The pastor
Pfarrer Peter Demuth
1 Corinthians 16:14
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
Hi, I am back as Pastor at St. John´s German Lutheran Parish in Springvale.
About myself: I have a diverse background in theological studies and pastoral experience. I studied theology from 2002 to 2008, earning first a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in Systematic Theology. My academic journey included a formative year at the University of Leipzig (2006–2007) through a Gustav-Adolf-Stipendium, followed by work as an assistant at the Lehrstuhl für Ökumene und Diaspora Theologie (2007–2008), culminating in my degree from the Lutheran Theology Faculty in Sibiu, Romania. My pastoral experience spans from serving the Evangelische Honterusgemeinde at the Schwarze Kirche in Brașov from 2009 to 2015, followed by my first tenure at St. John’s in Melbourne from 2015 to 2022, to most recently at the Christuskirche in Klagenfurt, Austria (2023–2024). In my personal life I am married and a father of twins.
I deeply appreciate our church community’s strengths: our dedication, outreach, and shared commitment to the Gospel in a secular and multi-faith context. My faith is rooted in core values of the gospel, including areas of focus in spirituality and religion, responsibility and care for creation, the richness of tradition, and the transformative power of community relationships. These principles drive my commitment to serve and guide our congregation and pursue our Mission to: Love God, love one another, make a difference.
I am enthusiastic about the new opportunities to both engage our long-standing members and to welcome newcomers. With our excellent facilities, I envision projects that will invite the wider community into our vibrant fellowship and reinforce our sense of belonging and faith. I warmly invite everyone to approach me, reach out, or seek opportunities with me for collaboration. Whether you have ideas to share or simply want to connect, I look forward to growing together in faith and community.
Elders
The management committee of our parish comprises eleven parish members and the parish pastor. Of the eleven elders on the committee, half are re-elected by the parish every year, so each serves a term of two years. The committee members are aged in their mid-30s to late-60s.
They come from occupations in the financial, scientific and medical education sectors, for example, managers in renowned companies, employees in the IT sector, right through to solicitors, childcare workers, therapists, accountants and, last but not least, active retirees. This enables the congregational life to be viewed and shaped from the perspective of different Australian life situations.
In their monthly church committee meetings, they consider the current needs of the parish and also discuss and make future-oriented decisions.
KAREN CHRISTOPH
My Name is Karen Christoph I spent my childhood in Elwood and started to attend church with my grandmother after being baptised at Trinity in the city. My Brother and I attended German classes, and we were both confirmed in the city church and joined the youth group for many years. I became a member after getting married to Eric Christoph and living overseas for a few years before returning home to Melbourne. I decided to come to St John’s because there was a younger group of people, and we enjoyed our weekends helping out at Crossover (Church Camp). We wanted our children to grow up with Christian values and being part of a church and German traditions. I am very thankful that St. John’s is able to embark on the building project to improve our facilities and help our groups with updated facilities. I enjoy helping out when we have our special services and then join for a meal afterwards.
One of my favourite things about St John’s is our Christmas Bazaar and the wonderful things that our members and friends make. On the day it is great to see old friends and families enjoying our homemade cakes, crafts, and potato salad with bratwurst etc.
FRANK VAN DER HEYDEN
I have spent my whole childhood in Springvale which was very multicultural back then. What I enjoy doing most is gardening and helping people. My earliest memory of going to church is around age 10 when I also joined the accordion group. What has impressed me the most about St. John’s have been the Pastors and the community spirit. I decided to become a member of St. John’s as I have had a long connection and a feeling of belonging.
My aspiration as an Elder is to make a difference, which is part of our motto and give something back to the church community and further our Christian beliefs. Probably my favourite group activity at St. John’s has been playing modern worship songs in the band with my son and daughter.
GISELA RANKIN
My connection to St. John’s began with my parents, Ella and Erich Kapust, founding members of the church. Baptised at the German Trinity church in East Melbourne, I have been a member of St. John’s from the outset. Over the years, I have served as a church Elder under four pastors and am currently Treasurer.
One of my first leadership roles as teacher and coordinator of the German Saturday School launched me into a deeper engagement with my church. My focus now is on lay ministry, outreach, strategy, recruitment and finance. Being part of the Building Project committee during COVID was both challenging and rewarding, and I’m excited about the ministry opportunities our new facilities will provide.
St. John’s embodies a unique blend of German tradition and Australian culture—rooted in commitment and independent thinking. As the daughter of post-war German immigrants and wife to Kenneth, a Scotsman, I cherish both my heritage and my Australian identity. Kenneth and I, married at St. John’s over 40 years ago, have two sons, Alastair and Christopher, who now live in Europe.
In retirement, I enjoy cooking, cultural arts, book club, walking and travelling. My ongoing desire is to worship joyously, freely and passionately within a Christ-centred community. St. John’s is my second family and spiritual refuge, where I am committed to living out our mission: Love God, love one another, and make a difference.
ROLAND DETTERBECK
Born and raised in Melbourne, I have a deep connection to St. John’s German Lutheran Church, where I was both baptised and confirmed. My family’s ties to this community are longstanding, with both my parents having their funeral services here. In October 2023, I was honoured to take on the role as an Elder at the church, serving with the goal of living out St. John’s motto: Love God, Love each other, and make a difference.
As a man of German heritage, I cherish the traditions and values passed down through my family, who migrated to Australia in the 1960s. I speak good conversational German and hold a Bachelor’s Degree from RMIT. While I have never married, I remain open to the possibility when the right person comes along.
I believe in living a healthy and active lifestyle. From country drives and hiking to biking, swimming, and tennis, I find joy in the outdoors. I’m also passionate about tango dancing, walking in the park, and savouring life’s simple pleasures. Although my commitment to a balanced diet can be easily derailed by the delicious home-baked cakes we often enjoy after church services!
My spiritual journey is central to who I am. I value honesty, kindness, and seeing the good in others, and I try to bring those qualities to everything I do, both in the church and in my everyday life.