A prayer for after the Referendum
The President has written a prayer for use in worship on 15 October and beyond
October 11, 2023
In just three days Australians will go to the polls to vote in the Referendum on establishing a Voice to Parliament.
As we approach the end of a long campaign and turn to anticipate the result, Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis has offered a prayer for use in worship on Sunday 15 October and beyond.
It has been written to be used in the event of either result and in the event the outcome is not yet known on Referendum Day.
The prayer is inspired by the language of the revised Preamble, a change to the Uniting Church’s own Constitution passed by the 12th Assembly in 2009. Read the Preamble here.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
God, ancient of days,
we give you thanks
for the ways in which First Nations people
have cared for Country since creation
and for their unbroken Sovereignty over their lands and waters.
We give you thanks
for the ways in which they encountered you
through law, custom and ceremony
and for their particular insights into your ways.
We give you thanks
for the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress,
for the ways it nurtures Indigenous spirituality
and shares holistic ministry with First Nations People.
We pray for all First Nations People today,
acknowledging all they endure as a result of colonisation
and lamenting the racism and vitriol experienced across the Referendum campaign.
We pray for our nation,
that following the Referendum we might seek unity
in reconciliation, justice and truth telling.
We pray for our Church,
that we might grow into our Covenant more fully
and continue walking together as First and Second Peoples.
In the name of Christ, our lodestar.
Amen.
Related news
Following Footsteps, Bringing Hope
Following Footsteps, Bringing Hope Earlier this month, our outback ministry agency Frontier Services commissioned Pastor Kirsty Burgu as its newest Bush Chaplain to stand with those living in the remote West Kimberley region of Western Australia In the West Kimberley, where ancient and biologically rich landscapes stretch wide beneath an endless sky, a new…
Paul Minty named full-time EO to National Commission
Paul Minty appointed as full-time Executive Officer to National Commission for Governance, Resourcing and Administration Dr Paul Minty brings to the role a unique blend of technical expertise, leadership experience and ministry engagement Subscribe to our newsletter If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then…
Welcoming First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance
UCA, UAICC and UnitingCare Australia welcome First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance The announcement was made this morning by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a speech at the Garma Festival in Gulkula Uniting Church, Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress and UnitingCare Australia welcome First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance as a step toward shared prosperity…
Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2025
Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2025NAIDOC Week 2025 marks 50 years of honouring Indigenous voices, culture and resilience. The Uniting Church, together with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), celebrates this milestone and the enduring strength of First Nations peoples. NAIDOC Week has grown into an annual event of hope, truth-telling and a powerful declaration…
Planting Hope: Vision, Volunteers and a Community Revitalised
Planting Hope: Vision, Volunteers and a Community Revitalised A 20-year dream has been fulfilled in the outback terrain of South Australia, bringing the hope of Jesus to a remote communityBy Rob Floyd, National Director of Frontier ServicesIt isn’t often that you embark on an epic journey, through vast expanses of desert, to witness the birth…
Yarta Wandatha: The land is speaking
Yarta Wandatha: the land is speaking, the people are speaking Walking with Elders, learning from their ancient wisdom and wrestling with the lessons that creation – ‘God’s oldest voice’ – has to teach us todayThis article was first published in VOX, the bulletin of the University of Divinity. It is republished with permission. By Dr…
Welcome to Country: an ancient, sacred ritual
Welcome to Country: a sacred ritual inviting us all into deeper relationship with this ancient land Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli has written a response after two deeply hurtful events related to Welcome to Country ceremonies on Friday sparked painful debate about the place of the custom in public life Rev Charissa Suli, President…
Lament in Lent for our native forests
lament in lent: on country, with country, for country Aunty Alison Overeem and Rev Alex Sangster invite the Uniting Church community to show solidarity with creation through the lament in lent vigil, being held on country in Tasmania This Lent, come and stand with mob on Country to support our ancient forests! Proud Palawa woman…