A Time to Give Thanks

As this term draws to a close, I find myself looking back with deep gratitude for all that has been. Our community has once again lived out what it means to be LORDS, a place where faith, learning, and life come together.

This term has been full of moments worth celebrating: our Year 6 students exploring and learning in Canberra, our Year 10 Readers Cup team winning the state final, the joy of Father’s Day celebrations, our athletics and netball teams achieving outstanding results, students stepping up in Japanese speech contests and spelling bees, and the many learning adventures happening every single day in classrooms. These events, big and small, tell the story of a community where each person has the chance to grow, belong, and shine.

Through it all, we’ve seen the LORDS Ways of Being come alive, staff giving of themselves in service, students carrying responsibility with courage, and empathy shaping the way we care for one another. These are the threads that make our community strong.

The words of 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 remind us:

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.”

As we step into the holiday break, may it be a time of joy, rest, and renewal.

Prayer

Loving God,

Thank You for the gift of this past term for the learning, the growth, and the community we share at LORDS.
We give thanks for the achievements, the celebrations, and the everyday moments of grace that have shaped us.
Bless the weeks ahead with rest, joy, and safety.
Hold our students, staff, and families in Your love until we gather again, renewed and ready for what is to come.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

• This year, we will be praying for families in our community and their needs: Clarke, Classen, Cluss, Cochrane, Cognet, Cole
• That our staff and students have a safe and fun trip to Japan over the holidays
• Give thanks for the Alberton Parish Lutheran Holiday Program and the opportunity for young people to deepen their relationship with God and community
• For members of our community experiencing loss and grief
• For the ACLE (Australian Conference on Lutheran Education) being held during the holidays, it will be a great gathering and celebration of Lutheran Education

Staffing Update

As we approach the end of the year, we want to take a moment to give thanks for two staff members who have contributed so much to LORDS and who are stepping into new seasons of life and ministry.

After 11 years of passionate leadership as our Head of Arts, Miss Clachere Beard will be leaving LORDS at the end of this year to take up the role of Head of Learning – Arts at Trinity Lutheran College. We give thanks for the way she has built and nurtured the Arts at LORDS, creating opportunities for students to discover and grow their creativity, imagination, and confidence. We congratulate Clachere on this exciting next step and pray God’s richest blessing on her new role.

After almost 40 years of teaching, Mr Stephen Blair, our Head of Technology, has retired from teaching. Stephen’s commitment to young people across decades of service has been a blessing, and his contribution to education has left a lasting impact. While he is stepping back from full-time work, Stephen will continue to be part of our community through relief teaching. We give thanks for his dedication, wisdom, and the way he has consistently encouraged students to explore, create, and innovate through Technology.

We hold both Clachere and Stephen in our prayers with deep gratitude, celebrating their contributions to LORDS and giving thanks for all they have given to our students, families, and staff.

LORDS CELEBRATES

LORDS Celebrates is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to sharing these events with the school community. LORDS Celebrates is one of the most important occasions of our year. It is a time when we pause as a whole community, students, staff, families, parish, and friends to give thanks for who we are and what God is doing in our community. It is about honouring the learning, the growing, and the gifts of our young people, as well as the care and commitment of those who walk alongside them. 

LORDS Celebrates reminds us that education it is about shaping hearts, inspiring great humans, and building hope for the future. It is a joyful reminder that together, as God’s people in this place, we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

There will be two events held this year, one will be a Junior School event (Year 4-6 with a focus on Year 6 celebration) and the other a Secondary School event (Year 7-12 with a focus on Year 12 graduation). Both events will be live-streamed.

JUNIOR SCHOOL (YEARS 4 TO 6)
When: Tuesday, 4th November

Where: Highway Christian Church, Creek St, Ormeau

Time: LORDS Celebrates Junior School - 1.30pm start (everyone seated by 1.15pm)

SECONDARY SCHOOL (YEARS 7 TO 12)
When: Wednesday, 22nd October

Where: Highway Christian Church, Creek St, Ormeau

Time: LORDS Celebrates Secondary School - 6.30pm start (everyone seated by 6.15pm)


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.

