2 minute read
Message from the Moderator
Connecting with those around us
The other day I was asked the question, ‘As Moderator, what are you optimistic about for our Uniting Church?’ My initial response was ‘that we will continue to find new and meaningful ways to connect with those around us.’
Connecting with those around us includes engaging with and forming relationships with people who we do not currently have connections with. It comes out of the great commandment recorded in Mark 12 where we are instructed by Jesus to love God and love our neighbour. It is out of our love for God that we seek to engage with all humanity, expressing love, care and compassion for all. This applies not just to those who look and think like us, but to people whose thoughts and actions are different from ours, and even people who might disagree with us! One of the things I have always valued about our Uniting Church is its diversity in its composition and its connections. As a church we have been prepared to move out of our comfort zone and make connections that matter. For example, we have chosen to form a covenantal relationship with the First Peoples of this nation so that all may see a destiny together, praying and working together for a fuller expression of our reconciliation in Jesus Christ. As a denomination we seek to embrace God’s whole creation. With Jesus as our example we welcome outcasts and sinners – the marginalised and the lost, while recognising that we ourselves are outcasts, sinners, marginalised and lost. Making connections with people from whom we differ can be difficult, but with God’s power and Jesus as our guide, small steps can lead to significant connections. Within the Uniting Church, I see our various understandings and interpretations on matters of faith as a strength. I believe that when we can be church together and value our differences we can truly be the people God intended us to be. As we seek other people to relate to it would be rather boring if we all thought the same. I know as I was growing up and developing my own faith, I feel I grew most when in discussion with friends and colleagues who didn’t necessarily agree with me. I learned something from them, as I hope we learned from each other! In making connections we look for what draws us together, rather than focussing on what keeps us apart. As Moderator, as I visit places and listen to people’s stories, I am encouraged by the ways in which individuals and groups reach out and engage with others. Some of the stories that were shared at the President’s Conference in May, Called by God 2, were inspirational examples of people connecting with those around them as they live out their faith in their everyday lives. A recent visit to Port Augusta, and hearing how the local Congress is reaching out to the young people of the town reminded me again of the importance of connections as we care for each other. This is what we are called to do – engage with those around us, and welcome those around engaging with us. In this way we learn and grow together, as Christ’s disciples, in love.
Blessings,
