2024 Uniting Church Anniversary message
Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis shares this message marking 47 years of the Uniting Church in Australia
May 22, 2024
President Rev Sharon Hollis has shared a video message to mark the 47th anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia on 22 June 2024.
The final video message of her Presidency, Rev Hollis reflects on some key things she has seen and heard as she has moved across the Uniting Church over the last three years.
"We are one church across a great diversity of beliefs and practices, ways of being and doing and thinking about what it means to be the Uniting Church. That is what a Uniting Church should be."
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She challenges the Uniting Church with the "unfinished business" of its Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress and invites us to continue to reflect on what it means to be a covenant-keeping Church. She expresses delight at the faithful ministry of Uniting Church communities everywhere. She calls on the Uniting Church to continue embracing its deep diversity.
She gives thanks for the privilege and "deep joy" of her role.
The message was filmed at Christ Church Wayville in South Australia.
For the second year, the anniversary will mark the conclusion of Uniting in Prayer - a national time of prayer and an initiative of the Act2 Project which began on Pentecost Sunday.
The video message is available now to download and play in your worship service or to share with your community.
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