For the anniversary of the UCA
On 22 June every year, across this continent, people usually gather to
celebrate the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia. This year, we
celebrate 43 years as this church. We may not be able to gather in person,
but we still have much to be grateful for, as we mark that anniversary
this coming weekend.
Recently, one of my Facebook friends posed an interesting—although
challenging—question. “As we re-emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown,”
he wrote, “I find myself asking, ‘Why seek to re-open The Uniting
Church in Australia?’ Or a more positive question ‘What is God’s specific
mission for The Uniting Church in Australia today?’”
I thought much about that provocative question. How would you answer
it? What is our distinct ok experience mission? How would I answer it?
What are we aiming to do as this particular church?
I think that I want to respond in terms of gratitude. Gratitude for what
makes us distinctive, as a particular denomination in our nation. Gratitude
for some important and distinctive elements which our church offers
to Australian society.
I am grateful that in this church, we have leadership speaking into the
national discourse from a lay female person (President of the Assembly,
Dr Deidre Palmer) alongside an indigenous pastor (President of the
Congress, Pastor Mark Kickett). We have much to offer because of this
leadership.
I am grateful that in this church I am able to protest the restrictive and
unjust government policies about refugees and asylum seekers, on the
basis of my conscientious commitment to justice for such people, and
even be arrested, and still not be disciplined by my church. That is a
provision written into our Code of Ethics and Ministry Practice, a fine
legacy from the decades of social activism in each of our three founding
denominations (Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational—each of
which has a strong record in this area).
I am grateful that in this church I can sit each week under the teaching
of an ordained woman leading worship and preaching. That is a distinctive
contribution from our church. That is an important offering to Australian
society.
I am grateful that in this church (when we are meeting in person) I am
able to attend worship in the morning with a very faithful, very caring,
St Margaret’s News 2 June 2020