Multicultural Ministry - an agency of the Uniting Church National Assembly

Being a Multicultural Church

Unity in diversity is a gift of God, a foretaste of the reconciliation of all things.

Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry was officially acknowledged in the Uniting Church in 1985 when the Fourth Assembly adopted a statement beginning, "The Uniting Church is a Multicultural Church…" This statement says, "The Uniting Church seeks to be open to changes that the Holy Spirit will bring to the church because of the creative contributions of people of different racial and cultural groups to its life."

This was an historic and bold commitment in response to God's call to embrace the new challenges involved in becoming a more ethnically diverse nation. The Uniting Church since then has continued to renew its vision of being a multicultural church and witness to a unity in diversity that transcends cultural barriers. Today many Uniting Churches reflect the great diversity of cultures that makes up modern day Australia. In addition, there are about 150 migrant-ethnic groups from 26 different cultural traditions who worship in languages other than English. (View the stats) The rich diversity of cultures is the changing face of the Uniting Church, a growing frontier of mission and a way God is renewing the Church.

Luke 13: 29
"People will come from the East and West, North and South, and will take their places in the feast in the kingdom of God".

This vision of God's diverse human family is becoming a reality in our Australian context. The challenge is to build a church where we all equally belong. A new spirituality is what is needed; learning trust, forgiveness, active hospitality; just sharing of resources; and sensing our belonging to one another. Can those of us who are relatively recent newcomers to this "Great South Land of the Spirit" be open to learn from the rich spiritual inheritance of the indigenous people of this land and to work for reconciliation?

Modelling the inclusive love of Christ remains a key challenge for the church today. We have been dreaming of a church we could become- a rainbow, multicultural church. And we have been on that journey for quite some time.

We have learnt a lot and at times this has been painful. Cross-cultural communication isn't easy. At times we hurt and misunderstand each other. Unconscious attitudes of the dominant culture that 'our' way is the best way of doing things still needs challenging. But there is still a long way to go for us to learn how to live together. We need a new heart and mind not only for the church but also for the nation. Walter Wink said , the future belongs to the intercessors who believe the future into being.

The Uniting Church is amongst those intercessors who believe a new future into existence. Can we be a sign and a witness, in the Australian context, to the possibility of overcoming barriers, learning to live creatively with diversity and difference? Are we willing to name racism within and outside the church, creating multicultural communities of transformation.

God is reshaping us and this nation!

Our cultural diversity enriches the life of the UCA, bringing new experiences and insights to how we live out our Christian faith. Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry also represents a new frontier of mission and is an integral part of the life of the whole church, involving every aspect of it and including every member.

Assembly Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry has been given the task to "to educate and to assist the Church in living as people from different cultures in worship, witness and service." ( See our Mandate for more)

Local congregation have been embracing a vision of to living as a community of 'unity and diversity', a harmonious sharing a common life, called to journey together as God's pilgrim people.

This means being a church that:appreciates and respects each other; is open to learn from one another; where the uniqueness of each culture is not lost
evaluates its life to ensure equality in decision making, a fair sharing of resources and mutual responsibility to build our common life, faith and witness
is willing to listen to one anther, develops relationships of honesty and trust; shares joys and pain, celebrates life together, cares enough to also face and work through our differences
reaches out to multicultural and multifaith Australia serving people in Christ's name, witnessing to God's inclusive love.

Some of the particular responsibilities and projects of Assembly Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry include:

Developing national policies e.g. Assembly Guidelines on Sharing Property; Guidelines for Migrant -ethnic Congregations of the UCA in Relation to the UCA and to their Homeland Churches
GUIDLELINES ON NATIONAL CONFERENCES (Revised 2004) for some of the migrant communities to enable those communities to find their voice as they struggle to sense their place in the Uniting Church
Translating Church documents, such as the Basis of Union, Constitution, Liturgies; Code of Ethics and other important documents into community languages
Developing policies on the settlement and orientation of ministers from overseas and the orientation of new congregations into the Uniting Church
Promoting the celebration of One Great Sunday of Sharing in the Uniting Church
Publishing resource material on Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry
Developing courses for church leaders on cross-cultural relationships and racism awareness
Enabling regular national consultations on Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry
Engaging in biblical and theological reflection on the multicultural nature of the gospel.
For more information contact Revd Helen Richmond Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry