16th Assembly Highlights from Day 1 #Dwellinginlove

Dwelling in Love - Day 1 The first-ever online meeting for the Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia has completed its first day.  The meeting began with a welcome and Acknowledgement of Country from Interim UAICC National Chair Ps Mark Kickett, inviting us to remember and hold in our hearts the First Peoples who walked on this land.  Rev Sharon Hollis was installed as the 16th President of the Uniting Church in Australia in a moving Service of Worship. In a powerful sermon Sharon encouraged us to be upturned and transformed by the radically inclusive love of God.   Retiring President Dr Deidre Palmer in her address reminded us of the abundant grace of God and liberating hope we have in Christ - which is always more than we could ever imagine.  Ps Mark Kickett brought a report from Congress, and shared via video, stories about relationship, culture and faith from our First Peoples. Read the report. President Sharon Hollis welcomed our overseas guests watching online from around the world. Read their letters of greeting. In the evening, Prof Anthony Reddie delivered the Cato Lecture on what it means to hold together our oneness and our diversity.  16th Assembly Members finished the day in prayer with the practice of The Examen. You may like to see the explanation of this process by Rev Sally Douglas.  It all starts again tomorrow with worship at 10am AEST. Tune in via our website and follow on our socials.Don't forget the hashtags #dwellinginlove #uca21 #16thassembly  Rev Sharon Hollis installed as new President The Uniting Church in Australia has joyfully installed Rev Sharon Hollis as President of the Uniting Church in Australia. Rev Hollis is the third woman to be President, and the first ordained woman in the role. She will offer the Church spiritual leadership for the next three years. Retiring President's report Dr Deidre Palmer has used her retiring President’s address at the 16th Assembly meeting to encourage UCA members to remain strong and full of hope, reminding the Church of the many signs of God’s abundant grace. Cato Lecture: Celebrating both oneness and difference Black liberation theologian Prof Anthony Reddie has delivered his Cato Lecture to the online 16th Assembly, mounting a vision for unity in the Christian community where both difference and oneness in Christ are at once affirmed and celebrated. How Day 1 was captured on social media See how people shared about Day 1 of the 16th Assembly on social media. Join the conversation tomorrow with the hashtags #dwellinginlove #uca21

JOIN US IN PRAYER FOR:   Day 2 of the 16th Assembly as members regather from across the country to discern the will of God and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Copyright © 2021 Uniting Church in Australia, All rights reserved. We're sending you weekly updates because you opted into news from the Uniting Church in Australia. Our mailing address is: Uniting Church in Australia Lvl 4 262 Pitt St Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia