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This is my Uniting Church

Echuca-Moama Uniting Church

November 14, 2023

In this new regular series we're excited to be telling some stories of our local congregations and communities of faith - the beating heart of the Uniting Church!  Find our growing hub of stories here.
 
This week we head to the twin cities of Echuca and Moama along the Murray River, in Yorta Yorta country. Rev Michele Lees introduces us to life in Echuca-Moama Uniting Church.

"We see God at work in the Echuca Moama Uniting Church’s outreach through a weekly community lunch."

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Describe your church community

As you may be able to tell from the double name of our congregation, we span two towns, one on either side of the Murray River, Echuca in Victoria, and Moama in New South Wales. This twin town coverage made congregational life difficult during COVID-19 border closures. Echuca is the Aboriginal word for the ‘meeting of waters’, the Murray, the Campaspe, and the Goulburn Rivers, which unfortunately makes us vulnerable to flooding. However, we love our river location.

Where do you see God at work in your community?

We see God at work in our community with the monthly gathering of Ministers from up to eleven churches of different Christian traditions. We see God at work in the Echuca Moama Uniting Church’s outreach through a weekly community lunch, regular community markets, an ecumenical repair café, musical performances in the church building and a ‘Hands on Health’ provider for those on low-income concession cards.

What are the intercultural and/or intergenerational aspects?

There is a greater Aboriginal population in our area because of the rivers, and our connection with these brothers and sisters is through their attendance at our community lunch. Although we have done training with ‘GenOn’, we struggle to maintain the involvement of the younger members of our community.

What can the rest of the church pray for you and your community?

Like many Uniting Churches, we are an older demographic, and with our home a heritage-listed property with increasing maintenance issues our finances are stretched and shrinking. We would appreciate prayer for wisdom for the way ahead for both Echuca Moama Uniting and me.