Dear friends…
At the beginning of each July, we observe NAIDOC Week. It runs from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday (3 July to 10 July in 2022). It has its origins in the invitation from William Cooper, extended in a letter written to Aboriginal Communities and churches to participate in a Day of Mourning to highlight the “present deplorable condition of all aborigines.” William Cooper was both an Aboriginal Activist and a committed Christian. His Christian faith and the support of the Christian community sustained and informed his activities in seeking a more just and equitable outcome for Aboriginal peoples. From this beginning arose the celebration of NAIDOC week in 1991. An opportunity “to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.” [Quotes taken from the NAIDOC website – www. naidoc.org.au.]
Since the arrival of the first fleet in 1788, there have been many efforts to improve the circumstances of indigenous Australians. Attempts have been made to petition the monarch of the United Kingdom to grant recognition to Aboriginal Australians as the original inhabitants of Australia, and calls for the establishment of an Aboriginal state within Australia have been made. Largely these endeavours have been unsuccessful or have had little impact.
It is over 50 years since Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians were counted as part of the population census, and yet there remains a great sadness and shame that Australia must recognise. Despite much energy and many efforts made by individuals, organisations and government, the opportunities and economic and social well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is far behind that enjoyed by non-Indigenous Australians.
In 2017 the Uluru Statement calls for the establishment of a voice to Parliament to be written into the constitution of Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Australians. It also seeks the establishment of a commission that will “supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history”: www.ulurustatement.org.
The issues that underlie our response to the Uluru Statement are issues of justice and reconciliation. The injustices that have been perpetrated on Indigenous Australians are often ignored or dismissed. We cannot undo the past, but we must acknowledge the tragedy that has befallen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since the coming of the European settlement.
True reconciliation begins with an acknowledgment of the past and an understanding of the hurts, injustices and losses that have been suffered by Australia’s first inhabitants. An important part of the Uluru Statement is the commitment to truth-telling about the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Truth-telling is more than just a recounting of the historical facts of our nation’s history. It involves a telling of the hurt and the sadness felt by those who belong to the first nations of this country.
The process of reconciliation begins with all of us seeking to come to terms with history, but must then move forward and seek to redress the effects of 200 and more years of dispossession, oppression, persecution and discrimination that has been experienced by those who have lived here for countless millennia before the advent of European settlement. All of us have the responsibility to work towards a more equitable future for everyone who calls this country home.
At the end of May, religious leaders from across Australia, representing many different faiths and cultures issued a joint resolution in support of the Uluru Statement. The resolution calls for a referendum to be held in order to amend the constitution so that “a First Nations Voice is enshrined in the Constitution.” Only when the voice of the dispossessed and marginalised is heard can we achieve a fair, just and equitable society for all Australians. The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is “Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!” As we prepare to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, every one of us should Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! and resolve to work towards a true and lasting reconciliation.
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In the month of May we welcomed new members of staff at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Ben and Amanda Barber have joined our church to work with children. Ben writes:
“Hey Kangaroo Valley!
“My name is Ben, and my wife is Amanda. We are very happy to be working at the Church of the Good Shepherd, in Children’s Ministry. Amanda and I met at Youthworks College, a Bible College in Sydney, teaching Christians to be Children’s and Youth ministers, in 2019. We got engaged later during that year and were married early 2020. From then, we’ve served at our local church in Bowral in various ministries. We are excited to be serving at Kangaroo Valley, as there is so much opportunity to tell kids about Jesus, especially as the local primary school is across the road. I’m thrilled to introduce kids and their families to Jesus and see them mature more into the likeness of Jesus.
“The church runs Kids Club every Thursday afternoon during the school term, from 3.15pm to 4.45pm. Kids Club is for all kids in K-6, regardless of whether they come to church or SRE or not. We would love to see as many kids as possible having heaps of fun together, growing awesome friendships and learning more about our Saviour Jesus.”
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Yours in Christ
Andrew Heron
