A video message from Uniting Church in Australia President, Dr Deidre Palmer and General Secretary, Colleen Geyer gave the National Assembly report at the 44th Annual Meeting of the Synod of WA on Saturday 12 September at Wesley College. Their report highlighted the breadth and depth of the work of the church and its agencies, nationally and internationally, that has continued and adapted in a year of disruptive and enormous change.
“As the Uniting Church, we have been advocating for those in greatest need. Churches, including ours, have taken up new ways of working and worshipping,” said Deidre.
The National Assembly has published, Build Back Better: A Just Recovery, Post-COVID-19, (https://assembly.uca.org.au/news/item/3197-a-just-recovery-post-covid-19) outlining a set of principles and key actions that will guide the way to a better future as Australia recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The document draws upon the Uniting Church vision for a just Australia based on the belief that each person is created in the image of God and deeply loved by God.
Deidre’s President’s Conference scheduled to be held in October has been postponed to next year, from Thursday, 29 April to Sunday, 2 May 2021. As a ‘taster’ of the conference and an introduction to the theme, Called by God, three online panel discussions will be held on Saturday 3 October and an opportunity to join in online worship on Sunday 4 October
The National Young Adults Leaders Conference (NYALC) scheduled in January 2021 has also had to be cancelled. Deidre invited young adult leaders from across the Uniting Church to join her in a new initiative, NYALC Online, to connect and reflect on being Church at this time. A session will be held from 4.30pm to 6pm, Monday 19 October. Further online gatherings are planned in November and December.
“It’s important that we continue to build on the strength of our connection with one another across Australia and we support one another. Focus on the vision of who we’re called to be as the body of Christ and our participation in God’s liberating mission in the world. I hope that we will be generous toward each other, patient and open to the possibilities of transformation and new creation that may lie before us. We will not get it right all the time, but we are sent by Christ who goes with us and gives us good companions for the journey. As our Basis of Union reminds us, God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit in order that we may not lose the way,” said Deidre.
To watch the Assembly report video in full https://vimeo.com/454238617/b5c8c91a47 or read the full report https://unitingchurchwa-startdigital.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Assembly-Report-to-WA-Synod.pdf