23/10/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CXvALxGfK/?mibextid=wwXIfr
𝗔 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲
𝗔 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗶, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮
As we continue to hold Dr Helen Haines MP, her husband Phil, and their family and the Wangaratta community in our prayers, we recognise the profound suffering caused by this devastating attack and the concern it has stirred across our nation.
At a time when many Australians are troubled by hostility, threats and intimidation in public life, we are reminded of our shared responsibility for how we speak about and treat one another. Whatever the motive behind this attack, violence and intimidation have no place in our communities or in public life.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, “𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥” (Matthew 5:9).
These words are both a promise and a call. The peace of Christ is more than the absence of violence or disagreement. It is a gift that calls us to live differently, recognising that every person is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth, even when our convictions differ profoundly.
Peacemaking does not mean avoiding difficult conversations or staying silent in the face of injustice. We are called to speak the truth and challenge injustice without resorting to contempt, hostility or dehumanisation. The words we use matter, even within our own Church. We cannot proclaim the peace of Christ while failing to practise it in how we listen, speak and treat one another.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to nurture communities where people can disagree without fear, where justice is upheld, and where compassion and reconciliation shape our way of living together.
This Sunday, I invite congregations and faith communities across the Uniting Church to join in prayer for Helen, Phil, and their family; for those caring for her; and for the Wangaratta community. Let us also pray for those entrusted with public leadership, for peace throughout our nation, and for the courage to live out peace in our own communities.
In these difficult days, may we hold fast to the hope of the risen Christ, who comes to us in our fear with the words, “𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶”.
May that peace bring comfort to all who are grieving or afraid, sustain those who are suffering, and guide us as we seek to live faithfully together.
𝗥𝗲𝘃 Charissa Suli
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮
Read the President's Prayer here: tinyurl.com/uca-pp-oct26
