Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

As papers begin to arrive for the Marriage Law Postal Survey, many members of our Uniting Church congregations and faith communities will be engaging in conversations about marriage – within our families, our circles of friends, our churches, and in the wider community.

While we have these discussions, I encourage each of you to remember that, as Christians, we are called to be salt and light in the community. We are to be instruments of the Holy Spirit and model how people should relate to one another in every arena of life.

As Moderator, I want to honour all people in the life of the Uniting Church. I echo the sentiments of Uniting Church President Stuart McMillan, who has urged church members to listen to one another and maintain respectful conversations on the topic of same-sex marriage, particularly where cultural understandings differ. (Read Stuart’s latest statement here and previous statement here.)

As a civil matter, the plebiscite provides an opportunity for every member across the breadth of the Uniting Church to place a vote based on personal reflections and convictions. The upcoming Presbytery & Synod meeting in November and the 15th Assembly meeting in 2018 will allow space to engage in conversations about marriage as the body of the Church. Whether or not the Marriage Act is changed, the Uniting Church will continue to anchor these conversations in grace, respect and love.

I encourage Uniting Church members, the people of God, to look to Jesus throughout this process.

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Romans 15:5-6

Yours in Christ

Sue Ellis

Moderator
Uniting Church SA