New Advocate for Being a Multicultural Church
December 6, 2023
The Assembly is pleased to announce that Rev Dr Paul Goh is stepping in as interim Advocate for the Being a Multicultural Church Circle until the 17th Assembly.
“I am delighted that Paul has stepped into the role of Advocate for the Being a Multicultural Church Circle and look forward to the insights and ideas he will bring."
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Paul is the Justice and CALD Officer for the Synod of SA and is a long serving panel member of the Circle. He brings a deep passion for and extensive experience in multicultural and cross-cultural ministry.
Paul played a leading role in the Assembly’s adoption of a new celebration, Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday, which was marked for the first time in July. A key focus of the celebration is for communities of faith to connect and build relationships with culturally and linguistically diverse communities in their neighbourhoods.
“I am delighted that Paul has stepped into the role of Advocate for the Being a Multicultural Church Circle and look forward to the insights and ideas he will bring, both within the Circle and how the Circle informs and resources the wider Church,” said Assembly Associate General Secretary Rev Lindsay Cullen.
The Assembly gives thanks for Rev Dr Matagi Vilitama as the inaugural Advocate for Being a Multicultural Church. Matagi is concluding his ministry in the Uniting Church to return to his home island, Niue, at the end of January 2024.
“We have deeply valued the contribution Matagi has made as the Advocate for the Circle for the past five years,” said Lindsay. “Matagi has been instrumental in creating spaces and platforms for a diversity of voices across our church to be heard and to connect with one another, especially during the time of COVID-19 when the Circle hosted a series of webinars.”
“As Advocate, Matagi has generously shared his wisdom and insight on what it means to celebrate our cultural and linguistic diversity as the body of Christ. He has fostered relationships both within and across the Circles, championing not only our life as an intercultural church, but also our commitments to justice, the covenant and being an intergenerational church.”
“Matagi will always have a home in the Uniting Church and we pray God’s blessing on his ongoing ministry as he returns to his home Niue.”
The seven Circles and Advocates are:
Rev Dr Paul Goh (Being a Multicultural Church), Rev Dr Matt Wilson (Seeking Common Ground), Rev Jon Humphries (Transforming Worship), Virginia Lavaki (Discipling the Next Generations), Alison Overeem (Walking Together as First and Second Peoples), Rev Alex Sangster (Working for Justice) and Rev Liam Miller (Growing in Faith).
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