What Matters

Wrapping Up

It's all over.  The 13th Assembly of the Uniting Church concluded today after seven days of worship, celebration, debate, decision making, conversations and way, way too much eating.  It feels like I disappeared into a bubble for seven days and now as I fly home I prepare for re-entry into the real world.  For the last week I did not travel more than 500 meters or so from the hotel in which we met and where I had a room,  apart from a couple of early morning walks at the beginning of the week.  There is a certain rhythm to Assembly - breakfast, worship, bible study, morning tea, business, a lunch hour and a half crowded with optional activities, more business, afternoon tea, more business, dinner wherever, more business, more food (I dread getting on the scales when I get home) and finally, collapse into bed. I'm pooped.

This was the fifth time I have attended an Assembly meeting. I am not sure can say it was the most enjoyable, as I am not sure I can actually say I 'enjoy' weeklong meetings.  Having said this, there were a number of experiences of the week that were inspiring and profoundly enjoyable, including the leadership offered by our indigenous members, the presence of, and remarkable stories from our international partners and the opportunities to worship with new and old friends. In addition there were some distinct and positive differences that distinguished this Assembly from previous ones I attended, not just that this was the first time we have met in a hotel (big tick from me - I like my creature comforts!)

The 13th Assembly marked the first time in my experience we have successfully worked through all the business of the agenda, and without the need to proceed to formal meeting procedures.  All decisions were made by consensus or agreement - a remarkable achievement when I think about it.  To be sure, with the deadlines for new proposals closing 30 days out from the start of our meeting, we did not have the sheer weight of business we have had in the past.  However, there were some weighty and contentious issues before us, like a process to discuss the recognition or otherwise of same-gender relationships, and the oversight of ministerial formation, the conversation around wither of which could have ground to a halt without any substantive decisions being made.  The fact we successfully worked through these issues, and other complex matters witnesses to the spirit of openness, humility and careful listening in the room, as well as the thoughtful and pastoral leadership of our President, Andrew Dutney and our General Secretary, Terence Corkin.  Of course the prayers of many across the church, and the gracious work of God's Holy Spirit were paramount. 

Finally to matters regarding the vexed and pastorally difficult questions of same-gender relationships and their recognition and validation or otherwise in the Uniting Church.  After receiving three quite different proposals, and following a couple of hours of very sensitive debate, the Assembly facilitation task group offered the meeting a way forward that was agreed to. In the end we first decided to acknowledge that the church has a stated and current position on marriage that was determined by the 10th Assembly meeting in 1997.  Amongst many things this comprehensive statement offers is that the church's position is that marriage is between a man and a woman.  You can read the church’s stated position on marriage in a ‘Doc Byte’ document issued by the Doctrine working group, which can be downloaded here: http://assembly.uca.org.au/docbytes.

Having acknowledged the church's current position, the Assembly then directed the Doctrine working group to facilitate a discussion across the diversity of the church around marriage that in the end will enable the Assembly Standing Committee to report back to the 14th Assembly in three years time in Perth.  The substance and format of that report, and whether it will include any recommendations, has not been determined. The process established is open ended, including its duration.  This conversation could well take longer than three years. It is also a conversation that I will be engaged in all the way through, having been elected to the Assembly Standing Committee for the next three years.

I am pleased with the decisions we have made.  I believe they are good decisions.  I am pleased we have acknowledged that before we start such a sensitive journey, the church does have a starting point which is the decisions made at the 10th Assembly.  Our position may well not change in any substantive ways, even after extensive conversations and prayerful listening over the next few years.  I am also pleased we are having a conversation that recognizes that what we say about marriage and human relationships is a profoundly theological concern grounded in the doctrine of the church.  Given the debate that is raging in the public square all around us, as a church we must be courageous enough to talk about such matters so that with humility we can bear witness to Christ to our community.

