Our Progress – Relationships
At the heart of reconciliation is relationships. The primary purpose and scope of the LCA RAP is to develop church wide opportunities to ensure that the LCA continues to build upon our solid foundation of respectful and dignified relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the broader community in our church. When we get to know each other in mutual partnership, attitudes and behaviours toward each other improve and, better outcomes are achieved.
| Action | Deliverable | Timeline | Responsibility | Progress | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Establish and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations | (a) Identify First Nations stakeholders nationally, within each district and spheres of influence | June 2021 | Executive Officer Local Mission | Finke River Mission (Northern Territory/Central Australia) Finke River Mission Aboriginal Ministry of South Australia (AbMinSA) AbMinSA Visits and consultations with First Nations communities West Coast SA Yalata Community Ntaria [Hermannsburg] Alice Springs Hope Vale Identification and promotion of national Aboriginal organisation contacts relevant to Ministry Services (eg Aged Care, Children and Youth Services, Disability, Community Services) National and Jurisdictional Peak Community Organisations Identification and promotion of contacts Reconciliation agencies, National and within each State Reconciliation Australia Reconciliation Australia State Reconciliation Councils QLD NSW Vic Tas SA WA Encouragement to explore Traditional Custodians of Country linked to local ministry spaces AIATSIS Map Gambay: Interactive First Languages Map |
| (b) Research best practice and principles that support partnerships with First Nations stakeholders and organisations | August 2020 | RAP Project Chair RAP Project Officer | Churchwide office staff engagement in the 'Share Our Pride' online tool - Chapter 5 Respectful Relationships Share Our Pride Resources Be An Indigenous Ally [source Reconciliation NSW] |
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| 2. | Build relationships through celebrating National Reconciliation Week (NRW) | (a) Circulate Reconciliation Australia's NRW resources and reconciliation materials across the organisation in each district, including (but not limited to) worship centres/congregations, agencies and affiliated bodies of the LCA, volunteers, employees, leaders and decision makers | May 2021 | Executive Officer of the Church | LCA - E-news | May edition E-news RAP website | Resources Page RA NRW Fact Sheets and other Reconciliation Resources Resources LCA Commission on Worship webpage | Reconciliation Service Order Worship Service Resource 2021 Reconciliation Devotion 8 Daily Reconciliation Prayer Resources Reconciliation Action Kit for Churches A Reconciliation Liturgy |
| (b) RAP Working Group and Project Team members to participate in an external NRW event in their respective states across Australia, and share this experience through national communique | 27 May - June 2021 | RAP Project Chair | Provision of NRW COVID-safe Activities accessible across Australia National Reconciliation Week National launch of the LCA RAP website Communication to ministry community via LCA e-news, face book, 'Spread the word' Heartland News May 2020 Spread the Word |
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| (c) Encourage support staff and senior leaders to participate in at least one external event to recognise and celebrate NRW | 27 May - June 2021 | Manager Church Worker Support Department | Attendance NRW Virtual Breakfast 27 May, 2020 - guest speaker Pat Turner Chair Coalition of Peaks In This Together Attendance NRW Breakfast 27 May 2021: Mores than a Word, Reconciliation takes Action Mores than a Word, Reconciliation takes Action |
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| 3. | Promote reconciliation through our sphere of influence | (a) Communicate our commitment to reconciliation to members, volunteers, employees, leaders and decision makers within LCA districts, worship centres/congregation, agencies and affiliated bodies | July 2020 | Manager Communications Department | Video - Bishop Endorsement of RAP - hosted on LCA RAP website Bishop Henderson Video Bishop Statement within the RAP document Bishop Henderson's RAP Statement 2000+ distribution of RAP (Sept 2020) across Australia and New Zealand accompanied by cover letter from Bishop RAP on its way Further visits and consultations with First Nations Communities September and October Sharing RAP with Ntaria Community RAP discussions with Pastoral Care workers Alice Springs The Lutheran - May edition Reconciliation is Everyone's Business Reconnecting with Hope Vale Community LCA’s RAP Shared with the Hopevale Community |
| (b) Identify external stakeholders that our organisation can engage with on our reconciliation journey | August 2020 | RAP Project Officer | Reconciliation Australia Reconciliation Australia State Reconciliation Councils QLD NSW Vic Tas SA WA Other Faith-based organisations NATSICC Common Grace Peak First Nations groups, bodies and organisations |
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| (c) Continue to engage with and actively seek advice from the LCA First Nations Advisory Group | June 2021 | Office of the Bishop | Ongoing communication Online meetings |
