By Sally Cloke and Carlyn Chen

What does reconciliation look like? Here are two examples of how a suburban church, and group of TEAR staff, have committed to make reconciliation part of their lives.

Starting from ourselves

You’re a bit behind the times, but it’s a good start!” said local Gadigal man Michael West, a member of the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, as he helped unveil the Acknowledgment of Country plaque at TEAR’s NSW Office.

Pastor Ray Minniecon, a Kabi Kabi man from South East Queensland, and for many years now also a well-known and respected leader in inner Sydney, spoke about some of the initiatives he is involved in with Aboriginal people around the country. Ray is a keen theologian who challenges the Australian Church about its failure to produce more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders leaders.

“It was good to be challenged that, indeed, we haven’t taken enough action to right the injustices that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have faced – and continue to face – in this country, ” said Carlyn Chen, TEAR’s National Advocacy Coordinator.

“The unveiling of the plaque in the NSW office was about starting with ourselves and acknowledging, learning from and meeting with the traditional owners of the land. We hope to continue to learn, build relationships and take action for justice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around the country. For now, it is good to walk into the office each day and be reminded that we work upon the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.”

Head, heart and hands

The community of All Saints’ Greensborough, in Melbourne’s outer east, has taken a holistic approach to justice and mission. As well as integrating their concerns for reconciliation and global poverty into their regular worship and teaching, for the past three years the church has held a series of annual events on social justice.

Guest speakers have included Denis Atkinson, chaplain with the Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship and a member of TEAR’s Indigenous Reference Panel, and the Revd Dr Peter Adam from Ridley College, speaking on the need for recompense to Australia’s Indigenous peoples. Parishioners have also visited Indigenous art galleries and supported Koorie Information Technologies, an organisation that provides donated computers to Indigenous Australian students.

According to the Revd Andrew Livingstone, the church has taken this approach because they because that the gospel message and the values of mercy and reconciliation that flow from Jesus Christ must be expressed in both evangelism and social justice.

“As a parish we’ve learned that God’s plan for a New Heaven and a New Earth must be expressed practically in how we seek to do mission in word and deed,” he said. “The reality of God’s grace must engage our head, heart and hands.”