A revival and redesign of the Covenant

A redesign and revival of the Covenant is the focus of two proposals from the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) passed by consensus at the 17th Assembly today.

The proposals call for the establishment of a Covenant Revival Working Group and the endorsement and implementation of the relevant principles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

“This is an opportunity for us to have a health check together as one group and one body, to see what has been working and what hasn’t been working,” explained Rev Kickett about the Covenant Revival Working Group.

The group will be made up equally of Congress and non-Congress members, equipped to consult regarding the successes and shortcomings of the Covenant relationship so far. This listening would culminate in a report to the 18th Assembly with “stories, ideas, principles and proposals about ‘living out’ the gospel through a redesigned and revived Covenant.” The Working Group will also “establish how Congress may build up a capital and income base, including proceeds from Uniting Church property sales, so that Congress ministry may grow and flourish.”

An amendment to the original proposal was moved by Rev Kickett, with the proposal expanded to encourage other councils and other parts of the church to also endorse UNDRIP and implement the relevant principles through their policies, procedures and practices. This amendment was passed by consensus by the Assembly in session.

Speaking to the importance of the proposal, Rev Kickett said there was a lack of knowledge and understanding of the Covenant relationship and the revised Preamble among congregations across the country. Rev Kickett identified these information gaps as a key area to be addressed in the work of living out the Covenant into the future.

“We need the church to journey with us, so the groundswell of that is with our people. We want the story to unfold there. The problem we are finding is the story tends to be held right at the top with all the leaders and the Synods and it hasn’t been filtering down. I’ve been travelling around the country to churches who don’t know what the Covenant is, don’t know what the revised Preamble is.”

Assurances were provided that Congress National Executive and the Assembly Standing Committee, which contains representation from UAICC members, would have oversight over the appointment of members to the group to ensure that relationships of mutual trust and respect can be fostered and developed through the process.

The Working Group will be equipped to reflect on the past, work together as First and Second Peoples and dream of a future for the Covenant relationship, with Indigenous self-determination and gospel love at the heart of its mission.