Who are the UAICC and UCA?
The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) is an autonomous organisation of Aboriginal and Islander people within the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA).
An Invitation to ‘Covenant’ Together
In 1988 the Congress invited non-Aboriginal members of the UCA to enter into a covenant with them – to seek and discover what it meant to journey together, connected through the message of Christ to ‘love one another as I have loved you.’
On 10th July 1994, the ‘Covenanting Statement’, an agreed statement and commitment between UCA and UAICC, was presented to the UCA National Assembly by the President of the UCA, Dr Jill Tabart, and the Chairperson of the UAICC, Pastor Bill Hollingsworth.
What is the Covenant?
An acknowledgement and statement by the UCA to the UAICC; talking about the colonisation and injustices committed towards first peoples in the name of the church. It addresses disregard for the spiritual and cultural lives of first peoples, the taking of land, violence, and cooperating with government in implementing racist policies, and the church continuing to benefit from injustice done to first peoples. The church apologised for wrong done knowingly or unknowingly to first peoples, and stated it was right to make reparations for land taken, asking for help to make amends.
A response by the UAICC to the UCA; speaking of the thousands of years Aboriginal people lived in harmony with creation, respected God’s command, followed laws developed by their relationship with the land and established trading; of the disruption and invasion of the European settlers, robbing them of their stewardship of the land God had given them. They noted the destruction of the culture, values and beliefs of first peoples. They noted land taken and the church joining the government in acts of injustice and discrimination. UAICC sought from the church a new commitment of working closely with Aboriginal and Islander people in a practical sense, and support for UAICC ministry, in order to turn around current disadvantages.
What does the Covenant mean in 2024?
The UAICC are currently developing structures to lead them forward and become more self-determining. i.e. rather than being absorbed into UCA ways of worshipping, meeting, etc., they will worship, meet and work in ways that honour their spirituality, the land, and Aboriginal and Islander culture.
While relationships and partnerships have developed between UAICC and UCA members since the covenant was signed, there is much work still to do be done, especially by second peoples. Injustice towards first peoples is still strong, and discrimination experienced in everyday living.
UA marks the 30th anniversary of the covenant through our reconciliation work, starting by building right and just relationships between first and second peoples, in our workplace and beyond. We who are second peoples (non-Aboriginal), will listen to the stories of first peoples, learn from their wisdom and let their knowledge shape our thinking. We will make mistakes and learn! We will find ways to be part of truth-telling and accept the truth of Australia’s history towards first peoples. Watch for ways to be involved in the reconciliation partnerships as we seek to become a culturally safe and respectful workplace and continue to live out the Christian call to love one another.
Covenanting in the Uniting Church - Uniting Church Australia