John 17:16-23; Revelation 21:3-5
Last Sunday, our worship looked a little different. We gathered “cafe-style,” sharing tables, morning tea, and conversation. As we sat together, we engaged in a creative exercise—thinking deeply about the logo and the meaning behind the name of our church. It was a fitting way to mark the 49th anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia.
In our reflection, we were reminded of why we hold so firmly to our name. We are the Uniting Church, not the “United” Church. In history, the term “United” often refers to an event in the past—a contract signed, a merger finalized, a box checked. But we intentionally use the present participle, “Uniting.” We believe that the act of becoming one is not a historical milestone we reached in 1977; it is a living, breathing movement of the Holy Spirit that is happening right now, and will continue to happen for generations to come.
In John 17, Jesus prays for his followers: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” Jesus does not pray for a static achievement. He prays for a divine reflection of the relationship between the Father and the Son—a dynamic, sacrificial, and ongoing union. To be “Uniting” is to participate in that very prayer every single day. It means we are a church that refuses to settle, because God is still drawing us together and moving us forward.
As we celebrate 49 years, we are not looking back at a finished product. We are looking forward. We admit that we are still a work in progress. We are still learning how to be one across our differences, still learning how to listen to one another, and still learning how to be the hands and feet of Christ in a divided world.
To be the Uniting Church is to accept the invitation to keep becoming:
- Becoming one in our hearts, so we may love without conditions.
- Becoming one in our mission, so we may serve our neighbors with shared purpose.
- Becoming one in our witness, so the world might see a glimpse of the new heaven and new earth in our midst.
Today, let us celebrate the journey we have walked so far. But more importantly, let us commit ourselves again to the road ahead. May we continue to be a people in motion—always Uniting, always reforming, and always moving closer to the heart of God, who makes all things new. No matter how old or young we are, no matter how long we’ve been churchgoers, we are simply God’s children. We are in the making.
