“We need to have a structured plan to Indigenous ministries, otherwise we will never have a genuine effect in the Diocese… my dream is that not only will we impact this Diocese, we will impact this nation.”
With those words, the leader of Macarthur Indigenous Church, the Rev Michael Duckett, urged Sydney’s Anglican Synod to support the appointment of the first Director of Indigenous Ministry.
The Rev Nigel Fortescue, who partnered with Mr Duckett in the strengthening of Indigenous ministry in the southwest, earlier moved the motion to establish the position in line with recommendations from the Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee.
Said Mr Fortescue: “My observation is that there are grand complexities that make Indigenous gatherings and Indigenous leadership critical. Indigenous leadership is crucial to Indigenous mission.”
In his address at the start of Synod, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel expressed support.
“It is fair to say that non-Aboriginal Australia has little understanding of Aboriginal culture and is ill-equipped to make judgments about how the gospel variously critiques, confronts, confirms, or transforms Indigenous culture,” the Archbishop said. “The appointment of a person to this position allows us to become learners and listeners as well as partners in gospel ministry with Indigenous brothers and sisters.”
Indigenous Synod delegate Larissa Minniecon told Synod members during the debate that Aboriginal leadership was at capacity already.
“St John's [in Glebe] and [Broadway] in Barnies is hosting, has the privilege of doing a double funeral of two Indigenous people that passed away in our community,” she said. “It was because of our leadership that they chose us.
“We are preaching the gospel to over 2000 Indigenous people on Wednesday. We go through “sorry business” so many times that our pastors are at capacity trying to do and develop leadership within. So this is why we are asking for this Director of Indigenous Ministry.”
Synod voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion after Mr Duckett made an impassioned speech.
“We have the biggest population of Aboriginal people in the Sydney Diocese and we have a responsibility to minister to them properly in a structured way,” he said. “We haven't done that yet. We have Indigenous churches that are struggling. They need the support, the mechanisms of support, the future plans of support of how we do that.
“When we take a serious effort to minister to the most disadvantaged people group in this country, starting here, I guarantee you it will impact this nation. I invite you, each one of you, to be a part of this.”
While the position has now been approved, the first director has not yet been appointed.
After the historic vote, Archbishop Raffel thanked the Synod. “I think it’s fair to say that the history of the engagement between the Anglican Church in Sydney and the Indigenous people of this place is, as Nigel alluded in his speech, a complicated one. But in my own brief and limited experience, it is one that is characterised from both ends, as it were, by a great desire to see the Lord Jesus honoured in the lived unity of his people.
“I’ve been heartened, too, by the desire of this Synod – and previous synods led by previous Archbishops – to take this journey, though often we don't really know what we're setting out on. But we have a great God who leads us and I find that tremendously humbling and I give great thanks to God for it.”
Feature photo: Mr Duckett speaks to the Synod.
