Yesterday I finally made it to 'the Green House' in Buderim. It is a remarkable place, embodying a deeply-grounded commitment to walking with the Spirit in, through, and with the land (and the people closest to the land). Heather Johnson is the coordinator, alongside family members and others in the local community, not least Aboriginal elders. Over the last few years Heather's original family land at Buderim has been turned over to environmental, Reconciliation and other spiritual endeavours, to create a lasting and living symbol for this and future generations (read more here). Linked to the Community of Aidan & Hilda, the Anglican Church at Buderim and SAILS, this work is an inspiration to me and to many others. Long may it flourish! To walk the grounds of the Green House is certainly to be surprised and encouraged in wonderful and unexpected ways. Yesterday was but one vital example of the creative and healing projects of the Green House. On the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, two memorials were dedicated: one to those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who fought (here and overseas) in defence of their country, and one to South Sea Islanders (an important part of local history) who have fought in Australia's defence forces. This followed a lecture by Indigenous historian John Maynard earlier in the day. The dedication of the memorials was another moving step in Reconciliation, led by Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall and local elders. My hope and prayer is that it strengthens us all to similar further Spirit-led relationship and action in the days ahead.
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A few days ago I was approached by meditation friends to lead a flag washing ceremony this Australia Day. I am happy to do so. The concept is deeply peaceful and nonviolent. Washing is a natural, soothing and renewing process and has spiritual resonance with all kinds of faiths and cultures. As a response to the challenge of celebrating Australia on the day of dispossession of its first peoples and ancient cultures, it is also a creative one. Surely that is a conflictual and offensive anachronism which one day will be replaced by another date for a genuinely whole community affirmation of Australia's amazing nation? In the meantime, washing the flag is one way in which we can together ask for healing and renewal for us and the wider world. Whereas burning a flag is a furiously aggressive and destructive act on various levels, washing can be both an appropriate act of repentance and reconnection. Within Australia, the inspiration for our Toowoomba flag washing comes from Western Australia, where, on 27 January last year, a group of Christian leaders led a public ceremony of repentance outside the Perth Immigration Detention Centre (see story here). The liturgy used was drafted by the Revd Elizabeth Smith and is the basis for the one I have drafted for our own gathering here. Our flag washing ceremony is open to all and will take place towards sunset at 5.30 pm this Monday, 26 January 2015 in the Tom Doherty Park in Acland. Such a venue, built and maintained by volunteers over decades, was suggested by those who approached me as appropriate because it is a symbol of community life and hope. For Acland, today radically changed due to mining developments, has been a place of contention over a number of years and a place which thereby symbolises many Australians' longing for healing and reconciliation. As the friends who will join me have expressed it: The Australian flag is a powerful symbol. It has the strength to unite. The act of washing is tender and compassionate. It symbolises a desire to be a nation that is kinder, more gracious, more generous and inclusive of all who live here and of our natural treasures. As we join together in this symbolic act of purification, we cast aside despair and argument and celebrate our shared values and the decency of ordinary people. We understand how very blessed we are living in this amazing country. We believe that if we are all people, we are all equal. We believe that good will prevail and that light will flourish. What is still startling to me, even after almost 14 years in Australia, is how little we as a nation fully celebrate our living Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. How truly astonishing it is and how amazing the people who have lived through so many hard journeys. For we also spend huge amounts of energy on Anzac related activity, yet still struggle to honour the pain and heroism of our own historic conflicts at home (such as that of Multuggerah and Multugerrah Mountain (aka Table Top Mountain) in the Toowoomba area) As newcomers, those of us who have come from so many lands over the last 200 years are (to use St Paul's wonderful phrase) grafted on to a stupendous tree: the oldest living culture in the whole world. How wonderful it is to be allowed to share in this. Yesterday's "Talking Tour' of key Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander sites in the Toowoomba area was a case in point. Led graciously by the lively, highly informative and remarkable elders Uncle Darby McCarthy and Donna Moodie, our parish group enjoyed a fabulous day. From ancient sites (such as the gorgeously healing women's site in Highfields) to contemporary projects (such as the Jack Martin Centre, seeking to transform young lives, and the Gumbi Gumbi gardens) and with lots of fun, food and other connections along the way, we took important new steps in walking together. It is just one small sign of the gradual reconciling change in Australia. There is a long way to go, especially in addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition and empowerment, but the Spirit is at work in such humble ways. Recent events overseas have increased concern for security in Western countries and sparked incidents which have raised understandable community anxiety. As Christians concerned for the welfare of all our neighbours we consequently therefore continue to pray for all those who are most directly affected by violence or its threat. We remember particularly the peoples of the Middle East at this time, especially those who are persecuted, forced into flight as refugees, injured, killed, or bereaved. We pray for all those in positions of authority and influence who make difficult decisions about violence and security, remembering especially our Prime Minister and Federal Government, military, security and police personnel. May compassion be combined with wisdom, determined courage with insight. As national security levels are raised, let us however also raise our peace and understanding levels. For in the case of Anglicans at least, the current situation certainly calls us back to the 4th Mark of Mission of the Anglican Communion: To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation.... Great to see - and hear - work beginning on the first stage of our labyrinth on the St Luke's Toowoomba site today. The project will place a petite Chartres design labyrinth in the grounds of the church building, beneath the wonderful east end window (a copy of the oldest window - the 'Blue Virgin' - in Chartres Cathedral, one of the great European medieval cathedrals associated with Christian labyrinths). We hope that this will further develop the 'sacred tourism' and 'spiritual garden' potential of the St Luke's site (the 'Chartres of the South'?), offering a valuable extra tool for contemplative prayer, experiential spirituality, healing and reconciliation. My wife and colleague, the Revd. Penny Jones (seen left pretending to actually dig out the foundations) is a fully trained and accredited labyrinth facilitator with the Veriditas international labyrinth movement. She has already run workshops in Toowoomba, as well as elsewhere, and we look forward to this being a beautiful addition to life in Toowoomba. More information about our project can be found on the Toowoomba City Labyrinth site. Yesterday it was encouraging to meet with Ryan Wiggins, from Reconciliation Australia, to hear of progress in providing Reconciliation tools for faith communities, not least in the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane. Ryan was going on to a meeting with our diocesan bishops, as the next step in the process of considering a diocesan RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan): an initiative I set going with a successful Synod motion, asking for diocesan-wide attention to the possibility of such a RAP as one tool to further Reconciliation as an essential integral part of our life together. I have been partly inspired by the RAP (see cover to the left) created in Toowoomba by our local Catholic diocese, thanks to the leadership of the former bishop Bill Morris, my wonderful friends in the Catholic Social Justice Commission, and, above all, the gracious and wise guidance of local Indigenous people . Our Anglican Glennie School in Toowoomba, and the SAILS organisation in our diocese have also created other encouraging examples of RAPs, working closely with local Indigenous people. What a difference it would make however if we can find ways to 'mainstream' this work, so that it is not left to a few particularly enlightened or enthusiastic people! I do not know exactly how our Anglican diocese will develop this process in detail. I do know though that it is being taken very seriously and that Reconciliation Australia are also inspired by the challenge of what would be (in Ryan Wiggins' words) a 'mega-RAP', providing real institutional weight, direction and inspiration to the whole breadth and depth of diocesan commissions, parishes, schools, welfare bodies, and other agencies. This would also, very importantly, be a major fillip for our Indigenous Christian leaders who work so hard, with so little resource and so many other responsibilities. For everyone can do their part in Reconciliation, not leaving this to those Indigenous Australians who often have enough on their plate just surviving, or to the 'usual suspects'. In this respect, what was particularly encouraging to hear from Ryan yesterday were the new tools coming online from Reconciliation Australia for local churches and schools. Recognising the difficulties of the original RAP frameworks for faith communities - designed, as they were, mainly for business organisatations - good work has been done (learning from the struggles of SAILS and other church groups) to produce more faith-community-friendly tools. With the assistance of World Vision, these will be trialled shortly and will hopefully represent further practical steps, with tangible outcomes for Indigenous people, on our crucial national journey of healing. |
AuthorJo Inkpin is an Anglican priest serving as Minister of Pitt St Uniting Church in Sydney, a trans woman, theologian & justice activist. These are some of my reflections on life, spirit, and the search for peace, justice & sustainable creation. Archives
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