First People—Picking up the Baton

From Paul Cameron, EO:

Today is ‘Sorry Day’ 2011. It seems an appropriate time to comment on a number of steps the All Churches Summit-AGM and Conference Council have taken in seeking to express our newly adopted Justice Value in the area of Indigenous Ministry.

At the recent All Churches Summit-AGM we adopted a new Statement of Purpose. It included a Common Mission—To be a movement of the people of God gathering around the central figure of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, living out his Way in our local contexts and inviting others to do the same.

One of the consequential Values also adopted is Justice—We value the dignity, equality and inherent worth of all persons regardless of gender, race, economic standing or belief system. Therefore, in announcing the Kingdom and expectant of its arrival, we will work for social justice, equal opportunity for all persons, and the responsible care and management of the environment.

The All Churches Summit and the May 25 meeting of Council approved a number of steps that seek to express this Value in the area of Indigenous Ministry, as we work towards the fulfilment of our Common Mission. Council has been considering these actions for some time, and counts it a privilege to be providing servant leadership in this way.

PLEASE READ ON FOR THE GOOD NEWS!

But FIRST, let’s put it all in context. Back in February some of us participated in an event at Thornbury church—Partners: Celebrating Indigenous Ministry. A diverse group of people from city and country gathered to take part in this important partnership conversation.

Stories of past and present were shared by Dennis and Maureen Atkinson (AEF), John and Ruth Saulo (Dareton), and Tony and Francine Riches (Footscray). Song items were presented in the heart language of some of the indigenous people there, and everyone was invited to join in and learn a new tongue.

Those present were encouraged (and challenged) by the wise words of Dennis after he shared two inspiring stories of indigenous leadership: “We could tell so many sad stories…through all the sadness and discrimination these pastors still had a love for God that overcame all that; they still evangelised indigenous and non-indigenous people…their ministry has survived because of God in their lives—despite the other stuff…Australia will one day be held accountable by God, but meanwhile let’s preach the gospel, together, for and to our people…”

Federal Co-ordinator (Craig Brown) and I were also invited to speak. Together we acknowledged the great heritage of indigenous ministry in Churches of Christ, of how the baton has been dropped, significantly dropped at particular times over recent years, but that together we are moving into a new time and a new day, that it is time to be picking up the baton once again. Indications were given of proposed future actions that would assist in the realisation of this new era.

As stated above it has been Council’s privilege to have been working at raising the profile of Indigenous ministry in Vic/Tas. Among other things, Council has involved a key national indigenous leader (Billy Williams) in an AGM, opening up his participation in a range of other activities in Melbourne and beyond; supported, with M&M, two new ministry initiatives at Dareton and Footscray; co-hosted (with Thornbury church) the dialogue and story-telling event mentioned above; taken the initiative to table the idea of a Preamble to the Constitution acknowledging a range of issues related to the First People of this land; resolved to invite all churches to implement a practical, down-to-earth Indigenous Ministry Engagement Kit that will assist them in their participation in Indigenous Ministry in their context or elsewhere; and sought to find new funding streams for Indigenous Ministry in Vic/Tas.

At its May 25 meeting Council resolved to invite the Mission and Ministry Board to form an Indigenous Ministries Task Group and to appoint its inaugural members. M&M and the Group will design a Purpose Statement and any necessary lines of accountability and reporting. The roles of the group could include (among other things) facilitating regional and local conversations around the proposed Preamble to the Constitution, history gathering and recording, the creation of a Indigenous resource centre and library, the facilitation and management of Indigenous Ministry Engagements and Church Partnerships via the Kit approved at the AGM, holding periodic Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls and storytelling events, and other areas of ministry and community service, action and justice that M&M consider fits the Group’s purposes.

The Task Group will also, in partnership with M&M, manage the distribution of the income of funds newly set aside in the Church Development Fund for Indigenous ministry. These funds have been released by Council (as flagged in February, and in the Indigenous Ministry Review Report) through the establishment of an Indigenous Ministries Trust within the Church Development Fund. The Trust has been opened with an initial capital sum of $500 000 (around 16% of the proceeds of the sale of the former Ashburton church’s property) and income generated will be available to support Indigenous Ministry. We will be open to receive further donations from churches and individuals, as well as bequests, as contributions to the Trust’s capital.

The M&M Board when considering the membership and the leadership of the new ‘Indigenous Ministries Task Group’, will give a high priority to the participation of Indigenous people, and/or those involved directly in Indigenous Ministry.

We are picking up the baton. We invite all churches, their ministers, leaders and members to do the same.

It is a practical and life- and world-changing way of living out our Values, of fulfilling our Common Mission, of announcing the Kingdom.

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