Pastor in Charge
Rev Tommi Vuorinen is the pastor in charge of St Andrews, Brisbane City, since 2019.
After his theological studies and ordination in Helsinki, Finland, Pastor Tommi served in Finland and Sweden. Pastor Tommi has served the Lutheran Church of Australia since 2008, when he moved to Brisbane to be a pastor for the Finnish speaking congregation in Brisbane. He also serves in the Commission on Theology and Inter Church Relations.
In the heart of pastor Tommi’s thinking is the liberating and transforming power of God’s grace and love that breaks through every obstacle. Whatever our life situation, God is with us and for us. This is what we experience in our services, when God serves us through his word and sacrament. This is what we experience in our everyday lives, as we live and breathe in God’s world. This is the reason we want to give our gifts and abilities to serve others.
Associate Pastor (special focus on Korean ministry)
Rev. Yong Bong Cho first moved from South Korea to Adelaide, South Australia, in 2009 to begin his theological studies at the University of Divinity – Australian Lutheran College. He and his wife, Giselle, are blessed with two children: a daughter, Sharon, and a son, Aaron.
Yong Bong carries a deep vision for a vibrant, faith-filled community—one in which people from all walks of life can encounter the grace of God, share in genuine fellowship, and grow together in Christ, united by His love and purpose.
In 2020, the Cho family relocated from Adelaide to Brisbane to begin a new chapter in Cross-Cultural Ministry. On Sunday, 15 September 2024, Yong Bong was installed as Associate Pastor at St Andrew’s, serving under the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ).
In his spare time, Yong Bong enjoys fixing and renovating houses—a hands-on hobby that reflects his love for restoration, attention to detail, and practical service. He sees this not only as a personal interest but also as a tangible expression of his pastoral calling: building up both spaces and lives where people can experience God’s grace and renewal.