefeated and winning every single game on their way to the Grand Final.

In a nail-biting Grand Final against Victoria, the boys showed incredible skill, determination and teamwork to secure the victory and claim the U15 National Championship title!

Adding to this fantastic achievement, Frank has also been selected to represent Australia on an international futsal tour to Italy! 

An incredible achievement and a testament to Frank’s dedication, hard work, and passion for the sport. Congratulations Frank!

Congratulations to Hudson V.
He represented QLD South Coast in the National Schools Futsal Championships, which led to his selection for the Australian team to tour China next year.

In January 2027, Hudson will represent QLD again at the National Club Futsal Championships, after being selected while representing Gold Coast Sharks at the Northern Regionals Futsal Titles in April earlier this year.

We are very proud of Hudson's achievements.

Harper S - Year 6 – Football & Futsal Success!

After a nail-biting season at Pimpama Football Club, Harper's Under 13 Girls team won the Gold Coast premiership titles and was awarded the Golden Glove for her goalkeeping work during the season.

During the September school holidays, Harper represented Queensland South Coast at the National Schools Futsal Championships and earned selection to the Australian Team to compete in China in July 2027!

Congratulations, Harper! What an exciting opportunity ahead!

BIG NEWS FOR ETHAN H-B!
Ethan H-B | Y7 – Underwater Hockey

Ethan started playing underwater hockey at the Pimpama Sports Hub in June and, despite there being no local junior competition, has been training alongside U18+ players.

He recently competed at the U15 State Titles in Mackay, including trials for the Queensland team, and has been selected in the Queensland U15 A Team.

Ethan will represent Queensland at the 2027 Australian Underwater Hockey Nationals in Hobart in January 2027.

Congratulations, Ethan! This is a massive achievement and such an exciting story.

A great finish to Term 3, we wrapped up with a fun Staff vs Students volleyball showdown on the courts! Depending on which team you played for, the official outcome may vary…

It was all played in great spirits, and it was great to finish the term by sharing the occasion together. The staff certainly brought their A-game… although whether that was volleyball ability or simply confidence in their outfits is still up for debate.

Keep your eyes peeled for what’s next in Staff vs Students and get involved…

Little Big Sport is holding after school soccer on our LORDS Oval in Term 4.

Click here to find out more

Join us for a relaxing evening of music and celebration at the LORDS Junior Spring Arts Soiree on Thursday 29th October, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm at the G Block Performing Arts Centre.

This special event will showcase the creativity, talent and achievements of our LORDS Junior students through an inspiring program of musical performances. Families can look forward to performances by our Year 5 and Year 6 Concert Bands, Bronze Strings, Junior Strings Ensemble and a selection of talented soloists.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our young musicians' hard work and dedication as they share their talents with the LORDS community.

Come and soak up the culture and help us celebrate LORDS creativity! We look forward to sharing this special afternoon with our students, families, and community.

LORDS Celebrates is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to sharing these events with the school community.

For our Secondary School:

Wednesday 21st October, 2026
6.30pm for Secondary School
Please be seated by 6.15pm
Highway Church
351 Creek St, Ormeau

Uniform: Students are to wear formal school uniform (no hats required). Please ensure that school shoes (leather, lace-up shoes) have been polished and hair is neat, off the collar and out of the eyes. Students with shoulder-length hair or longer need to wear their hair back with an appropriate school plain coloured hair tie (i.e. navy, gold or burgundy).

Year 12 students are to wear their blazers, and boys are to wear their long pants and ties.

We look forward to celebrating the year with you all at this event.

Outside School Hours & Vacation Care

Before and After School Care is available on site at LORDS Monday to Friday excluding Public Holidays.

Please contact the coordinator Amanda Johnson at lords.oshc@qlecs.org.au for details. For change of bookings please text 0437 519 754.

Uniform Purchases at The School Locker

LORDS uniforms are available at The School Locker, 3892 Pacific Highway, Loganholme Phone 3440 9701.

Our uniform policy for 2026 is located here

Second Hand LORDS Uniforms

Sustainable School Shop enables parents to buy and sell second-hand LORDS uniform items online.

To search for items in the Sustainable School Shop go to: http://www.sustainableschoolsh...

School Office

Our office hours are between 8.00am – 4.00pm, Monday to Friday with the exception of Public Holidays.

School Policies

You can access our Child Protection Policy and Grievance Policy on our website or a hard copy at Reception in the Administration Building.

Tuckshop

Our Tuckshop on Wheels operates for morning tea and lunch on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Orders are to be placed online via Flexischools prior to 8.15 am each day. Students from Years 7 - 12 and staff may purchase over the counter with cash or eftpos at break times. We do not allow Junior School students to purchase items over the counter. All Junior School orders must be placed using Flexischools.

http://www.flexischools.com.au...

Reminder: No Nuts or Nut Products at School

A reminder to all families that our school is a nut-free environment to protect students with severe anaphylactic allergies. We ask that no nuts or nut-based products (including items like Nutella or peanut butter) be brought to school in lunchboxes, snacks, or for sharing during special events.

This applies to all year levels from Kindergarten to Year 12, and includes all school events, excursions, and activities.

Please note that while we aim to be nut-free, some pre-packaged items may contain traces of nuts as stated by manufacturers. We encourage parents to check labels carefully and choose safe alternatives.

Thank you for helping us keep all students safe.

Stay Up to Date – Check the Parent Lounge

A friendly reminder to check the Parent Lounge regularly to keep up to date with important school news, announcements, permission slips, and other information. Regularly checking the portal will help ensure you don’t miss any important updates or actions required.

The LORDS Parent Handbook can now be accessed by logging into Parent Portal and looking under Parent Forms.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A SESSION

Alberton Lutheran Parish

Phone: 0490 456 624

Sunday 18th October:

St Peters (Alberton, Alberton Rd): 8.00am

Bethlehem (Stapylton-Jacobs Well Rd, Woongoolba): 5pm traditional sung liturgy with supper following worship.

Sunday 25th October:

9:30 am combined parish service at Bethlehem (Stapylton-Jacobs Well Rd, Woongoolba)

Bethesda Lutheran Church Divine Service

Phone: (07) 3807 6600

(81 City Rd, Beenleigh)

8:30am HC every Sunday

Pastor David Haak

Bethania Lutheran Church

Phone: (07) 3200 5357

(5-17 Church Rd, Bethania): 9am

Pastor Peter Laihia

Kinetic have released information for obtaining bus passes for 2027 student travel. Please note: this is not for the LORDS Bus Service.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Our Business Directory is now live on our website.

Please click here to access it.

Disclaimer: Information provided in the online directory or advertising pages on this website is intended to provide a guide to businesses, organizations, and resources that support the faith-based community. LORDS or any of its employees neither endorse, warrant, nor guarantee the products or services advertised in the directory or on any website page.  The information provided in each listing on this website is published as obtained from external sources that provide the information.