National Reconciliation Week

Elliot Keane
Australia

This year’s Reconciliation Week theme Bridging Now to Next is an invitation to consider the past, present and future.

The theme encourages Australians to look ahead and continue the work of reconciliation, learning from the past and moving towards a more hopeful future.

In God’s story we have a wonderful invitation to consider the past, present and future and an invitation to live now as signposts to what is and what will be. We are invited to be living storytellers of a new way of being that learns from the past, connects the present reality, including its mess and brokenness, with the wonderful new future where all things are reconciled. The good news of our story is that King Jesus enters our present, walking right into the disfunction and confusion and ushers in a new way and a new world. He comes offering forgiveness for past wrongs, healing for present realities and the hope a bright new future.

As followers of Jesus we are invited to be co-reconcilers with Jesus in our world. It makes sense then, that we move towards our Indigenous neighbours with confession and forgiveness, witnessing to the reconciliation we know to be possible in King Jesus.

How can you and you church be a beacon of hope, Bridging Now to Next?

Here’s some ways you can take next steps in learning and connecting with Indigenous peoples:

Read:

Watch:

Do:

Explore local places of significance in your area. Start with your local council website.
Turn up at local Reconciliation Week events. Google Reconciliation events in your area.

Give:

Support the development of emerging Indigenous Christian leaders by investing in the BCSANT Aboriginal Ministry Support Fund. We have a wonderful young leader taking next steps in their ministry development and invite your support. Head to https://bcsant.giveway.org.au/aboriginal-ministry-support-fund to give.

Elliot Keane is Baptist Mission Australia’s First Nations Engagement Facilitator. He works on developing listening and learning pathways with First Nations people of Australia, to ensure that Baptist Mission Australia is hearing the voices, stories, needs, hopes, dreams and missional aspirations of First Nations people, communities and churches.

Elliot Keane is Baptist Mission Australia's First Nations Engagement Facilitator. He works on developing listening and learning pathways with First Nations people of Australia, to ensure that Baptist Mission Australia is hearing the voices, stories, needs, hopes, dreams and missional aspirations of First Nations people, communities and churches.

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Committed to reconciliation, Baptist Mission Australia acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and their connection to land, sea and community and all that the creator God gifted to them. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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