Day of Mourning

#UCADayofMourning

Since 2019 the Uniting Church has marked a Day of Mourning on the Sunday before 26 January to reflect on the dispossession of Australia’s First Peoples and the ongoing injustices faced by First Nations people in this land. 

We invite you on or around Sunday 21 January 2024 to hold worship services that reflect on the effects of invasion, colonisation and racism on First Peoples. 

The 2024 resource is now available. In the introduction, Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis and National UAICC Chair Rev Mark Kickett write, 

"In marking the Day of Mourning, we affirm the sovereignty of First Nations people. We confess and seek forgiveness for the dispossession and violence against First Nations people. We lament our part and we recommit to justice and truth-telling."

UAICC National Chairperson Rev Mark Kickett and UCA President Rev Sharon Hollis have also shared a Survival Day video message for 26 January. 

Watch the message below or download here.

We encourage you to use this opportunity to make a connection with UAICC or First Nations people in your local community. You might take this opportunity to think about how you will live out the covenant as a faith community and explore the Assembly’s Living The Covenant Locally resource as a way to begin or continue this journey.

We would love to hear about your Day of Mourning services. Use #UCADayofMourning on social media and email to share your stories and photos.

Other resources

• Affirmation of Faith written by Rev Jenny Tymms in consultation with First Nations people from the Walking Together Assembly resource (2012). Download it as a PowerPoint

• Song: Make a New Way – written by David MacGregor and Craig Mitchell, this song was prompted by the Voice Referendum and the narrative of John the Baptist in Mark 1.

  Link to video, lyrics and music score here: https://craigmitchell.com.au/make-a-new-way/