Uniting AgeWell would like to acknowledge Australia’s First Peoples in the lead up to the Uniting Church in Australia’s (UCA) first official “Day of Mourning”.
This Sunday, 20 January, UCA and its agencies, including Uniting AgeWell, will reflect on the effect colonisation had on Australia’s First Peoples.
Director of Mission Rev Dr John Broughton encouraged the wider community to join the agencies of UCA in commemorating this important day.
“We’re a very multicultural organisation,” he said. “We respect and admire people from all cultures.
“This is one day of the year that we can reflect on the First Peoples of Australia.”
John encouraged the community to participate in the Day of Mourning by reading the below prayer, prepared by the Wontulp Bi-Buya Indigenous Theology Working Group, amended September 2018 Assembly Resourcing Unit.
Prayers of the 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 share justly
the resources of our 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