A former Horsham Lutheran College student, Richard Schwedes, has risen through the ranks and been called to the role of Bishop of NSW and the ACT Lutheran Church. His new role includes overseeing New Zealand.
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Bishop-Elect Richard Schwedes will be installed as Bishop on July 29 this year after accepting the calling in March 2024.
Grace, inclusion, and service are the cornerstones of Pastor Schwede's teachings, with a focus on the often-used scripture John 3:16.
"Jesus' behaviors were unconventional for His time. He sat and listened to people of all faiths and at all stages of their lives, " he said.
"He related to all people. He loved to sit down and talk to them. He showed grace, and that's what I believe we need to do: be more like Jesus."
He said that while God created Heaven and the church is His, it is made up of people, and as people, we don't always get it right.
"We don't have to be perfect, so even if people don't live up to our expectations, we need to let them take their time," he said.
Pastor Schwedes has pastored St Paul's Sydney Lutheran Church since 2016.
It is situated one block from Hyde Park and 150 meters from Oxford Street, the scene of the annual Madi Gras.
Putting into practice the scripture he follows, the church opened its doors and offered Mardi Gras participants bathroom facilities, complimentary bottled water, phone charging, and a resting place.
"We [the congregation] talked about how we could be involved," he said. "We decided to open the doors."
In today's society, many people don't consider the church a place of hospitality. Instead, they think of it as rule-driven.
"We do have rules, and there are rules in all areas of our lives, but the church is more than rules, and we offer that.
Many who visited the church said they'd never been inside one before.
The pastor and his family live next door to the church, so friends who love ABBA have often been invited to visit "because they'd get Mamma Mia all night long," he said, laughing.
"Jesus came to save not to condemn, to include not to exclude," he said.
His journey to the appointment of Bishop has been a gradual progression of appointments and callings, prayer, and contemplation.
His schooling began at Horsham North Primary School and then at the newly formed Horsham Lutheran School, where he was only one of two boys in his year and the school had 16 students.
"I believe in my work in working with what you've got, and the HLC is a good example.
"If they'd waited until they had it all, they would never have begun.
"They started with a room at the rear of the church and have grown to a Secondary College because they took that first step," he said.
His schooling continued in Horsham, with secondary years spent at Horsham High School before he enrolled at Ballarat University to study a Bachelor of Business, "which I never completed," he added.
Part-time work in his father's business, the Horsham Soap Box, filled in time while he looked for alternative work. That came as a position in a government department in Melbourne and a management training organisation.
While he thought that was his life and he'd met Veronica, who later became his wife, but God had other plans. His involvement at St John's Lutheran Church at Southgate encouraged him to consider ministry.
This involved a five-year course at a seminary in Adelaide and no full-time work. Concordia College's affordable student housing was a great help, and he completed his training.
His first assignment was at Unley in South Australia, followed by Grace Lutheran Church in Bridgewater.
An appointment to Tasmania followed with challenges of change through the combination of three churches, not all of which wanted to assimilate.
"This is where the church can respond graciously and help people gain a different perspective," he said.
From there, he was called to Heywood in Victoria before answering a call to Sydney.
He said that one of life's frustrations in the community is the loss of personal contact in many organizations.
"Rules and laws with no compassion now govern society," he said. "So many government services are inaccessible.
"What can sometimes be a small thing can often turn into a major issue because computers can't reason or be gracious, and this I see so often. It causes additional stress in people's lives."
Two of the most common issues he hears about from people are freeway tolls and parking issues.
"Computers are not capable of grace.
"When you're not focusing on people, you're missing the point," he said, referring to the reduction in personal service in businesses and organisations.
His parents, Beverley and the late Paul Schwedes, are well-known in Horsham for their community work and have been his most substantial influence.
"Dad was a typical Aussie bloke, but in saying that, he had a resilient faith.
"Mum is a praying person, and she always prayed her family, including me, would follow Jesus and be involved in the church."
The Bishop-Elect often jokes with his Mum, "Be careful what you pray for. First, you got a Pastor, and now a Bishop.
"When you start praying, God can extend your expectations," he said.
Pastor Richard and Mrs. Schwedes have three adult children, Mercedes, Zac, and Brooke, who are all active in the church.
The Horsham Rural City Council recently approved a request to add his family name to the proposed street naming list in honor of his late father's outstanding contribution to sport, community, and youth.
