Here is a prayer by Rev Jon Humphries – based around the 1977 Uniting Church in Australia Statement to the Nation
(A prayer for the anniversary of Union of the Uniting Church in Australia based on the 1977 Statement to the Nation)
We are your Church
We are your people,
We are united in your communion of love
We are uniting in your work for the Kingdom
We are a people on the way to the promised end
Journeying together in your way is a path which has been long and at times difficult,
but we believe our unity is a sign of the reconciliation we seek for the whole human race.
We are grateful for all who came before us
For all who lead in your way
For those whose legacy we share in and seek to build upon
We give thanks for all the churches who have contributed and continue to contribute in various ways to the life and development of this nation.
We recognise that a Christian responsibility to society is fundamental to the mission of the Church,
And so in following you and in obedience to the Christian gospel,
We will continue to involve ourselves in social and national affairs for the common good of all.
We are one branch of the Christian church within the world,
And so join with the holy and universal ecclesia who you have sent into the world to embody your love and grace.
We affirm our continuing eagerness to uphold basic Christian values and principles,
Such as the importance of every human being,
The need for integrity in public life,
The proclamation of truth and justice,
The rights for each citizen to participate in decision-making in the community,
Religious liberty.
Personal dignity,
And a concern for the welfare of the whole human race, as well as our planet.
We remember our pledge to seek the correction of injustices wherever they occur.
Continue to inspire in us the will to work for the eradication of poverty and racism within our society and beyond. Acknowledging the rights of all people to equal educational opportunities,
Adequate health care,
Freedom of speech,
Employment or dignity in unemployment if work is not available,
We ask you help in opposing all forms of discrimination which infringe basic rights and freedoms.
Challenge us to challenge values within ourselves and within our communities
Which emphasise acquisitiveness and greed in disregard of the needs of others,
And which encourage a higher standard of living for the privileged in the face of the daily widening gap between the rich and poor.
May we be constantly concerned with the basic human rights of future generations,
Urging the wise use of energy,
The protection of the environment
And the replenishment of the earth’s resources for their use and enjoyment.
As we affirm that the first allegiance of Christians is to you God/Messiah/Christ/Spirit,
Under whose judgment the policies and actions of all nations must pass,
We realise that sometimes this allegiance may bring us into conflict with the rulers of our day.
Help us as your Uniting Church,
As an institution within the nation,
Constantly stress the universal values which must find expression in national policies if humanity is to survive.
We pledge ourselves again to hope and work for a nation whose goals are not guided by self-interest alone,
But by concern for the welfare of all persons everywhere
With you as Spirit and seeking to be the incarnation of your self-giving love,
We continue to seek to go forward,
And so we pray that all this might be truly so.
Amen.