The Uniting Church in Australia has introduced Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday on the 3rd Sunday in July.
PRAYER
God our Creator,
you brought this Uniting Church into being
You have called us to be your diverse and multi-coloured people Show us how to value one another as those made in your image Christ Jesus
You reached out across the barriers that divided Jews, Samaritans and Romans,
Enable us to cross the barriers that separate us from one another Holy Spirit,
You are the Giver of Unity,
Unite your people in love that we may be a community of justice, love and reconciliation –
A Church for all God’s People. Amen
(A CHURCH FOR ALL GOD’S PEOPLE – VISION STATEMENT adopted by the 2006 Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia)
LITANY OF COMMITMENT
In Christ all human boundaries are swept away!
This we affirm.
Jesus Christ has made peace between people of every race, culture and class!
We are witness bearers to this truth.
Our life together can be a foretaste of the reconciliation of all things in Christ!
We will seek to live as a sign and witness to the kingdom, and a sign of hope within the Australian community. As we move towards this new day we stand before God and our sisters and brothers to face who we are and who we seek to be.
We hear the call of God to be open the gifts of all God’s people.
It will mean naming the sin of racism, even when it exists in the body of Christ. We will work to create a community of justice and love.
None of God’s people are to be pushed to the fringes of our church.
We will ensure that there are equitable rights in the use of Uniting Church properties; access to our church’sresources; full participation in decision making in the councils of the church; and pastoral care for all God’s people. And when we are tempted to hold on to what we have from the past and insulate ourselves from the hurts and struggles of each other.
God give us courage to leave the security of the safe and familiar. May we celebrate the richness of our diversity, and unity which is your gift. We go forward as your people carrying within us the dream of God’s renewed and reconciled creation. Amen
(Written by Rev Helen Richmond: Based on the 1985 Assembly document “We Are a Multicultural Church”)
BENEDICTION
God is renewing and reshaping the church.
God is renewing the world through those who live as witnesses of hope.
Jesus, we will go out into the world to plant seeds of hope.
May the God of all peoples, languages and nations,
guide you along the way of love, justice and hospitality.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fresh winds of the Spirit move us in the new directions we need to take! Amen
