Young Adults Gather for Unity in Canberra

Young Adult Gatherings have taken on a community dinner and conversation feel.

On Saturday the 3^rd of August, about 20 young adults (and some less young – me)… gathered over a potluck dinner, sharing our culinary excellence and last-minute grocery runs. As it usually turns out there was more than enough food -  from sweet to savoury, cheeses and brownies, and all those warm bits in between to bring together this group of people around a common table in cold Ngunnawal country at Canberra City Church.

We gathered to ‘check the vibe.'  Plenty of organic conversations, catch-ups, and getting-to-know-yous were shaped into a question about checking in with our bodies. We read from 1^st Corinthians about “unity in the body” and then looked into ourselves and asked questions of each other. The metaphor of the body, speaking to our own limbs and torsos, our emotions and tensions, joys and hopes. But we quickly broke out to think deeply about our communities, congregations, and the wider world.

Despite the vast differences in the room, with representation from many local congregations - Uniting Church, other churches, and those not really churchy alike - we spoke about where we see unity in the body of our communities, and where they hope to see unity. Gathering us together with a wayward joke, Luke Keenan brought some levity into what had been a deep and complex conversation. Before leaving, we spoke out, prayed, and gave thanks for each other, saying out loud our hopes for unity, sharing what we learned by listening to each other, and blessing one another until next time.

It was such a privilege to see this unfold, and I am looking forward to these stories unfolding throughout our Synod.

Thank you, Canberra Presbytery and Canberra City Church, for contributing to Young Adult Ministry in this way, and thanks to whoever brought that lasagna.