![\"Gregor](\"http:\/\/www.methodist.org.nz\/files\/images\/web%20ucoz_7.jpg\" "\\"Gregor")
The Uniting Church in Australia and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) have congratulated the Federal Government on its planned formal apology to members of the Stolen Generations. A formal apology was made to Australia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Indigenous people by the Uniting Church more than a decade ago.<\/p>\n
The President of the Uniting Church, Reverend Gregor Henderson, said the Christian view of confession was a recognition of wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We take confession to mean that what has been done is not in accordance with the hopes and possibilities that God has for us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Rev. Henderson said.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Confession is both an acknowledgement of this and an expression of resolve to live, by the grace of God, differently in the future.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Our partnership and covenanting agreement with the UAICC is one way in which we have demonstrated our resolve to walk alongside our Aboriginal and Islander brothers and sisters; to seek forgiveness and reparations.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s apology to the Stolen Generations marks the beginning of a sense of renewal and we hope it will be backed up with practical measures for better outcomes for Indigenous Australians.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n