News

The Superintendent of Wesley Mission Sydney, Rev Keith Garner, addressed the Uniting Missions Network in Lismore on Tuesday 17 July, highlighting the local church’s role in bringing about social change and meeting community needs.

Mr Garner drew on the experiences of Wesley Mission, one of the largest church-based not for profits in Australia, in speaking about how the Church can make a distinctive contribution in helping serve the community.

Issues such as financial stress, mental illness, Aboriginal communities and the isolation caused by urban and regional growth, are areas Mr Garner says the Church needs to respond to. 

He emphasised the Church’s commitment to justice for individuals, especially the poor and marginalised, in a society where the gap between rich and poor widens and people feel disempowered. The Church must also be aware of political persuasion when advocating for the poor, warned Mr Garner.

“There are particular issues which arise for the Christian community when it is working within a political system.  We must be careful not to become so much an ally of one system that we are robbed of our power to speak for the poor. I am convinced we must stand apart from the party mantras – so that we can be true as a Christian community.”

Mr Garner stressed the right of each citizen to participate in decision-making in the community, especially when it came to issues such as financial stress, which impacts so many people.

“We are being told repeatedly that the economy is doing well, but many ordinary individuals are not. We need to find ways to call government, institutions and individuals to account, ensuring legislative change to protect the vulnerable.”

Mental illness was also a major area of concern deserving the attention of the Church and community, said Mr Garner.

“I want to suggest that mental illness is the major issue that Australia has to deal with. There is no area of Wesley Mission that is untouched by the issue of mental illness.

“While our community has better knowledge and a genuine commitment to try to understand the problem, when mental illness invades our space and comfort zone, we are still reluctant to acknowledge the discrimination and social exclusion many people experience.” 

Mr Garner stressed the importance of individual Parish Missions of the Uniting Church to be given the freedom and flexibility to carry out their care and services with little interference so they are able to effectively and appropriately respond to their local needs.

Linda Barclay 
Public Affairs Officer
Wesley Mission 
Ph: (02) 9263 5509 
Mobile: 0434 076 642