I am pleased and I am scared.  I am scared where this may take us.  The potential for schism is real.  This conversation goes to the heart of deeply held convictions, on both 'sides' of the debate.  For almost twenty years now I have listened, prayed, read widely and agonized, and still my convictions remain essential the same; that God's good gift of sexuality is to be expressed in its fullest sense only within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, made before God. There are many sisters and brothers in Christ whom I love and respect, and I know who love and respect me, who have differing convictions.  I want to humbly listen to their wisdom and be open to changing my views, however large or small those changes might be, hoping they will bring the same openness to the conversation.  In all of this I pray that God might lead us deeper into Truth, and by the Holy Spirit we might have the courage to go there.

In all of this I have a hopeful question; is it possible for the Uniting Church to create space for its theological diversity to be held together with integrity?  The differences are real and profound.  Is there another way we can be church together that allows for profound differences to be recognized and respected, if not agreed with?  I honestly don’t know, but hope that it might be possible.  As we continue to what many call a ‘post denominational age’ (whatever that means), we will discover the answers to these and many other questions.  In the meantime, I will pray. I will thank God daily that the Uniting Church is the sometimes dysfunctional family in which God has placed me, and I will earnestly ask that God the Trinity of Love will hold all things together, including this part of God’s church.

 

 

Lament

Today I participated in a public liturgy of lament.  Together with 300 or so other members and others associated with the Assembly meeting marched the 500 meters from the hotel in which we are meeting to the steps of the South Australian Parliament. Specifically, we were lamenting the ongoing intervention into Aboriginal communities by the Federal government under the so-called 'Stronger Futures' legislation. 

On Monday night we received the report of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander and Christian Congress (UAICC).  Lamentably, we heard that after decades of (mostly) good intentions and billions of dollars in spending, Aboriginal people in Australia continue to suffer from a drastically reduced life expectancy compared with other Australians, dramatically higher incarceration rates and a range of other health, social and economic challenges.  It was very difficult to hear.  Further, our Aboriginal brothers and sisters shared with us their anger and heartache at the various iterations of the Federal Government 'interventions'.  We heard that the interventions had disempowered Aboriginal people, creating a climate of fear and hopelessness. 

Over the last few years I have followed with keen interest the debate that has swirled around the interventions, first initiated by the Howard government and further developed and adapted by the Rudd and Gillard governments. I am aware there are Aboriginal leaders who are, to varying degrees, supportive of the intervention. There is not consensus within the Aboriginal community regarding the interventions.  But there is consensus against the intervention within the UAICC.  And that is really important. 

Years ago the Uniting Church entered into a covenantal relationship with its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.  Amongst many other things, we covenanted to stand with our brothers and sisters in their struggle for justice and equity. In doing so, we listen for their lead in responding to the social and political challenges First Peoples face.  I do not pretend to understand the complexities of the range of desperate challenges First Peoples face, and the most appropriate ways to respond to them. But I do know and trust the leaders of the UAICC. And so I will stand with them in their opposition and cry of justice. 

Today we lamented.  We lamented the ongoing and avoidable pain and suffering of the First People of this nation.  We lamented our complicity in this suffering and our failure as  a nation to adequately address this suffering.  We lamented the disempowering nature of the interventions that has robbed First Peoples of the human right to determine their own future.  We lamented that in such a blessed and so called 'lucky' country too man of our brothers and sisters die too young.  We prayed. We sang. We walked and stood in silence, First and Second peoples together, sisters and brothers in Christ.

 

 

Number 127

Last night the 127th missionary sent to the Korean peninsula by, first the Presbyterian Church, and now the Uniting Church in Australia was one of many presenters that helped us celebrate 123 years of sacrificial mission. That 127th missionary is an Australian-Korean Uniting Church Minister.

Last night I was inspired, moved, challenged and provoked.

I was inspired by story of the growth of the Korean church.  In a little over a hundred years, the Korean church has grown from a handful of believers dependent on North American and Australian missionaries to a missionary sending powerhouse that numbers in the millions.  The rate of growth of the church in Korea is unparalleled in Christian history, and has only been surpassed by the recent growth of the church in China.  Additionally, you can travel to most countries in the world and encounter a Korean missionary. 

