NAIDOC Week: Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

Posted Jul  5, 2022 in News

NAIDOC Week commenced on Sunday 3 July 2022 and runs until Sunday 10 July 2022. Historically NAIDOC evolved from 1920s with the Aboriginal rights movement. Contemporarily, NAIDOC Week has developed into a First Peoples led celebration of the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2022 NAIDOC Week theme calls for all Australians to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! To genuinely commit to actions that will achieve institutional, structural, collaborative, and cooperative reforms. Whilst at the same time celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that have championed equity and equality for First Peoples over generations.

This NAIDOC Week the Synod of South Australia celebrates the dedication and achievements of Rev Dr Aunty Denise Champion. Aunty Denise was the first ordained Aboriginal woman within the Uniting Church in Australia. She is an established author having written two books sharing the ancient wisdom of Aboriginal spirituality. Her book Anaditj is still available through MediaCom Education here.  Aunty Denise is presently the Theologian in Residence at Yarthu-Apinthi (Uniting College for Leadership and Theology). Where she broadly resources the Synod of South Australia to engage with the connections between Aboriginal spirituality and Christianity.  

In preparation for the 2022 Synod meeting Aunty Denise recently sat down with Rev Jenni Hughes and shared some of her cultural knowledge. Mission Resourcing recorded the conversation in two videos that can be viewed on the links below.

Aunty Denise Video #1

Aunty Denise Video #2  

A unique opportunity exists to engage with Aunty Denise in person as she contributes to leading the Connecting with Ancestors Retreat. This retreat will be held in Moonta from Friday 21 October to Sunday 23 October 2022. It is an opportunity to connect with your spiritual heritage through listening to the stories of our ancestors and learning through dialogue between the spirituality of First Nations people and the spirituality of the ancient Celts. You can enjoy the beautiful Moonta landscape and history with time for walking, writing and reflecting.

To register your interest to attend complete the form here. You will then be provided with further details.

 

Other ways you can Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

Acknowledgement of First Peoples

An Acknowledgement of First Peoples is a way of paying respect to First Peoples whenever we gather together and an important expression of the Covenant which the Uniting Church has with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC). A comprehensive guide to Acknowledgement of First Peoples is available here.

Living the Covenant Locally

Living the Covenant Locally is a grass roots movement, made up of congregations, faith communities, schools and agencies, who are growing in understanding, encouraging others, connecting with Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress and/or other First Nations Peoples locally and who then are equipped to take action.

The Walking Together as First and Second Peoples Circles of the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly invites your community to register and commit to Living the Covenant Locally. To register and access a range of Living the Covenant Locally resources click here.

Contribute the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress Pilgrimage of Healing

The Pilgrimage of Healing also continues throughout NAIDOC Week. This year funds raised supports the vision of the Oodnadatta Faith Community to establish a multipurpose Church building where followers of Christ can worship and serve the community - even in extreme weather. Please click here to make a contribution.

 

Support the Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation to all Australian people. To walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a movement for a better future. The Statement calls for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making and truth-telling about the history of First Nations people. The Uluru Statement from the Heart Dialogue is encouraging all Australians to help build a better future by writing to your Member for Parliament to show your support for the Uluru Statement. Detailed instructions and a template to writing to a Member for Parliament is available here.

Attend the NAIDOC SA Ecumenical Church Service

The NAIDOC SA Ecumenical Church Service is held at annually at Pilgrim Uniting Church. It is on this coming Sunday 10^th July 2022. For further details click here. 

 

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