An appropriate thanksgiving such as A thanksgiving for Australia (see Selection of prayers ) would be appropriate at this point.
The close of the service should include a commitment to ongoing work toward healing and reconciliation.
Some sort of symbolic action would be appropriate:
- lighting of a special candle decorated in indigenous colours; or a group of coloured candles (white, red, yellow, black) bound together “as one”;
- participants could light (coloured) candles to signal their commitment to ongoing reconciliation work - these could then be taken home;
- a procession taking the light out of the church or gathering place into the world.
The following or other words of commitment could be used:
We have heard the voice of God
What does the Lord require of us, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God?
We have heard Jesus’ commandment Love one another as I have loved you
May God the heart of our country be deep within us,
God the Christ be present in our history,
and God the Spirit bring healing and peace among us.
Amen
[Adapted from Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Echoes of our Journey, JBCE 1993]
