Christ has called us into a community of justice where all are free to contribute and to share one another’s burdens. The Uniting Church respects the rights and dignity of our first people.
At the heart of our justice work is the Uniting Church’s efforts to bring First and Second Peoples of Australia together and to support First Nations Peoples, primarily through our covenant relationship with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC).
In 1994 the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) formally entered into a Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress so that together we may contribute to a more just church and nation. On behalf of the Second Peoples of the UCA, the Uniting Church’s 7th President Dr Jill Tabart read a statement acknowledging past wrongs and making a new commitment to the relationship. On behalf of First Peoples of UAICC, Congress Chairperson Pastor Bill Hollingsworth responded acknowledging past pain and looking to future with hope. Pastor Hollinsworth also presented to the UCA, a Covenant Painting. The full Covenanting Statement from the 7th Assembly, 10 July 1994 is available from the UCA website.
(Uniting Church in Australia, Assembly, Covenanting in the Uniting Church)
Find out more about UAICC and Congress WA on our First Peoples – Congress & Covenanting page.
The Covenanting Commission strives to keep the Church in close connection with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, WA Regional Committee. The Commission provides an interaction between the work of the Congress, the Synod and Presbytery. They encourage and assist congregations, agencies and other activities of the Uniting Church to be involved in the ministry of reconciliation between Aboriginal and Islander people and the other parts of the Uniting Church and the community.
Learn more about Covenanting in the Uniting Church on the Assembly website.
The Congregation Covenanting Guide ‘Walking together as First and Second Peoples’ has been prepared by the Covenanting Commission for use in congregations. The resource has been developed to provide a simple list of suggested actions congregations can take to progress their Covenanting journey. We encourage all congregations to use the guide and continue to take steps in walking together as First and Second Peoples.
The observance of a Day of Mourning on the Sunday before 26 January arises from a request from the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) which was endorsed by the 15th Assembly in 2018. Congregations are invited to hold a worship service on or around the Sunday before 26 January that reflect on the effects of invasion, colonisation and racism on First Peoples.
