Prime Minister meets with UCA leaders
Bruce Mullan, from the Qld Synod wrote the following about the recent meeting with the Prime Minister:
“The issues of climate change, human rights and the death penalty were among those raised when the Uniting Church met, for the first time, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on 21 October.
UCA President, Rev Gregor Henderson, National Assembly General Secretary Rev Terence Corkin, and National Director of UnitingJustice Australia, Rev Elenie Poulos spent half an hour with Prime Minister Rudd, presenting him with an information pack about the Uniting Church. Included was an overview and explanation of the structure of the Church along with a copy of the Basis of Union and the 1977 Statement to the Nation.
“We spoke about who we are as the third largest church in Australia and our commitment to making a difference to the Australian community and nation,” said Mr Henderson.
“We talked about UnitingCare, Frontier Services, Uniting International Mission and Uniting Church Overseas Aid, and UnitingJustice. We talked about our multiculturalism and the importance of the Uniting Islander and Aboriginal Christian Congress.
“He spoke to us as a person of deep Christian faith. He not only has a commitment to public theology but a deep personal interest in it,” said Rev. Henderson.
“I don’t think there’s any question that we can say we have a positive relationship with the highest levels of government. That encourages us to continue to do our homework well on the national and international issues that concern us most and to know we have the avenues of further representation to the government. We don’t have any doubt whatsoever that the Prime Minister’s door is open to us.”
