National Referendum Eve Vigil

Uniting Church in Australia

2023-10-13

National Referendum Eve Vigil

NATIONAL PRAYER VIGIL

October 13th, 2023
Kardlayirdi Karnungga – Brougham Place Uniting Church
6.00 – 7.00pm

Welcome to the Prayer Vigil

Welcome to Kaurna Country

Call to Worship

People of prayer,
open your ears to hear God’s word,
and your lips to proclaim God’s praise.

People of prayer,
pray for our nation
that we may seek a better future together.

People of prayer,
responding to the First Peoples of this land,
and the invitation from Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress
continue to walk in paths of reconciliation.

People of prayer,
bring your fears and longings,
your tears and dreams,
your anticipation and hopes.
God meets us here and holds us even as we hold our breath
waiting for what may be.

We Sing: God is Here Today

God is here today;
as certain as the air I breathe,
as certain as the morning sun that rises,
as certain when I sing you’ll hear my song.

© Words tradional from Mexico, translation C Michael Hawn, 1998. The Faith We Sing. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE, License #A‑604444.

Scripture Reading – John 10:10

Prayer of Adoration and Thanksgiving

We Sing: In the Lord, I’ll Be Ever Thankful

In the Lord, I’ll be every thankful, in the Lord I will rejoice!
Look to God, do not be afraid.
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near;
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

© Ateliers et Presses de Taizé, Communauté, 71250 Taizé, France. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE, License #A‑604444.

Lament and Prayer of Confession

We Sing: How Long?

How long must we cry out
'til justice rolls down like a river?
How long will this night last
and when will we all be together?

Teach us to do what is right:
work in the darkness, trust in the light.
And may love be the path we walk upon.

How long will these bombs fall,
and bodies get twisted and broken?
How long will these voices
keep shouting loud insult and slogan?

Teach us to do what is right:
work in the darkness, trust in the light.
And may love be the path we walk upon.

How long? Will your creatures
be trampled, degraded forever?
How long must we cry out
'til justice rolls down like a river.

Teach us to do what is right:
work in the darkness, trust in the light.
And may love be the path we walk upon.

Words and music by Robin Mann. © Robin Mann 2011. All Together For Good #563. ONE LICENSE, License #A‑604444. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reading – Luke 4: 16-21

Prayer Seeking Justice

We Sing: Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come to us,
kindle in us the fire of your love.
Holy Spirit, come to us,
Holy Spirit come to us.

© Ateliers et Presses de Taizé, Communauté, 71250 Taizé, France. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE, License #A‑604444.

Uluru Statement from the Heart

We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart:

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tribes were the first sovereign Nations of the Australian continent and its adjacent islands, and possessed it under our own laws and customs. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from ‘time immemorial’, and according to science more than 60,000 years ago.

This sovereignty is a spiritual notion: the ancestral tie between the land, or ‘mother nature’, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were born therefrom, remain attached thereto, and must one day return thither to be united with our ancestors. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty. It has never been ceded or extinguished, and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown.

How could it be otherwise? That peoples possessed a land for sixty millennia and this sacred link disappears from world history in merely the last two hundred years?

With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.

These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.

We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.

We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.

Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.

We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.

In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.

We Sing: For You Deep Stillness

For you, deep stillness of the silent inland;
for you, deep blue of the desert skies;
for you, flame red of the rocks and stones;
for you, sweet water from hidden springs.

From the edges, seek the heartlands,
and when you're burnt by the journey,
may the cool winds of the hovering Spirit
soothe and replenish you.
In the name of Christ, in the name of Christ. (repeat)

Robin Mann and Julie Perrin. © 2001 All Together Whatever #494. Open Book Publishers. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE. License #A‑604444.

From the Prophet Micah 6:8

Prayers for the Referendum

While these prayers are being offered, you are invited to come forward and light a candle.

Lord, listen to your children praying.
Lord, send your Spirit in this place.
Lord, listen to your children praying.
Send us love, send us power, send us grace!

Words and music by Ken Medema © Hope Publishing Co. The Faith We Sing #2193. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE, License &#nbsp;#A‑604444.

For First Peoples of this land

For First and Second Peoples

For leaders of our nation

For the future of our nation

For the UAICC, the Uniting Church and its Covenant relationship

From the Prophet Amos 5:24

Prayers for the Future

We Sing: Thuma Mina

Thuma mina, Thuma mina,
Thuma mina, Somandla

Send me Jesus, Send me Jesus,
Send me Jesus, Send me Lord.

Witulani, Witulani,
Witulani Mayatja

Fill me Jesus, Fill me Jesus,
Fill me Jesus, Fill me Lord.

Djuy’yurra, Djuy’yurra,
Djuy’yurra, Garray.

Send us Jesus, Send us Jesus,
Send us Jesus, Send us Lord.

Thuma mina (South African – Xhosa)
Witulani (APY Lands – Pitjantjatjara)
Djuy’yurra (Arnhem Land – Djambarrpungu)

Traditional South African. Words by permission Walton Music Corporation, Florida, USA. Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Blessing and Sending

The prayer vigil continues with the leadership of the NSW Synod.

Permission to stream / podcast the music and lyrics displayed in this service obtained from: CCLI 137219 and ONE LICENSE, License #A‑604444. All rights reserved.