You can watch the bible readings and sermon here, or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch this video at the point it occurs during worship.
God loves and accepts us just as we are. Engadine Uniting seeks to be a safe place for all people to gather regardless of age, ability, sexuality, or culture. We gather today accepting each other in our diversity to seek love and joy in the presence of God. Know that you are loved and that your presence here this morning both enriches each one of us and our worship time together. A special welcome to our friends on zoom and to anyone visiting us this morning.
Woven together by threads of love, faith and a vision for God’s justice and healing, our church along with Uniting Churches across the country have chosen to walk together as First and Second Peoples, sharing in joy and sorrow on the journey to reconciliation. The resources and material I am using today have come from the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress with some Common Grace input as well.
We have intertwined our services for the 19th of January – Aboriginal Sunday also called the Day of Mourning and January 26th which is known as a national day Australia Day and also called Survival Day.
Last week Loraine led us in a Day of Mourning service with prayers and songs, where heard from Aboriginal Christian leaders and completed the art activity now hanging in the entrance. Today, we come together, to celebrate strength, survival and resilience, to mourn and lament the dispossession and disconnection of First Peoples, and to know that unhealed wounds remain. And to prayerfully welcome the healing light of Jesus. The hope of Jesus shines a pathway for us to journey together with First Nations people seeking truth, justice and love.
May God’s unending peace be with you, And also with you.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Today, as we gather, we acknowledge the Dharawal peoples, the original custodians of these lands, and we acknowledge their continuing care of God’s creation. We pay our respects to the knowledge holders and sharers of story, for through their custom and ceremony God’s reconciling love and purpose is revealed. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging and in doing so, acknowledge their suffering. We commit ourselves to an ongoing reconciliation and Covenant journey.
CALL TO WORSHIP
God is alive amongst all things of creation.
The sounds of the rivers in motion, the waves of the seas.
The scents of the gum trees and native flowers on the winds.
You made the earth to give us life and daily sustenance and it is on Country that we find a place to retreat and walk alongside you in whispering conversation.
Today we come together, and we bring our full voices, to lift them in praise of our triune God.
We ask for forgiveness for not always being the givers of love and hospitality.
And, we look to have our hearts made clean.
(Together) God of unconditional love, we come in repentance and hope Jesus, our guide and teacher of love, we come to listen, learn and act with courage. Holy Spirit of multiplying love, we come with humble awe and wonder of what you might move within our hearts and the hearts of those with whom we share life
PSALM 19
1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.[a]
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant,
a great reward for those who obey them
A prayer for 26 January Written by Brooke Prentis, a paragraph has been added for Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Congress
God of Holy Dreaming, Great Creator Spirit, Papa Jesus,
We come before you today as a Christian community to pause and reflect with our Aboriginal brothers and sisters. We pause to take a moment to show compassion to Aboriginal people at this time of grief and grievance. Help us to see, hear and feel the struggles of First Nations Peoples.
We pray for strength and healing at this time that brings forth feelings of loss. We recognise the loss of family, loss of land, and loss of freedom. We are sorry for the times we have wronged Aboriginal people, the times we have not treated them with dignity, the times we have not stood up to racism, and the times we have not listened to their stories, their fight for justice, and their cry for compassion.
Loving God, we pray for a way that we can celebrate together, not as one unified group, but for a way that celebrates our diversity. A way that encompasses all cultures, and celebrates and commemorates our past, both the good and the bad.
We give thanks for the gift of the covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, for the resilience and generosity of Aboriginal Leaders. We pray that the Uniting Church will continue to seek ways to walk together with First Nations Peoples in faith, hope and love.
Loving God ,we know that you have seen all that has gone on in this land since time began. We pray that you help all Australians to see as you have seen all the pages of our history and our present and our future yet to come.
(Together)Loving God, we thank you for placing Aboriginal people here in this land, we thank you for their care and stewardship of your great creation for thousands of years. We thank you for their survival against many odds. May we respect, appreciate, and acknowledge, the oldest living culture in the world.
And we ask all these things in your Almighty name, Amen.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious God,
You paint a picture of a better world—
A world of peace and joy, of equality and grace.
But we turn our heads and close our eyes,
Afraid that you might want us to help.
You ask us to be brave, and we are complacent.
You ask us to speak out, but instead we stay quiet.
