Resources for Reconciliation Week & Sorry Day
Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week have extra significance this year!
At last the Federal Government has made its apology and seems to be serious about renewing the national process of reconciliation. The prayers long offered by the churches for reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians are a little closer to fulfilment.
Of course there’s a long way to go. We all know that on just about every social indicator of personal and community well-being, Aboriginal Australians are well behind the rest of us. So the church strongly supports the actions taken by our governments to redress the disadvantage, as long as those government actions take place in collaboration with Aboriginal communities and their leaders. It’s not contributing to reconciliation unless the attitudes and actions are co-operative. We look to government to act always in partnership with Aboriginal people.
I warmly commend these resources for Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week. Reconciliation is the heart of the gospel - that through the gift of Jesus Christ, God has acted to bring us into right relationship with God and with each other. God asks us to act always in the interests of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).
These resources are particularly made available for use on 26th May and through the week 27th May to 3rd June, including Sunday 1st June. But the theme of reconciliation is suitable for any and every week, so feel free to use these resources on other dates and occasions too.
In the fellowship and mission of Christ,
GREGOR HENDERSON
President, Uniting Church in Australia