Year 6 students are to wear their formal uniform.

Information regarding ticketing will be available in the near future.

Congratulations to our 2026 School Captains!

We are proud to announce our School Captains for 2026:

Darius Aitken-Kelk
Tristan Meyer
Amritha Ravipati

These students have shown outstanding leadership, dedication, and care for our LORDS community. We look forward to seeing them inspire, encourage, and serve as role models in the year ahead.

Well done to all students who nominated and took part in the process – your courage and commitment are what make our school community so special. 

Over the past three days, a courageous team of Year 9 students and staff stepped out of their comfort zones to take part in The Sudsy Challenge Australia as part of their Christian Studies unit, The Dignity Project.

The challenge? Wearing a bright orange Sudsy T-shirt for three days straight to spark conversations, raise awareness, and fundraise for Orange Sky – an incredible organisation providing free laundry, warm showers, and genuine connection for people doing it tough. 

And what a difference they made! 💪 With the encouragement and generosity of our community, our Sudsy team raised $5,405 – the equivalent of 221 loads of laundry for those in need.

We are so proud of our Year 9 students and staff for living out their learning and making a real impact. 

It’s not too late to contribute! If you’d like to donate, click here:
DONATE TO LORDS TEAM

Year 10 Religion and Ethics excursion was to Fo Guang Shan Chung Tian Temple.

As part of their World Religions unit, our Year 10 students visited a Buddhist temple - Fo Guang Shan Chung Tian Temple to learn about different religious symbols, rituals, and practices. 

During our visit, the students were invited to participate in a Tai Chi class, experience meditation practices, and view artworks, all amongst the expansive and immaculate grounds of the temple. This was a fantastic experience, and we were very proud of all our students during the visit.

Year 7 have been exploring the theme of bird life in their unit “Capturing Nature”. These sculptures were inspired by Madeleine Kelly, an artist who recreates bird species out of discarded containers, which symbolise the endangerment and extinction of birds. Drawing from this theme, Year 7 have created their own bird sculptures out of discarded containers to highlight the fragility of wildlife in today’s world

The National Youth Parliament will bring together 150 senior school students, each representing one of Australia’s federal electorates, to engage directly with civics and the Parliament. Through hands-on learning experiences, including simulated parliamentary debates, students will gain a deeper understanding of how Parliament works.

FIND OUT MORE

TAFE NEWS

We are so excited that the Ergon Energy Network and Energex Rural, Regional and Remote Cadetship Program won the Premier's Industry Collaboration Award at the 2025 Queensland Training Awards!

Time's running out for students to apply for the 2026 program, closing at 9 am on Monday, 22nd September.

This is a unique opportunity for eligible Year 11 and 12 students in 2026 to gain:

• A Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start)
• A White Card and key units toward an electrical apprenticeship
• Hands-on experience at local depots
• A full toolkit and PPE
• Covered travel, accommodation, and meals (where required) for attendance at the relevant TAFE Queensland campus
• Students will build real-world technical and enterprise skills while exploring a future in the energy sector.

Don’t miss out – apply now for the 2026 Ergon Energy Network and Energex Rural, Regional and Remote Cadetship Program!

APPLY NOW

The Year 7 cohort is currently engaged in a project-based learning unit that is investigating sustainability, stewardship, and entrepreneurship.

We had the privilege of having Mr Greg Frawley join us to talk about his business, how it operates, and the ways in which it works to be sustainable.

Students eagerly took notes in preparation for their own small business venture and asked Mr Frawley a variety of interesting questions linked to business and sustainability.

Thanks for visiting us, Mr Frawley!

As we come to the end of Term 3, it has been wonderful to reflect on the many ways our students and staff have finished the term so well.

Our first Prep Orientation for students beginning in 2026 was a wonderful success. The children enjoyed spending time in the Prep classrooms, getting to know the learning spaces and meeting the teachers. It was a joy to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they begin their journey into school life.

