Learning to Listen
At Adamstown UCA, we seek to live out the Uniting Church’s Future Directions by walking together with First Nations peoples, honouring their voices, learning from their stories, and building relationships of respect.
At Adamstown UCA, we seek to live out the Uniting Church’s Future Directions by walking together with First Nations peoples, honouring their voices, learning from their stories, and building relationships of respect.
During NAIDOC Week, and in keeping with this year’s theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”, we welcomed local artist and proud Wiradjuri woman Maree Bisby to host an exhibition at the church. Over the weekend, Maree shared not only her artwork but her life story, with each piece giving powerful expression to her deep connection to Country, culture, and community.
On Sunday, Maree joined the congregation in worship and spoke with courage and vision about the strength she draws from her ancestors and her hope that truth-telling and the sharing of her voice will help clear the path and make the journey lighter for the next generation of First Nations people. She also made mention of Adamstown UCA’s Sorry Stone and Walking Together mural, reflecting that it took strength for the word “sorry” to be made visible, and that these public symbols stand as signs of unity and comfort at the heart of our community. In this way, she reminded us, they are more than stone or paint. They are a living legacy of truth and reconciliation for generations to come.
We also heard from a young member of our congregation. Eva, an inspiring 12-year-old from the Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti peoples, shared what it is like for her growing up as a young Indigenous person. Eva celebrated the freedom she experiences from discrimination compared to generations before her, and she spoke with joy about the strength she finds in her extended sense of family and community. With wisdom beyond her years, she also challenged us to consider how the Australian National Anthem might go further in its recognition of First Nations peoples. We are blessed whenever Eva leads the Acknowledgment of Country in our services, and we delight in celebrating her culture together with her and her whole family.
These inspiring reflections built on an earlier occasion, the Day of Mourning on 19 January, when Keen Emerson, a local Awabakal woman and member of Adamstown UCA, shared part of her story. With honesty and courage, Keen spoke about the ongoing impact of dispossession and racism and called us to work together for a future built on justice and equality.
The voices of Maree, Eva, and Keen remind us that truth-telling, justice, and reconciliation are not optional extras but the responsibility of the whole church. Their witness calls us not only to listen but to respond with humility and action. At Adamstown UCA, we recommit ourselves to making space for First Nations voices, to walking together in respect, and to shaping a legacy of strength, vision, and healing for the generations to come.
Ros March, Greer Hudson and Chris Hartley
Adamstown Uniting Church renovation.
Comemoration Sorry Mural.
Maree Brisby
Eva with Rev. Greer Hudson
Maree Bisby with Glen Bradshaw and Scott Bradshaw.
Rev. Greer Hudson with Keen Emerson.