JourneyOnline
The 13th Triennial Assembly meeting of the Uniting Church in Australia, held in Adelaide from 15 to 21 July, was another example of the power of people moving together towards a promised goal.
Almost 300 Uniting Church members gathered to celebrate Life Overflowing (the Assembly theme) and participate in decision-making and direction setting for the Uniting Church for the next three years.
The continued solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters was strengthened when Assembly members stopped business to hold a moving prayer vigil of lament for the Stronger Futures legislation on the steps of South Australia's Parliament House.
Standing side by side, new Assembly President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney, and Rev Rronang Garrawurra, the new National Chair of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, showed the nation it is possible to walk together as one people of God.
The vigil was a simple but powerful gesture that made a marked difference on the rest of the meeting.
During his daily Bible studies, visiting theologian Rev Luna Dingayan, a key leader of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, inspired members to continually seek renewal, the very essence of a Protestant church.
He warned that it is not an easy task to follow God's mission and it required a willingness to see, hear and act in accordance with God's will.
Prof Kirsteen Kim, 2012 Cato lecturer, compared changes in mission practice and theology between the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference in 1910 and the centenary celebration in Edinburgh in 2010.
The Professor of Theology and World Christianity at Leeds Trinity University College believes Christians need a global conversation about mission to learn from one another and to discern together the Holy Spirit among the many spirits in the world.
"We are blessed by a spirit that pushes boundaries, sends, interconnects and builds global fellowship," she said.
The participation of more than 50 guests from 34 overseas churches and partner organisations reflected the Uniting Church's determination to cooperate with churches in Asia, the Pacific and Africa as they pursue fullness of life for all people.
Assembly members also promised a renewed approach to multicultural and cross-cultural ministry.
The Assembly was presented with three proposals discussing marriage.
A respectful and articulate discussion followed and after two days, members agreed to acknowledge the Uniting Church's current statement on marriage and ask the Doctrine Working Group, after appropriate consultation across the church and with ongoing liaison with the Assembly Standing Committee (ASC), to prepare a discussion paper on the theology of marriage within the Uniting Church.
This is to be circulated widely with responses and recommendations sent to ASC before the 14th Assembly.
Overall, the 13th Assembly was full of life in abundance.
Those present were witness to the Uniting Church at its best, discussing with grace and respect difficult issues that affect humanity.
Photo : President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney and Rev Rronang Garrawurra lead the prayer vigil on the steps of South Australian Parliament, Wednesday 18 July 2012