Some of our leadership team were also fortunate to be part of the Year 5 Market Day stall pitches. With a focus on raising funds for Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS), the students impressed us with their preparation, creativity, and passion. They spoke confidently about their ideas and demonstrated a strong sense of service and empathy as they planned how best to raise funds to support those in need.

We are also looking forward to finishing the week with some exciting events: a skipping demonstration from the Sherwood Arrows, Japanese Cultural Day, and the fun and energy of the Prep–2 Mini Olympics. These special experiences are a wonderful way to celebrate the end of term together.

As we head towards the break, we also send our warmest wishes to Ana Colombo, who will be finishing up at the end of this term as she prepares for the arrival of her baby. We thank Ana sincerely for her dedication and care during her time with us and wish her every blessing in this next chapter.

Finally, we would like to wish all our families a happy and safe holiday break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another wonderful term of learning and community in Term 4.

Blessings,

Rebekah Bruyn
Head of Junior School

On 1st September, 3 of our Year 5 students and 5 of our Year 4 students proudly represented our school in the A. B. Paterson Public Speaking Competition.

Congratulations to Evie R, Ava M, Harper P, Aria C, and Elina W (Year 4), who each received Participation Certificates. These students worked diligently throughout Term 3, demonstrating outstanding commitment and developing impressive confidence in their public speaking.

Further congratulations to Josie W, Theodore R, and Abigail T (Year 5), who spoke with confidence and conviction, showcasing public speaking skills of which they can be very proud. They, too, received Participation Certificates at the A. B. Paterson Competition.

A special thank you goes to Mrs Voorhoeve and Mrs Bamford for their guidance and support throughout the competition journey.

Our Prep families came together to celebrate Father’s Day with special classroom visits as part of our Father's Day Breakfast in the Junior School. Dads, grandads, and father figures joined their children in Prep to share activities, see their learning spaces, and spend some precious time together.

It was a beautiful way to honour the important role these men play in our children’s lives, and the joy on the children’s faces said it all!

Happy Father’s Day to all our wonderful Prep dads and father figures – we’re so grateful for you.

A great vibe and display of school spirit last Monday, as LORDS proudly hosted Groves Christian College in our first 7s rugby fixture!

The atmosphere was electric, with strong community support and unity on full display, including the school song!

• U14s came out on top with an impressive 35–5 win — a fantastic team effort and well-deserved result.

• U15s fought hard in a tightly contested match, narrowly going down 20–15 in a thrilling game.

Congratulations to our Players of the Match:

• Mario (U14)
• Zac (U15)

Well done to all the players, coaches, and supporters — including our generous Parents who supplied the post-match afternoon tea.

Proudly representing LORDS, as all of our teams are still in the running for trophies as we head into the last term of the season.

A big shoutout to every player for turning up each week and showing real effort, dedication, and commitment, especially on those early winter mornings.

Proud of how far we’ve come, each single player has come! Now let’s finish strong.

Huddy G competed at the National Cross Country Championships held in Runaway Bay, racing against some of the best athletes from across Australia. In tough conditions, with hot weather and a strong headwind, Huddy did himself, his family, and our school proud, taking GOLD in his age and classification.

Awesome effort and achievement, Huddy! Congratulations!

We are excited to share that Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s 2025 Australian Honours Ensemble Program (AHEP) and SHEP Queensland will take place during the spring holidays, from Thursday, 2nd October to Sunda,y 5th October. Representing LORDS, Anna M (Year 12), Macquarie T (Year 12), and Mia R (Year 11) have been selected to showcase their talents in the Vocal Alto and Vocal Soprano ensembles.

For nearly 40 years, ENERGIES has celebrated the creativity of Senior Secondary Visual Art students across the Gold Coast. More than just an exhibition, it offers young artists the opportunity to showcase their work in a professional gallery setting and encourages pathways into future arts careers.