You ask us to listen, and we assume we are the experts.
You lead with love, and we wait on the sidelines.
Forgive us for always being steps behind you.
Forgive us for all the ways we are works in progress.
Fill our hearts with a hope that won’t let go
God, your love is wider than our differences, larger than our loneliness, and stronger than our sorrows. We bring our truth-telling, our lament and our confessions to you God, the great reconciler. Amen
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
Water for First Peoples is always a sign of God’s peace and fulfillment in everything that is good. The promise of food, of harmony with each other, and with creation.
God who in the beginning hovered over the waters, invites us to ‘come to the water’, come to Him and to drop the heavy burdens we carry.
Hear then the words of Christ’s forgiveness to us all: Your sins are forgiven, and you are cleansed and made new again. Go now and live as forgiven people. In the name of Christ, Amen.
SONG –
God Of The Poor ( Beauty for Brokenness)
Beauty for brokenness
Hope for despair
Lord in Your suff’ring world
This is our prayer
Bread for the children
Justice joy peace
Sunrise to sunset
Your kingdom increase
Shelter for fragile lives
Cures for their ills
Work for the craftsmen
Trade for their skills
Land for the dispossessed
Rights for the weak
Voices to plead the cause
Of those who can’t speak
Chorus
God of the poor
Friend of the weak
Give us compassion we pray
Melt our cold hearts
Let tears fall like rain
Come change our love
From a spark to a flame
Refuge from cruel wars
Havens from fear
Cities for sanctu’ry
Freedoms to share
Peace to the killing fields
Scorched earth to green
Christ for the bitterness
His cross for the pain
Rest for the ravaged earth
Oceans and streams
Plundered and poisoned
Our future our dreams
Lord end our madness
Carelessness greed
Make us content with
The things that we need
Lighten our darkness
Breathe on this flame
Until Your justice
Burns brightly again
Until the nations
Learn of Your ways
Seek Your salvation
And bring You their praise
Graham Kendrick
CCLI Song #1236690
CCLI License #31951
HEARING FROM OUR PEOPLE:
Genelle is now going to bring us some of her thoughts and experiences of her journey of learning and experiences from the book club and other First Nations experiences
BIBLE READINGS
Luke 4 14-21 – Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee
14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him. The news about him spread throughout all that territory. 15 He taught in the synagogues and was praised by everyone.
Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth
16 Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures 17 and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed
19 and announce that the time has come
when the Lord will save his people.”
20 Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him, 21 as he said to them, “This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”
I Cor 12 12-31
One Body with Many Parts
12 Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. 13 In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.
14 For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were just an eye, how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell? 18 As it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 There would not be a body if it were all only one part! 20 As it is, there are many parts but one body.
21 So then, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Nor can the head say to the feet, “Well, I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker; 23 and those parts that we think aren’t worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts of the body which don’t look very nice are treated with special modesty, 24 which the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honor to those parts that need it. 25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.
27 All of you are Christ’s body, and each one is a part of it. 28 In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues. 29 They are not all apostles or prophets or teachers. Not everyone has the power to work miracles 30 or to heal diseases or to speak in strange tongues or to explain what is said. 31 Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts.
Best of all, however, is the following way.
FIRST PEOPLES VOICES Hear from Alison Overeem-Smith is a proud Muwanina woman from South East Tasmania. She is the Manager of the Leprena Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in Tasmania, serves on the National Executive for the Uniting Aboriginal Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) and is a board member of Uniting Australia.
This was recorded during a conference last year.
REFLECTION – with thanks to Alison Overeem-Smith and Rev Sue Hodge:
SONG Threads of Love – Tune Morning has Broken. Words Kath Merrifield
Threads of compassion; binding the broken
calming our hearts and guiding the free.
Weaving Christ’s love this day of new promise –
holding together our fierce unity.
Threads of our cultures; braiding our fala,
richness in texture, colour and line.
Weaving Christ’s love this noon of our mem’ry
shaping together a story divine.
Threads of our songlines; tracing deep wisdom,
across land and ocean, arc beyond skies.
Weaving Christ’s love this eve of the campfire –
pond’ring together our dreams and our sighs.
Threads of our story; praising our God’s gifts,
offering sorrow, begging for aid.
Weaving Christ’s love this dark night of bright stars –
releasing together our fears to God’s shade.
