Acknowledgment of

Country

Acknowledgment of

Country

We are gathering

We are gathering together unto Christ

We are gathering together unto Christ

Unto Christ shall the gathering of the people be We are gathering together unto Christ

(Repeat)

Hymn:

Welcome and

Call to Prayer

RememberRemember

Reader:

God of Love,We remember that this country that we now call Australia always was and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land.

All:

God of Love,

We Remember!

Reader:

God of Love, We remember the rich diversity of Nations and cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples that have existed from the beginning of time and which still continue to this day.

All:

God of Love,We Remember!

Reader:

We remember, God of Love, that this country, home to many Indigenous populations since the beginning of time, was colonized in 1788 and we remember all those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who have lost their lives since. We remember all those that have gone before defending Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands, waterways and cultures.

All:

God of Love,

We Remember!

Reader:

God of Love, We remember all those who were taken away from their families and those who were removed from their ancestral homelands.

All:

God of Love,

We Remember!

Reader:

God of Love, We remember with sorrow, the lost languages, the lost tribal laws and the desecrated sacred sites

All:

God of Love,We Remember!

Reading:

RememberRecognize

Reader:

God of Grace, We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia continue to suffer injustices.

All:

God of Grace,We are Sorry!

Reader: God of Grace, We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are living inpoverty.

All: God of Grace,

For this We are Sorry!

Reader:

Gracious God, We recognize that poverty is more than financial disadvantage, it is also social and spiritual.

All: God of Grace,

For this We are Sorry!

Reader:

God of Grace,We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples continue to suffer from colonization, exclusion and disempowerment.

All: God of Grace,

For this We are Sorry!

Reader: God of Grace, We recognize that it takes effort and will, from everybody; from governments to individuals; from Indigenous and non – Indigenous alike, to change the situation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. We recognize that unless we unite, with a common will, a poverty of spirit will afflict the entire nation.

All: God of Grace,

For our inactionWe are Sorry!

Gospel Reading:

Hymn:

Father make us one

Father make us oneFather make us oneThat the world may know Thou art sent the SonFather make us one(Repeat)

Special speaker

RememberRectify

Reader: God of Justice, We commit to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals specifically address the disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

All: God of Justice,

We will act!

Reader: God of Justice,We Commit to identifying achievable poverty reduction strategies with measurable and time bound outcomes to be achieved by 2015.

All: God of Justice,

We will act!

Reader: God of Justice, We Commit to holding all elected representatives, and other leaders, accountable to achieving these goals.

All: God of Justice,

We will act!

Reader: God of Justice,We will take personal responsibility to understand the causes and effects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ poverty and we also commit to inform people when we encounter ignorance or lack of compassion.

All: God of Justice,

We will act!

Reader: Lord of all,

We commit to justice for all and to Make Indigenous Poverty History.

All: Lord of all, We will act!

Acknowledgment of

Country

Poverty Pole

Signing

Final Prayer and Blessing

Final Hymn:

He is Lord

He is LordHe is LordHe is risen from the dead and He is LordEvery knee shall bow Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord(Repeat)

Acknowledgment of

Country