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?’
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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!)
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