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| (d) Identify RAP and other like-minded organisations that we could approach to collaborate with on our reconciliation journey, including agencies and affiliated bodies of the LCA that have existing RAPs or are developing RAPs | March 2021 | RAP Project Officer | Finke River Mission (Communities Northern Territory) FRM Aboriginal Ministry, South Australia AbMinSA Hope Vale Mission (Cape York, Far North Queensland) Hope Vale Lutheran Community Care Central Australia Foster Care Lutheran Services Australian Lutheran College Lutheran Laypersons League LLL Schools and early childhood learning centres across Australia - particularly those engaged with the Narragunnawali Education Program National Council of Churches Australia (NCCA) - Reconciliation as Ministry NCCA: Reconciliation as Mission for Australian Churches Other Faith-based organisations eg Uniting Church, Congress, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventist, Anglican, Catholic. Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress [UAICC] National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anglican Council [NATSIAC] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministry [ATSIM] Salvation Army Online: Common Grace, TEAR Australia, Australians Together Common Grace TearAustralia-Working with First Nations peoples Australians Together |
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| (e) Develop and implement a communication strategy that aims to raise awareness among LCA worship centres/congregations, districts, agencies, affiliated groups' ministry areas, and community groups that the Lutheran Church works alongside about our RAP commitments | June 2020 | Manager Communications Department RAP Project Officer | Created - to identify the various groups, the format of communication and its frequency. RAP Communication Strategy Utilize exisiting groups/departments within the LCA to host stories/articles rather than creating own e-news: Professional Standards Are Our Ministry Spaces Culturally Safe Local Mission Ministry With Ageing First Nations Peoples | Embracing Culture Kin and Country Lutheran National Nurses Association Nursing With Cultural Sensitivity Development of LCA RAP website LCA RAP website Engaged in specific activity promotional package (NRW / Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day / Launch of website / distribution of RAP documents /NAIDOC week / The Apology) |
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| (f) Share the long history of engagement with First Nations people, highlighting the current ministries/relationships shared with congregations and communities across the LCA | April 2021 | Manager Communications Department Director Lutheran Media | Australian Lutheran Aboriginal Mission History 1836 - 2021 South Australia Central Australia Queensland Hermannsburg: Preserving the History Promotion of the work of Finke River Mission: Hermannsburg Thanks God for its Hospital Alyawarr Lutherans Mark 70th Anniversary Imanpa Hosts First 2020 Teaching Course The Legacy of ‘Brother’ Boko God's work with the Alyawarr peoples Aboriginal Lutheran Ministry in the Suburbs Finke River Mission History Early Years Ordination of Aboriginal Pastors: Pastor Stanley Roberts (Papunya) Pastor Lindsay Thomas (Yalata) Pastor Jeffrey Wheeler (Mount Liebig) Films and Videos Out of the Shadows shared stories from within Lutheran Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities 1990s The Bush Preachers FRM Central Australia Finke River Missions in the late 1980’s Finke River Mission Overview 2015 Colour BlindSelf narrated video of Pastor George Rosendale’s journey into ministry A War of Hope - Trailer to the documentary of the 1942 forcible evacuation of the Guugu Yimithirr Aboriginal peoples of the Cape Bedford/ Hope Vale mission |
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| (g) Develop a database of key stakeholders who can support the reconciliation journey within the LCA eg Lutheran Education, youth mission groups, community services, disability services, Aboriginal focused agencies and groups | September 2020 | RAP Project Officer | LCA Churchwide Departments Our Directions 2018 - 2024 | Our Priorities 1, Grow as God’s People 1.4 Raise the awareness in our communities of issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and grow their meaningful participation in the life and mission of the church District Bishops / Administrators / Communications Lutheran Education: Board for LEA: Strategic Direction 2021-2024 Encourage the implementation of the LCA Reconciliation Action Plan and other RAPs across Lutheran education Commit to having an increased number of Indigenous educators working in Lutheran education to better reflect the number of Indigenous students within Lutheran education Focus on being places of welcome and nurture for Indigenous students as well as building school and ECS community awareness of Indigenous cultures, languages and histories |
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| 4. | Promote positive race relations through anti-discrimination strategies | (a) Research best practice and policies in areas of race relations and anti-discrimination | January 2021 | Manager Professional Standards Department Cross-Cultural Ministry | Reconciliation Australia : 5 Critical Dimensions - Race Relations, Equality and Equity, Unity, Institutional Integrity, Historical Acceptance Australian Human Rights Commission Racial Discrimination Resources Let's Talk Race: A guide on how to conduct a conversation about Racism RacismNoWay: About Racism Timeline: Pre 1800s - currentTimeline: Pre 1800s - current |
| (b) Conduct a review of LCA HR policies and procedures to identify existing anti-discrimination provisions, and future needs | June 2021 | Manager Church Worker Support Department Secretary of the Church | LCA Churchwide Departments Lutheran Education | Board for LEA: Strategic Direction 2021-2024 | Support and inspire excellence in learning and teaching for the improvement of student learning outcomes including the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, cultural and social dimensions LCA Racism Brochure LCA Professional Standards 06.05 LCA Prevention from Harassment and Abuse Policy 02.01.102 LCA Employee Recruitment and Selection Policy 02.01.103 LCA Volunteer Identification and Selection Policy 02.01.200 LCA Church Worker Service Commencement Policy |
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