Day 2 of the 17th Assembly opens with worship
Day 2 of the 17th Assembly opened with heartfelt worship, teaching and talanoa and communion
July 12, 2024
Opening worship on day two of the 17th Assembly continued the joy experienced at Rev Charissa Suli’s installation service last night.
Rev’s Ellie Elia, Pablo Nunez and Heewon Chang led members in the singing of ‘Into My Heart,’ explaining that each day this song would be sung in both English and other languages. Today it was sung in Korean.
‘How are you going to weave yourself into this land, not just walk upon it?’
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.
Dr Denise Wood drew on the 17th Assembly theme in her Acknowledgement of Country, acknowledging other First Peoples in the room and paying respect to them, as they too gather and weave with their lands, sky and waterways.
A reading of Psalm 139:13-15 by Rev Mosese Taufa led into a time of teaching and talanoa by Rev Ken Sumner who first spoke in his native language of the Ngarrindjeri people. Rev Sumner invited his ancestors to be present and for the ancestors of all gathered to be present.
He emphasised the themes of identity, especially in understanding this from the Indigenous perspective, that although dispossession of First Peoples has been experienced for generations, reconciliation and renewal for the whole of creation is imperative; and that First Nations people”still want to offer you our gifts.”
Rev Sumner referred to the work of Robin Wall Kimmerer, a native American, who speaks of becoming one with the land. He posed the question: ‘How are you going to weave yourself into this land, not just walk upon it?’
Psalm 139 speaks of knitting together and Rev Sumner finished by asking all to contemplate two questions: What gifts are you giving to this land; and What responsibilities are you meeting in this land?
President Rev Charissa Suli and National Chairperson of the UAICC Rev Mark Kickett led communion.
The choir of the Park Church Tongan Congregation who travelled from Brisbane to support the meeting brought opening worship to a stunning close with their joyful song (and full brass band!)
Read more 17th Assembly news
Celebrations and stories of healing in Alice Springs
Stories of Healing: Alice Springs marks 100 years of Adelaide House and 70 years of the John Flynn Memorial ChurchIn the red centre of Australia, members of the Uniting Church community gathered on 12–13 September to honour two milestones of faith, care and resilience: the centenary of Adelaide House and 70 years of the John…
Pacific women call for climate action that begins with their communities
Pacific women call for climate action that begins with their communities From Tuvalu, Pacific women are calling on world leaders to listen deeply, strengthen community leadership and pursue climate action grounded in local experience and wisdom.For the women who gathered in Tuvalu this September, climate justice reaches into the everyday work of keeping communities safe.…
Bearing witness to Palestinian Christian voices
Bearing witness to Palestinian Christian voicesAs World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel takes place this week, the Uniting Church is invited to listen, pray and stand in solidarity with communities longing for peace and justice. In July this year, the Uniting Church hosted two Palestinian Christians as part of the “Bearing Witness: Palestinian…
President’s Prayer for the UN International Day of Peace
President’s Prayer for the United Nations International Day of Peace The United Nations International Day of Peace, commemorated on 21 September, brings people around the world together to reflect on the urgent work of building and sustaining peace. The 2026 theme, “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day” highlights that peace is…
Come, Taste and See: Feast of Faith 2026
Come, Taste and See: Feast of Faith 2026 Young adults and emerging leaders gathered for this year’s Feast of Faith, discovering God’s goodness through worship, fellowship, storytelling and shared cultural experiencesEarlier this month, second-generation young adults and emerging leaders from intercultural communities across the Uniting Church gathered in Merricks, Victoria for Feast of Faith 2026.…
Lay Preachers gather to share in weaving Christ’s love
Lay Preachers gather to share in weaving Christ’s loveMore than 40 Lay Preachers, worship leaders and church members from across Australia gathered in Naarm/Melbourne from 4–6 September for the National Lay Preachers’ Conference. Hosted by the Lay Preachers’ Association of Victoria and Tasmania with Pilgrim Theological College, the triennial conference was…
Pilgrims of Peace, Trust and Hope
Pilgrims of Peace, Trust and Hope Last week, President-elect Rev Dr Paul Goh gathered with the global ecumenical community to discuss the Church’s role in speaking for peace, justice and hope amid the wounds of divisionSubscribe to our newsletterIf you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to…
Listening at the lingual frontier
Listening at the lingual frontier 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. What does it mean to listen when the person we are seeking to relate to speaks a different first language,…