The Uniting Church WA, through the Social Justice Commission, has released a Covenanting resource for its congregations.
A Guide to Congregations in Walking Together as First and Second Peoples encourages and supports councils of the church to re-commit to the Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), to engage and deepen covenantal relationships, and to inspire the church to take action for creating change.
The Uniting Church in Australia accepted an invitation to the Covenant from the UAICC in 1994. The Covenant is an ongoing deep relationship between the Uniting Church and the UAICC, so that all may see a destiny together, praying and working together for a fuller expression of our reconciliation in Jesus Christ.
The new resource provides information on cultural awareness, decolonising and developing relationships, as well as ideas for practical covenanting and a guide for developing a covenanting action plan.
“The Covenanting Commission is pleased to be able to offer a Covenanting Guide for use in congregations,” said Wendy Hendry, Social Justice Officer for the Uniting Church WA. “The resource has been developed to provide a simple list of suggested actions congregations can take to progress their Covenanting journey and we encourage all congregations to download the guide and continue to take steps in walking together as First and Second Peoples.”
In the words of the WA Regional Committee of the UAICC, “We pray that through your use of this Covenanting Guide you may deepen your understanding of Aboriginal people and culture, and your understanding of the God who sustained our people through this land over countless generations.”
The resource will be launched at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Synod of WA, Friday 10 to Sunday 12 September, at Scotch College. Download your copy on the Uniting Church WA website at unitingchurchwa.org.au/uniting-church-centre/social-justice/first-peoples