I was moved by the stories of Australian men and women who gave their lives to the Korean people and for the sake of the gospel. Ministers like Rev James Mackenzie who pioneered Christian mission to Ul Leung Island and whose legacy is now a thriving church in that region of more than 50 congregations.  Women like Reverend Mackenzie's daughter, Helen, who after the Korean War, established a hospital to care for marginalized women and their children.  That hospital, in Busan, has since help women deliver more than 300,000 babies!  After giving her life to Korea, Helen retired to Melbourne, packing her worldly goods in a suitcase.  More recently, Rev John Brown and Rev Dick Wooten worked alongside the Korean church as South Korea struggled towards democracy. 

I was challenged to again take seriously the call of the gospel and the commission of Jesus to go and make disciples, and to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:16-20, Acts1:8).  Mission expressed in evangelistic word and action is at the heart of biblical Christianity.

Finally, I was provoked.  I was provoked to wonder where the Uniting Church in Australia can find again a grand vision like the one that drove more than a hundred years of mission to Korea.  The Korean story is repeated across many of our 35 partner churches.  For example, I am inspired also by the story of a very young, raw Methodist probationer Minister Reverend Goldie and his wife Helen from Tasmania who more than a hundred years ago landed on a small island in the Solomon Islands with not much more than the call of God.  They gave their lives to the Solomon Islands.  I have personal witnessed their legacy of a church of tens of thousands that contributes to every part of Solomon Islands society.

These are the questions I am left with; where is our Solomon Islands, our Korean peninsula today? Or has the time past for such grand vision? Is such vision simply a product of the colonial era out of which it emerged? If it has past, where is God calling us to be on mission, and what does that mission look like?  The means, location and even the language of mission will change as times and context change.  But the content and call of mission will always remain the same.

Lifestyle Tinkering

Rev Alistair Macrae is a sport-loving, Melbourne Demons (AFL) supporting Minister of the Word from Victoria.  For the last three years Al has served in the demanding role of President of the Uniting Church in Australia.  In his role he has travelled the breadth of our country visiting congregations, agencies and other expressions of the church.  He has represented the church at various meetings and conferences overseas.  Al has been, and is a wonderful leader and has brought his considerable passion for the gospel and discipleship to his role.  Early in his term Al came and preached at Newlife, where he celebrated communion with us and afterwards was greeted by 50 'bikies' bringing gifts for our Christmas appeal.  A Harley came riding into church.  It was a moment!

Yesterday at Assembly, Al shared his report as the retiring President.  For me, the retiring President's report is one of the most important moments in the Assembly meeting.  The President has a unique perspective to offer the church.  He or she sees the church like no other.  They are best placed to offer a reflection on our 'spiritual pulse'.  Al's report was inspiring, challenging and deeply reflective.  Among many highlights, let me quote a couple of observation that Al made that struck a particular chord with me:

 On Evangelism:

Mainstream churches need to be reminded that conversion, that deep reorientation, re-centering our lives to God is still fundamentally important.  In churches lie ours, the religious life has sounded more like a little bit of lifestyle tinkering rather than a fundamental shift in our heart and head.  That is, lives transformed by the Spirit, centered in Christ and oriented for mission. 

To this I say a loud Amen! I know how easy it is for a community of faith to drift from it's missional heart; to hear and respond to Jesus' call to go and make disciples. Al's timely word has reminded me again of my responsibility to keep God's mission heart and our mission privilege constantly before the people I serve.

 On the Sacraments:

I have been at baptisms where some alternative to the Apostle's Creed has been used.  Why not use a contemporary creed and one that links us with the church catholic across time? I have been at celebrations of Holy Communion that at scarcely recognizable in terms of the meal at the heart of Christian faith for 2000 years.  Friends, we have only got two official sacraments in our church, let's, not mess with them.  Is it not hard to keep them aligned with the church ecumenical and historical; and contextual and contemporary? That's what we do every time we preach from ancient texts. 

I love the phrase, 'ecumenical and historical, contextual and contemporary.' Ours is an ancient-future faith. This tension between honoring the past and embracing the future is one we must face.  God is in our past, and God is certainly in our present and future. 

As a church we have been blessed by Al's leadership.  I am deeply thankful for it.

