Preparing for World Council of Churches

WARAMI MITTIGAR
[Darug language of the Western Sydney area]
“Hello Friends”              Guten Tag Freunden

Eastwood Uniting Church contribution to the WCC Waterfall banner, sewn by Rev Dr Amelia Koh-Butler, after a conversation with members of the Eastwood Uniting Church in Australia congregation about indigenous reconciliation, justice and solidarity, especially around women’s voices.
We live on the Wallemattegal country of the Darug-speaking peoples in North Western Sydney area. Wallemattegal means the place of the snapper fish. We live in a post-colonial era when we are discovering anew ancient stories.

​Our congregation is committed to learning and
growing in relationships with many different peoples of many
different cultures. For us, this starts with getting to know a bit more
about the indigenous culture of our area, yet most of the women’s
voices have been silenced.

We look forward to all nations and tongues and tribes worshipping God together. We look forward to God’s blessings working
throughout humanity to bring out the best in all of us. We pray for the movement of the Spirit in our ecumenical relations and work.
​
The U shapes represent the print of people sitting on the ground. The short lines represent the tools that women bring with them that lay beside them. Longer lines represent men and their spears. Even though we do not always see them, the women are talking, digging into the stories on country. In this picture (from above, we are surrounded by waters and we gather in talking groups, much as we imagine the WCC will in Karlsruhe.