On the Sunday before Australia Day, all Uniting Church in Australia congregations are invited to hold worship services to reflect upon and lament the effect of the invasion and colonisation of this nation upon First Peoples.

The observance of a Day of Mourning was endorsed by the 15th Assembly arising from a request of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC). In 2022 the Day of Mourning will be observed on Sunday 23 January. 

UAICC Interim National Chairperson Rev Mark Kickett and UCA President Rev Sharon Hollis have recorded a conversation about what a Day of Mourning means and the survival and resilience of Australia's First Nations Peoples.

In an introduction to the 2022 worship resource (see below), UAICC Interim National Chairperson Rev Mark Kickett and UCA President Rev Sharon Hollis encourage communities to participate.

"In marking a day of mourning, we hear the call of Jesus to a love one another. We live into our covenant relationship to stand together with, and listen to the wisdom of First Nations people in their struggle for justice."

The 2022 Worship Resource is available below.

We would love to hear about your Day of Mourning services. Please email us with your stories and photos.

The 2021 livestreamed service is available here