FIRST VIETNAMESE CONFERENCE - Multicultural Ministry - an agency of the Uniting Church National Assembly

First Vietnamese Conference

I‘m sure you’ll agree with me that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary works, so long as we trust him and let him use us. Ever since I came to the Cabramatta Uniting Church, my dream has been that the Vietnamese Uniting Church in Australia could hold a gathering so that they would get to know each other and learn from each other.

Vietnamese Conference 2002

Also, that the Vietnamese Community could learn about the Uniting Church, as in Vietnam we do not have Methodist, Presbyterian or Congregational Churches. For many Vietnamese in Australia the Uniting Church is still something new for them.

After many countless nights of little sleep, but with much prayer – it has happened. The opening service of the first gathering of the Vietnamese UC took place on 30 December 2002 at the Naamaroo Conference Centre.

Over 200 guests, including Rev Dr Dean Drayton, President elect, Rev Terence Corkin, Assembly General Secretary and his wife, (he was our guest speaker on that night), Wendie Wilkie, Assistant Assembly General Secretary, Rev Alistair Christie, NSW Moderator, Mrs Tina Rendell, Executive Director BOM, representatives from the Presbyteries of Parramatta and Sydney, Vietnamese Christians from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand gathered.

Vietnamese Conference 2002 It was a great time! We had 83 people stay at Naamaroo and during the day over 90 people including 10 from our English class were there with us. At the end, everyone said what a blessing it had been, as they can see the friendship and openness among those present. Young people often raise a lot of questions about their feelings of the church to their parents in this new life and new culture. They need great understanding. For me I’m extremely happy with what happened. By the way, I would like to take this opportunity again to thank God and all of you who have been praying and supporting us in many ways to make this event possible. To God be the glory.

Rev Bui Chi Ai, Cabramatta
January 2003