Threads of our future; hoping with God’s mind,
praying with Christ’s heart, handheld in hand.
Weaving Christ’s love this dawn of the Spirit –
walking with justice and peace in our land.
Walking Together Action Plan
Our church engaged with the inaugural Walking Together Action Plan 2021-2023 as part of our initial Strategic Plan
Some of our initiatives
Some of our initiatives and continued responses were:
- Our Book club – purpose to learn and understand more about First Nations perspectives
- Visit to Kurrunulla Centre at Jannali
- An acknowledgement of Country is at the start of all our services and events
- Partnership with Common Grace
- Significant days such as Aboriginal Sunday and NAIDOC week as part of our church calendar
- Members of this church attend local aboriginal events.
- Our sign marks the changing seasons in Dharawal language
- Website and emails acknowledge the Dharawal Peoples
- Our Pop Up Choir.
This is how our book club started with a want to learn and understand more about First Nations perspectives, some of us visited the Kurrunulla Centre at Jannali, we partnered with Common Grace and included significant days such as Aboriginal Sunday and NAIDOC week as part of our church calendar. Members of this church attend local aboriginal events. Our sign marks the changing seasons in Dharawal language, and we regularly pray for First Nations peoples. We engaged with the YES campaign. Our pop up Choir sang From little things big things grow
Many people across Congregations, Presbyteries, and the Synod, engaged with the inaugural WTAP in positive steps to learn, improve understanding, and take action. Practical initiatives by other congregations included
Adamstown UC completing a Reconciliation mural and Sorry Garden.
Paddington UC updated their signage to include a wonderful acknowledgement of traditional owners.
Pitt Street UC have formed a “Walking Together” group to explore ways of building relationships with and supporting First Peoples.
Many more Churches have embraced the Acknowledgement of Country at the start of worship services and meetings and a number of Uniting Churches fly an Aboriginal Flag, as a sign of recognition, respect and welcome of First Peoples.
Other examples of positive outcomes achieved are:
- First Nations Resources website The First Nations Resources page has been created on the Synod website, making available a range of resources to support learning about First Peoples issues and perspectives.
- The Synod revised and updated a scholarship to support First Peoples wishing to undertake theological study,
- The Synod also developed an MOU between Congress Ministry Centres, Macquarie Darling Presbytery, and the Synod – the first of its kind in the country. The MOU clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the parties, to ensure ongoing effective and collaborative support for the Ministry Centres.
- All Synod staff are required to complete online learning about Aboriginal people and cultures, via three Aboriginal Cultural Capability modules.
- First Nations Trainee Position – Synod Aboriginal trainee in the Media and Communications Team.
Also – at a Synod level
-Minimum target of 3% Aboriginal employees across Synod Staff cohort
-Traineeship/Graduate Positions for First Peoples with a view to permanent employment
-Synod will continue its membership with Supply Nation with Synod staff in procurement related roles encouraged to attend Supply Nation training and events. Investigate the development of a First Peoples Procurement Policy, for the purpose of assisting Synod to meet a 3% procurement target
-Actively look for opportunities to utilise Church properties to support First Peoples’ Ministry and/or community programs initiatives – making space available for Ministry, community meetings, Elder gatherings, etc
There is more – 47 points altogether
For the 2024-2027 WTAP the focus for Congregations will be:
Undertaking an Acknowledgement of Country at the start of Services and Church meetings.
Aboriginal cultural learning via online learning resources available for congregations – Loraine and I have signed up for this – some others may have too.
Supporting any local UAICC Ministry Centres via regular engagement and developing collaborative relationships.
Support advocacy initiatives for First People’s issues led by the Synod and/or Uniting NSW/ACT by distributing information, volunteering, and/or hosting advocacy events.
Fundraise to support UAICC Ministry Centres and/or mission-based projects that support local Aboriginal communities
Display UAICC Covenanting Banners, acknowledging local First Peoples
Congregation Mission Planning to include discussion of First Peoples Strategy and Engagement opportunities.
Promote awareness of the UCA’s Covenant Statement 1994
Commend the Assembly’s Walking Together Resources to Congregations for study and consideration.
What does all this mean for Engadine Uniting?
