This year, Uniting Church members were encouraged to hold a Day of Mourning on 20 January to reflect on the impact of invasion on First Peoples. Here are two stories of how people participated in this event. Tewantin Uniting Church in Queensland took a great deal of time in getting to know the stories of […]
Joy Han has written a reflection on her experience of Walking on Ngarrindjeri Country in the lead up to the National Young Adult Leaders Conference. She has written it in the form of a letter to a friend, Sarah, who she addresses as Ŏnni, a Korean kinship term for another woman in the same peer group […]
By Stuart McMillan, Circle Advocate While this greeting is commonly used as hello or greetings, it really is like saying: “How is it with you? With your spirit?” I wonder if in a future issue of the newsletter, or as a regular newsletter feature, we could explore stories from our walking together and discovering something […]
By Stuart McMillan, Walking Together as First and Second Peoples Advocate and Assembly Consultant Covenanting. What did the First Nation leaders really include in their submission about a First Nations Voice to the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples? How could any Commonwealth Parliamentarian misconstrue the submission […]
Rev. Seung Jae Yeo is a Panel Member for Walking Together as First and Second Peoples. We asked Seung Jae to share some of his story. My name is Rev. Seung Jae Yeon, my Korean name is 연 승재 and in Chinese characters is 延 承宰. Gok-San is like my tribe and it is the place of the […]
By Stuart McMillan, Advocate for the Walking Together as First and Second Peoples Circle Well, I have my two front teeth, thanks to the mouth guard I wore when playing Rugby. Seriously though, what is it that this Circle might hope for? How might the advent of Christ, the ever-present Immanuel, cause us to spur one […]
Assembly Theologian-in-Residence Rev. Dr Ji Zhang has written a paper on the Christology of the Preamble to be published in the next edition of Uniting Church Studies Journal. The next edition edited by Rev. Dr Chris Budden will feature papers from the Neoliberalism, Civil Society & The Church Conference held at United Theological College in June. […]
By Stuart McMillan, Advocate – Walking Together as First and Second Peoples On Sunday 20 January 2019, Uniting Church Congregations will be able to join together in lament, recognising the tragic events of colonisation together with devastating effects for the First Nation peoples of Australia. The observance of a “Day of Mourning” was endorsed by the […]
Dr Richard Smith, from the Uniting Church WA Covenanting Commission, offered this reflection after a workshop on Sovereignty and Treaty led by UCA leaders of the Noongar people at the Presbytery of WA Meeting. Below his article is a question for reflection and some thoughts shared within the Circle. The Story was originally published in […]
Rev. Michelle Cook is a Panel Member for the Walking Together as First and Second Peoples Circle. We asked Michelle to tell us a bit about herself. I’m currently living on the land of the Letteremarriner people in the place also called Launceston, Tasmania. My current role is as Presbytery Minister – Mission development across […]