Welcome to Country: a sacred ritual inviting us all into deeper relationship with this ancient land
Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli has written a response after two deeply hurtful events related to Welcome to Country ceremonies on Friday sparked painful debate about the place of the custom in public life
April 29, 2025
Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia
As a Pacific daughter, born here in Australia, and as President of the Uniting Church in Australia, my heart is heavy with sadness at the disrespect we have witnessed in our nation over this past long weekend.
I invite you to hear these words not as a political statement, but as a faithful call to honour the sacred stories and connections between land, people, and Spirit which have been carried by First Nations peoples for millennia.
On Friday last week, we witnessed two deeply painful events: the disrespectful interruption of Bunurong Elder Uncle Mark Brown’s Welcome to Country at the Melbourne ANZAC Day Dawn Service, and the abrupt cancellation of Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy’s Welcome to Country at an NRL match.
The Uniting Church in Australia stands in complete solidarity with First Nations peoples and honours the Elders who continue to offer Welcome to their ancestral Country with extraordinary generosity, even when their grace is met with disrespect and racism.
Welcome to Country is not a courtesy or a formality. It is a sacred act that affirms the sovereignty, cultures, and dignity of First Peoples. With roots in the ancient customs of First Peoples who welcomed visitors onto their lands to ensure safe passage and peaceful relationship, today it remains a gift that invites all who gather to walk humbly and respectfully.
"Whenever the profound meaning of these ancient cultural and spiritual customs are diminished, whether through ignorance, fear or public debate, a wound is reopened in the heart of this land."
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
Aunty Alison Overeem, proud Palawa woman and First Nations elder in the Uniting Church, describes the Welcome to Country with these words of grace:
Welcoming people into and on country is about welcoming all into a woven shared story. It’s a welcome to all the stories that connect us. It’s empowering for all to be welcomed into the stories of the land which centre us in our call to creation, to relationship, to solidarity. It’s not for division. It’s a call to a shared vision.
As a Pacific daughter, I know that land is not merely land — it is family, life itself. This sacred connection has been cherished by First Peoples since time beyond memory.
Whenever the profound meaning of these ancient cultural and spiritual customs is diminished, whether through ignorance, fear or public debate, a wound is reopened in the heart of this land. We lose something vital within our own spirit. As an ancient call to relationship and shared responsibility, to dismiss it is to turn away from the truth that could heal us.
As a Church that has formally recognised the sovereignty of First Peoples and entered covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, we are clear: these sacred and ancient practices must be upheld and honoured. Every act of interruption, silencing and disrespect deepens the daily experience of spiritual and cultural unsafety for First Peoples on their own lands.
We give thanks for the steadfast courage of First Nations Elders, who continue to lead with wisdom, grace, and generosity. We call on the Australian community, including our national leaders, to honour and uphold Welcome to Country with the seriousness and respect it deserves. May we be a people who receive the hand of welcome with humility and gratitude.
The Uniting Church will continue to listen deeply, walk faithfully, and stand in covenant with First Peoples in the ongoing work of justice, healing and hope.
Further reading
Resources
To learn more about Welcome to Country, Covenanting, and our Church’s commitment to walking together with First Peoples, visit the Assembly's First Nations resource hub which includes:
More news from the Assembly
President's Conference 2025 in review
President’s Conference 2025 in review Gathering as pilgrims and partners in Tonga, Uniting Church delegates reflect on faith, friendship and renewal from the 2025 UCA President’s ConferenceWhen members of the Uniting Church gathered for the 2025 UCA President’s Conference last November, they did so as pilgrims and partners. Hosted by President Rev Charissa Suli, the…
Assembly's new strategy for 2026–31: First Strategic Goal explained
The 2026-31 Strategy: First Strategic Goal explained As the Assembly launches its new five-year strategy, General Secretary Andrew Johnson introduces the first of the Strategic Goals – Flourishing Faith by Andrew Johnson, Assembly General Secretary In 2026, the National Assembly commences its new strategy for the period 2026–31, centred on the vision Uniting in Christ:…
Update on Assembly's new Pride Circle
Update on Assembly’s new Pride Circle The Assembly’s Pride Circle has been launched, bringing LGBTIQA+ members and allies together to help the Uniting Church live out its mission of love and inclusion Responding to both the UCA’s commitment to being a loving, safe and inclusive Church, and the long history of struggle and marginalisation of…
Rev Dr Paul Goh reflects on the President's Conference 2025
Weaving the Mat of Belonging In his first-ever visit to Tonga for the 2025 President’s Conference, Rev Dr Paul Goh unearthed many takeaways that we can apply within the Uniting Church. He penned this article upon his return last November.by Rev Dr Paul Goh, President-Elect, Uniting Church in Australia, and current Mission Activator, Mission Resourcing…
Walking the Path of Peace
Walking the Path of Peace When Emelia Haskey walks into the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok next month, she will carry with her the prayers, hopes and convictions of her Uniting Church community. Emelia has been selected to take part in the Fifth Global Peace Summit, an international gathering of around 400…
Church responds to Bondi attack
Church responds to Bondi attack As the Uniting Church, we express our grief and call for solidarity and peaceThe Uniting Church in Australia expresses its deep sorrow following the attack at Bondi Beach, which NSW Police have identified as a terrorist act. The violence occurred while families and children were gathered to celebrate the start…
Bondi tragedy: Pastoral message from President Rev Suli
Bondi tragedy: Pastoral message from President President Rev Charissa Suli offers this pastoral mesage and prayer following the tragic events at Bondi Beach written by Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia This morning, we wake with heavy hearts following the tragic events at Bondi. As the Uniting Church in Australia,…
President's Christmas Message 2025
This Christmas season, President Rev Charissa Suli offers two messages for our community – because the incarnation meets us wherever we are. A Christmas Message of Light and Action In her main Christmas message, President Rev Charissa reminds us of the profound mystery at the heart of our faith: God chose to draw near, entering…