 

 

Life Overflowing

Life overflowing.  That is the theme of the 13th Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia that began last night with the installation of the new President of the Assembly, Rev Prof Andrew Dutney.  The installation was held at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in a new theatre built since I left Adelaide six and a half years ago.  A couple of thousand of us gathered for a worship service that included a 60 voice choir, an orchestra a Sudanese choir and key involvement from indigenous leaders.  

I am excited for Andrew's term as President.  He has a first class mind, is a wonderful teacher and preacher and has a deep love for, and knowledge of the Uniting Church.  I had the privilege of sitting under Andrew's leadership and teaching when I was a candidate for ministry and he was the Principal Parkin Wesley College.  His courses on the Person and Work of Christ and Sacraments were life changing and faith building for me.  

In his message last night, drawn from John 10, Andrew emphasized that the Uniting Church is one flock with one Shepherd.  Towards the end of his address he shared some raw data from the recent National Church Life Survey (NCLS). The Uniting Church commissioned a number of questions in the NCLS to be specifically addressed to its own people.  My recollection of the question that Andrew highlighted was 'What are three things  that you most value about the Uniting Church?' Almost 20,000 Uniting Church people responded to that question.  And here is what Andrew highlighted.

Of all the possibilities mentioned (there were many), the highest response by far, that is 71% of respondents, said that they valued the Uniting Church's inclusion of all people in its life most.  It was worded a little differently than that, but 'inclusion' was the value so strongly affirmed.  Andrew rightly affirmed the value of inclusion being at the heart of the gospel.  How can could you ever argue against inclusion in the church, when we follow the One who was known as a friend of sinners and outcasts? The question for me is not whether we are an inclusive church, but where the boundaries to that inclusion (if any exist) lie? Further, how do we make room in our church for people who share common faith in Christ,  but who believe God calls them to live out that faith in very different ways, often with very different ethical frameworks. These are the questions behind the questions in much of what we discusses at Assembly.

Apart from the installation service, the other highlight of first day of Assembly was participating in an afternoon briefing for overseas guests at the Assembly.  The Uniting Church has 35 partner churches around the word, many with historical links to our missionary past.  It is a rich heritage.  At the 13th Assembly 28 of those 35 partner churches are represented, with more than 40 guests.  In the briefing yesterday was the President of the church in the Island nation of Neue, which has 1000 members.  Sitting opposite him was a delegation from the China Christian Council, a peak body that represents 23 million Protestant believers in that amazing nation.  What rich diversity!  Inclusive indeed.

Uniting Church Assembly

For two thousand years now the church has gathered as a council from time to time to worship, pray, celebrate and discern together.  The first major council of the church was in Jerusalem (see Acts 15).  We don't know about other agenda items, but circumcision was one of them. Reading between the lines of Luke's account,as well as Paul's writings in Galatians and other places, the debate was passionate and heartfelt.  And can I say, the final determination (it was not necessary to be circumcised to be a 'proper' Christian), important!  Ever since that first decisive meeting in Jerusalem, the various streams and branches of the church have met together and separately to do what the Council of Jerusalem did - listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Today begins the 13th Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia.  Together with 250 or so other members I will spend the next week in worship, bible study, prayer and conversation as we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Assembly meets for a week every three years.  To be elected as a member is a great privilege and honor. This year we meet in my 'home town' of Adelaide. Members come from every state in Australia and reflect the demographic diversity of the church, including members designated as 'youthful', members from migrant-ethnic congregations and from the United Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress.

Here are some of the things I am looking forward to this week:

Tonight my College Principal, Rev Dr Andrew Dutney,will be installed as the new President of our church. He will be a great President.

We will celebrate the 100 year history of Australian led mission to Korea.  This is a remarkable and God-honoring story.

We will discuss and debate proposals to change the way we oversee our theological colleges.  This is a conversation critical to the future of training women and men for ministry. 

We will be enriched by guests from 28 of the 35 partner churches the Uniting Church has across the world.  I am involved in various dinners and events with them in my role as chair of the Uniting World Church Connections committed.

Finally, I am looking forward to great Adelaide coffee and some great conversations! I will be a full, rich and tiring week.