More than 500 churches around Australia will be taking part in Aboriginal Sunday this weekend to act in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples and the injustices they have experienced.
The history of the day goes as far back as January 26, 1938, when Aboriginal leaders met for a Day of Mourning to seek equality and full citizenship.
One of the leaders, William Cooper, a Yorta Yorta man and pastor, asked Australian Churches to set aside the Sunday before January 26 as Aboriginal Sunday.
Safina Stewart, relationships and storytelling coordinator of Common Grace, said Cooper did this by writing a letter to the churches.
“He was calling the churches to actually be in relationship with their Aboriginal brothers and sisters, pray for justice, be reflective and to join in solidarity, and that was through prayer,” she told Hope 103.2.
“(It was) very significant that it was an Aboriginal Christian pastor calling to the Australian Christian churches.”
The first Aboriginal Sunday is believed to have occurred in 1941.
“This invitation to join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the journey of justice is actually a gracious way to help make amends,” – Safina Stewart, relationships and storytelling coordinator of Common Grace
The importance of looking back
Being in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples involves looking back at their history, according to Ms Stewart, who is also a Wuthiti and Mabiag Island woman.
“We can’t move forward well unless we also are looking back, and in our Aboriginal ways of knowing and doing, we know that the best way to walk forward is actually to turn, look back,” she said.
“It’s almost walking backwards into the future, always remembering where we’ve come from, what we’ve come through and take steadier steps into our future.”
As a Christian leader, Ms Stewart believes healing can only be found in one place.
“Aboriginal Christian leaders know we can only find our healing with Jesus and, as Aunty Jean Phillips always says, it’s only at the foot of the cross that we can have healing and bring healing to this nation.”
“As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, it would strengthen my faith in Australians and in Australian Christians, to see them walk alongside our Aboriginal people for justice,” – Safina Stewart, relationships and storytelling coordinator of Common Grace
Why this matters to Christians
Common Grace is a movement of individuals, churches and communities pursuing Jesus and justice to work towards a future where the nation listens deeply to First Nations people.
National Director Gershon Nimbalker believes Christians are “deeply called” by their faith to respond to the injustices they see.
“(We are called) to see the brokenness in a relationship that still exists between Australia and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that inhabit here,” he told Hope 103.2.
“We need to respond to this, we’re a part of this, we’re on these lands.”
“We can only find our healing with Jesus… it’s only at the foot of the cross that we can have healing and bring healing to this nation,” – Safina Stewart, relationships and storytelling coordinator of Common Grace
For Ms Stewart, it would be helpful for her Christian walk to see other Christians getting involved.
“As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, it would strengthen my faith in Australians and in Australian Christians to see them walk alongside our Aboriginal people for justice,” she said.
“You see, the legacy of the church in our history of bringing about, perpetuating or condoning injustice has caused so much hurt, dislodging death to the spirits, the bodies and the hearts of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“I feel, as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, it’s a responsibility to the church to make things right because they have benefited from the actions of their forebears in the name of Jesus.
“Injustices have rolled out like a river instead of justice rolling out like a river; this invitation to join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the journey of justice is actually a gracious way to help make amends.”
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How churches can get involved
Churches looking to take part in Aboriginal Sunday can find resources on Common Grace’s website, including Bible readings, prayers, sermon notes and worship resources.
There is also a list of churches across Australia that are holding Aboriginal Sunday services.
“We want churches to join and embrace the pledge to take action with us this year on these issues… we want them to learn and then we want them to bring about justice with us,“ Mr Nimbalker said.
“We can’t move forward well unless we also are looking back… almost walking backwards into the future, always remembering where we’ve come from,” – Safina Stewart, relationships and storytelling coordinator of Common Grace
For Ms Stewart, Aboriginal Sunday is about honouring those who have gone before us.
“It’s not only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples but actually everybody else in the nation who has also suffered injustices,” she said.
“Injustice first happened to us and so therefore it has been allowed to continue on other people groups.
“I want for God’s kingdom to come and for all peoples to be able to flourish and for all creation to be able to flourish because we have been given the role of being caretakers.”
Images provided by Common Grace and Common Grace Facebook