This year, we are proud to announce that Amelie dV (Year 12) has been selected to exhibit her artwork, a remarkable achievement that reflects her talent, dedication, and hard work.

You can view Amelie’s piece at HOTA (Home of the Arts), 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, from Saturday, 13th September to Sunday, 9th November.

Ms Hoff and Miss Beard will also be attending the official opening night on Saturday, 20th September.

We're thrilled to provide all the details about our Music ensembles. Please see the information below:
For more information, please visit our Performing Arts website by clicking here.

Junior Ensemble Opportunities:

• Piccolo Choir: Tuesdays, 12.45pm to 1.25pm
• Bronze Strings: Tuesdays, 1.30pm to 2.50pm
• Bel Canto Choir: Wednesdays, 12.45pm to 1.30pm
• Concert Band (combined JS and SS): Wednesday, 7.45am to 8.55am
• Junior Strings Ensemble: Thursdays, 7.45am to 8.45am

Senior Ensemble Opportunities:
• Senior Strings Ensemble: On hiatus until Week 9
• Senior School Choir: Fridays, 12.45pm to 1.25pm
• Gold Strings: Wednesdays, 7.30am to 8.30am
• Silver Strings: Wednesdays, 8.30am to 9.00am
• Concert Band (combined JS and SS): Wednesday, 7.45am to 8.55am
• Senior Vocal Ensemble: Wednesdays, 12.45pm to 1.25pm

Private Lessons offered at LORDS for the following Instruments/Vocal:

• Brass (Euphonium, Trombone, Trumpet)
• Woodwind (Clarinet, Flute, Alto and Tenor Saxophone)
• Drumkit
• Guitar (Electric, Acoustic, Bass)
• Piano
• Strings (Cello, Viola, Violin)
• Voice (Choir, Senior Ensemble)

If you wish to sign up, please click here. We look forward to seeing you in our ensembles or Private lessons!

STEPS IN FAITH
An Invitation to Explore Christian Faith Together

Steps in Faith is a 6-week journey designed to explore the foundations of the Christian faith and how it shapes our daily lives. This isn’t a formal class—it's a space for conversation, community, and curiosity. Whether your questions are simple or challenging, this is a safe place to ask them and grow together in faith.

We’ll begin our first session at LORDS on Tuesday of Week 2 next term.
Sessions will run weekly on Tuesday afternoons at 4:15pm, starting October 14 and continuing through to our final gathering on Tuesday, November 18.

In Term 4, Confirmation Classes will also be available for students in Year 5 and above.

The program will conclude with the Rite of Confirmation on Sunday, 23rd November, at 9:30am, held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Woongoolba.

We look forward to walking these steps in faith with you.

– Pastor Mark Gierus

Our LORDS House Shirts can still be purchased online at:

BUY HOUSE SHIRTS

Shirts can be worn for all House events (swimming carnivals, cross country, athletics carnivals, and other inter-house competitions throughout the year). They can also be worn during Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. For all students, Prep-Year 12.

Your child's house can be located in Parent Portal under their General Details.

From Saturday, 20th September to Sunday, 12th October, there will be major track closures and travel changes on the Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines.

This track closure will be ongoing during the first week of Term 4. To assist staff and students who would usually catch the train to/from school, please see the attached flyer. More detailed information about the closures can be found on Translink’s website.

If you travel on the Beenleigh or Gold Coast lines, some journeys may take significantly longer than usual. Your best travel option may change over the 23-day period. There will be plenty of buses available, including express and all stops railbuses and regular bus services.

Please consider your transport options, plan, and allow extra travel time. Download the Translink app, visit translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

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 2025 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.

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

Just wanted to let you know that we are meeting for our celebration time in the bush chapel on Sunday, so you might like to bring a hat and pop on some sunscreen.

Looking forward to seeing you all at 9:30am this Sunday 21st.

Alberton Lutheran Parish

Phone: 0490 456 624

St Peters (Alberton, Alberton Rd): 8.00am

Messy Church at LORDS: 9.30am

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

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.