As we consider our Strategic plan for the next 3 years will the Walking together Action Plan to be part of it? Here is a short video from the Uniting Church Assembly
The WTAP inspires positive action. It is both a prayerful and practical way we can stand in solidarity with First Nations Peoples. We have heard today from Alison talking of weaving the basket that connects us to each other – strengthen the threads, strengthen the basket, if we weave into the same basket. As we heard from John last week and Genelle this week, our book club, joining discussion groups, links to articles, podcasts etc in the bulletin, joining with others at events and other activities has been positive, sometimes challenging and deeply meaningful for members of our congregation. Our readings today talk compassion, renewal and about being One Body.
We can definitely continue the things we have been doing successfully over the past few years, like the books club, Our connection with Common Grace, our special day services, information sharing on our social media.
And we can go further by incorporating some of the above ideas as suggested by the UAICC and the Assembly. Having the action plan helps us with planning, keeps us accountable and gives focus. It is my prayer that First Nations issues and First Nations Justice and the flourishing of all people is important to members of this church, that justice and love has hands and feet and a voice. It is my hope and prayer that as a church, as a faith community with Jesus’ walking with us, weaving our basket together, as we will continue on our journey to walk together with first Nations Peoples in truth, justice and love.
Offering – Offering prayer
There are many ways people give to our church – via direct giving, QR code, cash in the donation box at the door, food for Project Youth and the sharing of their time and talents. Let us give thanks to God for the gifts freely offered.
God of love, thank you for the gifts that you have given us. We offer our threads of woven community. Keep shaping us as a giving community. May our offerings follow you in generosity and be used to work for love, justice, and peace in the world. Amen.
Prayers of People –
Give us the courage to
accept the realities of our history
so that we may build a better future for our nation.
Teach us to respect all cultures.
Teach us to care for our land and waters.
Help us to share justly the resources of this land.
Help us to bring about spiritual and social change
to improve the quality of life
for all peoples in our communities,
especially the disadvantaged.
Help all young people to find true dignity
and self-esteem by your Spirit.
May your power and love
be the foundations on which we:
walk together as First and Second Peoples; and
build our families, our communities and our nation.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
SONG Pentecost Prayer
When this earth was created
It was God who spoke the word
And it was done
Gave His warmth to the cold earth
All was new and all was young
Time had begun
Chorus
Make me warm when I am cold
Make me young when I am old
Move me touch me inside
Let Your love burn in me now
If I’m rough make me gentle
If my words are hard and sharp
Soften this heart
If I’m weak make me stronger
Let me look to You for strength
To make a new start
If I’m deaf break the silence
If I’m blinded by the dark
Give me Your light
If I’m lame and I stumble
Let me take Your hand again
And hold it so tight
If You speak let me hear You
Help me recognize Your voice everywhere
If You pass let me see You
Help me know the face is Yours
Help me to care
Robin Mann CCLI Song #1271985 © 1976 Mann, Robin CCLI License #31951G
Jan 26 is a day of sorrow for First Nations Peoples. As we walk together as First and Second People may we be motivated by love, compassion and seeking justice. I pray that we do so with a fresh sense of care and compassion. We will conclude with a blessing from the Uniting Aboriginal Islander Christian Congress followed by singing For you Deep Stillness
Blessing
May our God of all creation Bless us with a desire to seek to know better those who we are yet to call friend.
May the troubles we experience in our own lives, be lessened by the giving and receiving of hospitality and respect towards each other.
May our great Creator comfort the pain of those who experience ongoing suffering through the actions of those who are yet to understand a better way.
May the songs of the birds amongst the trees and the bush scents carried on the breeze, be a comfort to those who mourn what has been lost.
May the rivers, streams and waterholes that have cut pathways across Country, be a creation signpost for knowing the healing waters from which to drink.
(Together) And may the nourishing light of Christ’s Love be a daily reminder of our responsibility to be the hands and feet of Jesus in speaking up for justice, and working to create an abundant life, for all of God’s peoples across these lands. AMEN
Blessing Song – For you Deep Stillness
For you deep stillness of the silent inland
For you deep blue of the desert skies
For you flame red of the rocks and stones
For you sweet water from hidden springs
From the edges seek the heartlands
And when you’re burnt by the journey
May the cool winds of the hovering Spirit
Soothe and replenish you
In the name of Christ
In the name of Christ
CCLI song 2563901© 2024 CCLI, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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