Where we’ve come from

Through the LCA’s 50.500 initiative, a small team of people was formed to ask how the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) could hear the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at this time in the life of our church and Australian society.

At its Convention in October 2018, the LCA General Synod passed the following resolution:

That the General Convention of Synod requests General Church Council to develop and implement a Reconciliation Action Plan that will:

• assist ongoing relationship building through listening to Aboriginal people in the LCA
• support non-Aboriginal people in the LCA to gain insight into what is important to Aboriginal people
• provide a culturally appropriate mechanism by which our church together with (inclusive of) Aboriginal people and communities within the LCA can address questions of recognition and representation
• develop appropriate ways to encourage and enable Aboriginal people to serve and lead in all aspects of church life in the LCA.

The General Convention of Synod authorises General Church Council to commit resources to facilitate the work required to prepare and deliver the plan.

The General Convention of Synod requests General Church Council to provide a report on the implementation of the plan to the 2021 Convention of Synod.

Photo: Joint presenters of the RAP proposal, Bishop David Altus and Shona Reid enjoy the standing the ovation at the passing of the resolution.

View video of the RAP proposal presentation

Where we’re heading

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a framework for organisations to realise their vision for engaging well with Aboriginal people and creating good pathways and processes for people. Through the program, organisations develop a RAP – a plan that documents what an organisation commits to doing.