Assembly '97 News Home page Documents next story		Gifts, songs colour opening celebration By Marjorie Lewis-Jones Perth, July 5, 1997 — Piped in by 50 bagpipers and welcomed on didgeridoo by the Noongar people to their traditional Aboriginal land, members and visitors at the Eighth Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia packed the Perth Concert Hall for the assembly's official opening on Saturday July 5, 1997. Flanked by the combined Uniting Church Schools Choir, other choristers and musicians, and joined by overseas and national ecumenical guests and representatives of other faiths, the Rev. John Mavor was installed as the church's President. Mr Mavor spoke on the Assembly theme "Forward Together: Moving with God's Spirit". Centrestage, the altar was festooned with a vibrant patchwork quilt. The quilt's patches were created in Uniting Church parishes throughout Australia and sent to the Assembly to link the church in prayer and fellowship during its eight-day meeting. Prayers and hymns written by Uniting Church members from across Australia were also used during the service. Gifts from the seven synods were presented to the Assembly and laid on the altar. The Northern Synod gave a model of a bright yellow, four-wheel drive vehicle displaying Uniting Church, Frontier Services and the Northern Regional Council of Congress logos. Moderator of the Northern Synod, Ros McMillan, said the yellow represented the sun and the logos the fact that the Northern Synod received and exercised ministry from many parts. It also showed the synod's "peculiar sense of humour", she said. A paddle used by the Uniting Church team in the Moomba festival dragon boat races for the past two years was presented by Victorian Synod Moderator, the Rev. Dr Warren Bartlett. Taking part in the dragon boat races showed the Uniting Church in Victoria's continued commitment to witnessing in the community, Mr Bartlett said. A rainbow candle from the KUCA-A (Kids of the Uniting Church in Australia at Assembly '97), clapsticks and a coolamon from the UAICC (Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress) and the Assembly papers were also brought forward and placed on the altar. General Secretary of the Assembly, the Rev. Gregor Henderson said KUCA-A's gift showed the "subtle shades and rich diversity of God colours in the Uniting Church and the world". The gifts from the UAICC, he said, were symbols of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's ability to survive and grow and to contribute greatly to the Uniting Church and to society. Retiring President Jill Tabart was also thanked for her three years service. Mrs Tabart two-stepped lightly from the stage as she was committed back into the care of her family and church community in Tasmania. Mr Mavor was led forward to be installed and then prayed for by Sue Fiarley, Inoke Nabulivou, Ken Anderson, Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Seongja Yoo-Crowe and John Harry Mavor (Mr Mavor's son). President's chaplain Carolyn Kitto, said Mr Mavor's daughter Miriam would have been present to read one of the Bible readings, however, she had given birth to the new President's first grandson just ten days earlier in Surrey, England.