Covenanting
Reconciliation in the Uniting Church
The Uniting Church in Australia commits itself to the special relationship of Covenant with God and one another, that first and second peoples are called into together. It is in this God-inspired relationship that healing and sacred kinship may become possible.
The Uniting Church in Australia recognises the deep desire of many Australians to move towards reconciled relationships between the First and Second Peoples of this land. In the act of Covenanting, Uniting Church members, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and later-comers share stories and hospitality, brought together to be one body around the table of Jesus Christ.
Why Covenanting?
What does it mean to be Christians in this land?
Covenanting is about being disciples in Australia and understanding that God was revealing God-self to First Peoples before later-comers arrived here. In sharing stories, First and Second Peoples can be strengthened in faith by learning the sacred stories that give communities identity. As we listen deeply, we learn to appreciate God’s work in the lives of others.
Covenanting can put flesh on your faith. It can lead you to a new relationship with God by leading you to new relationships that enrich us all culturally. Covenanting can make real the call to love your neighbour and work with God in overcoming injustice and indifference.
Pictured above: Rev Denise Champion on her home country in the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands at Wilpena Pound.
The Uluru Statement from the Heart was a national Indigenous consensus position on Indigenous constitutional recognition, which came out of a constitutional convention of 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates. ... The Uluru Statement was the culmination of 13 Regional Dialogues held around the country.