AcknowledgementOfFirstPeoples

Link to CouncilAgenda20180822 > CouncilMinutes20180822

Acknowledgement of First Peoples

The topic has been raised from a number of points.

Letter from Judy Boucher

   Dear David,
   For sometime now I have been thinking and marvelling at the piece of real estate, that our church is built on. Sitting on one of the tree seats, one can take in the hustle and bustle of life, as it is now, compared to  fifty years ago. But then, what was it like, thousands of years ago?
   This part of the City of Monash, is changing before our eyes, at great speed. We as a church, are embracing the people who are moving in to the area to settle. I now think of the people who lived and roamed this area, thousands of years ago!
   The Wurundjeri people roamed these hills, lived, fished, hunted, camped, and respected the country side around them. We who live here now, have inherited, or taken this land from these people, over many, many years.
   The people coming into the area now, are welcomed, but is it not time, as a church family, to recognise that ancient tribe of people, who went before us!         
   Having attended St.Lukes Uniting Church, Mt. Waverley, Their weekly order of worship, starts with acknowledging the first owners of the land. In their front garden, is a large rock, with a plague, recognising the traditional owners of that land, headed, “In the Spirit of Reconciliation”
   Could the council, consider an idea like St.Lukes, so letting the new people in the area, be aware that we as a congregation, are grateful to have inherited this piece of land, from the original owners, the Wurundjeti Tribe.
   Yours Sincerely, Judith Boucher......

Wording from St Lukes

As we gather, we acknowledge that we meet on land that was held in the safe keeping of the first people, the Wurrundjeri, for millenia. As we come to worship in this, our sacred space, we respect the custodianship of those first people. We pray, therefore, that in the power and wisdom of the Holy SPirit we might work together for reconciliation and justice in this land.

The plaque

Letter from Glyn Howells

Dear David,
I'd personally like to see a statement like this on our GWUC letterhead paper:
Uniting [GWUC] acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are Australia's First Peoples and the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we worship, live and work.

Suggested acknowledgements

See suggested forms from Assembly

POSSIBLE FOOTER FOR GWUC LETTERHEAD PAGE

In keeping with the spirit of Reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we worship, live and work; we recognise the first people’s/ the Wurundjeri people's continuing connection to land, water and community.

INCLUSION ON CHURCH WEB AND WIKI PAGES

I also think we should include a similar wording on every (? selected?) web and wiki page. JohnHurst

POSSIBLE PREAMBLE TO CHURCH COUNCIL MEETINGS

We acknowledge that this meeting is being held on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin alliance. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

Statement of Who We Are

The synod statement of "Who we are" (the UCA) includes:

• We acknowledge that we live and work on Aboriginal land. In 2010 the Uniting Church became the first church in Australia to constitutionally acknowledge Aboriginal and Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia.

Further conversations

• Suggested wordings.

• Council consideration.

• Congregation response to proposals.

• Congregation meeting of 20 November supported further consideration of appropriate forms.

• DiscussionRecognitionOfAustraliasFirstPeoples :Elements of the resulting discussion.

Meeting of interested persons 16 June 2019

• The meeting was supportive of a plaque outside the building.
• Starting from something close to the St Lukes statement, the meeting agreed on the following modification:

  • We, the Glen Waverley Congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia acknowledge that the land on which we gather is part of the traditional lands of the Kulin nation. We respect the close spiritual and cultural ties of Australia's first people to the land, and recognise elders past, present and emerging. We commit to work for reconciliation with indigenous people and justice for all.