Pastoral Letter 262
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace and peace to you all. I hope all is well.
In the last week of the Lent Season, we continued the last part of our journey with Jesus, who headed to Calvary, to the cross, to be a willing sacrifice for our sins and to give us hope of salvation through His death and resurrection. On Good Friday we revisited the site of the crucifixion, to the hill of Calvary, also known as Golgotha, gathered at the foot of the Jesus’ Cross, to see His pain, His suffering and His death, expressing His sacrificial love for us all. On Easter Morning, we visited the empty tomb with Mary to be a witness and to raise our voices and praise, celebrating the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. With praise and thanksgiving, we proclaimed once again that He was dead, but He lives, He was buried, but the tomb was empty, He was gone, but He walks with us in our good and joyous days, as well as in sad, unhappy and depressed days as we face different kinds of challenges.
Last Sunday afternoon, some of us were able to join the Vigil Prayer Service on the occasion of the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the 10th Anniversary of the recognition of the Genocide by the Uniting Church of Australia. The Vigil was organised and hosted by the UCA Assembly President, Rev. Chariss Suli, at the St. Stephen’s Uniting Church in Sydney. Uniting Church leaders, church representatives, Ecumenical leaders and a group of Armenians were present, who were moved by the service, the music, the prayers, the lighting of the ten candles and the appropriate message delivered by the President.
Tomorrow, we will commemorate ANZAC Day. A day of deep national and spiritual significance. With a special service we will pause and remember the soldier of Australia and New Zealand and all those who served, suffered and died, men and women, who were ready to make an ultimate sacrifice for peace. Tomorrow, we will also have Communion, as some of us will be in Wagga Wagga next Sunday and will join Wagga Wagga Wesley Uniting Church and lead the service. I encourage all those who will not be on the trip, to join Crows Nest Uniting for Sunday worship at 10:00 am.
If you are not able to join us tomorrow for worship, please light a candle, have small roll of bread and a small cup of wine and join us for worship following the Order of the Service.
Please let me know if you or anyone else has prayer points.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for and remember the Anzacs, those who served, suffered and died, men and women, who made the ultimate sacrifice for peace.
- Prayer for the Catholic Church worldwide, as they mourn and grieve the loss of the Pope Francis.
- Pray for the coming Federal Election on 3 May 2025 hoping and praying that the right people are elected to serve our country.
- Pray for peace in war-torn countries and support to the affected.
- Pray for trusting God and asking that He protect those who need protection.
- Pray for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the struggling and the stressed.
- Pray for following seven months, June to December, as we plan to welcome visiting, regular and casual, guest preachers to lead our services after my retirement.
In Christ
Krikor
MRESSAGE
We Are Witnesses
Acts 5:27–32
Today we gather on a day of deep national and spiritual significance—Anzac Day. On this day we pause as a nation to remember. We remember the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who landed at Gallipoli in 1915, and all those who have served, suffered, and died in war ever since.
Across Australia and New Zealand, people gather to remember those who served and died in war, to honour their courage, and to commit ourselves again to the pursuit of peace. But remembrance alone is not enough. The task we are given is not only to remember but also to bear witness—to the cost of war, to the value of peace, to the sacrifices of those who served, and to the hope that war might one day be no more.
Today as people of faith, we offer a particular lens—a Gospel lens—through which we look to understand and carry forward the meaning of Anzac. That lens comes through the book of Acts, and this is where our scripture this morning meets the moment.
In Acts 5, we hear the words of the apostle Peter:
“We must obey God rather than man! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on the tree. God exalted him to his own right hand … And we are witnesses to these things” (Acts 5:29-32).
The apostles were witnesses—not passive observers, but people who had seen, heard, and been transformed by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. And now, they could not help but speak. They bore witness to a love that conquered death and called for justice and peace.
Peter and the apostles are not just repeating history—they are testifying to the truth. They are naming the reality of death and violence, but more than that, they are proclaiming resurrection, peace, and a new way of being in the world.
They are witnessing. And so are we. We bear witness.
That word—witness—is central to today’s reading. The apostles are dragged before the council and commanded to be silent about Jesus. But Peter replies, in verse 32: “We are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
This is the bold proclamation of the early church:
That they had seen the risen Christ.
That they had experienced grace and truth.
And that they would speak, even if it cost them everything.
1. Witnesses of Sacrifice to Courage and Cost
The Anzac story is one of sacrifice—real, human, costly sacrifice. At Gallipoli, in France, in Papua New Guinea, in Korea and Vietnam, in Afghanistan and peacekeeping missions, and in places we rarely hear about—young men and women put themselves in harm’s way. Some returned home. Many did not. All were changed.
Anzac Day is a powerful reminder that sacrifice leaves an imprint on the soul of a nation. The men and women who marched into war did not do so for glory or gain, but often out of duty, courage, and a deep sense of solidarity.
In the same way, the apostles bore witness to the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus Christ, crucified for the sins of the world. And this changed everything. They saw in His sacrifice the power of redeeming love, and so they refused to be silent, even under threat.
Just as the ANZACs bore the burden of sacrifice in their bodies and spirits, so the apostles bore it in their hearts and words. To be a witness, then, is not just to see—but to carry that memory forward with honour and truth.
As the Uniting Church, we do not glorify war. We do not romanticise violence. We believe war is a tragedy. But we remember with reverence those who served. We honour their bravery, and we acknowledge the pain their families bore. Yet we affirm the courage, sacrifice, and deep comradeship of those who served. Their willingness to serve, to endure hardship, even to die for others, reflects something sacred.
In Jesus’ death, we see the ultimate act of self-giving love. Jesus did not fight with weapons but laid down His life in love. The apostles remembered not just the crucifixion but what it meant—that sacrifice can be redemptive when it points toward peace.
Today, we are witnesses to the sacrifice of Anzac men and women—not only in memory, but in the way we live our lives. When we seek justice, care for one another, and protect the vulnerable, we bear witness to their legacy.
2. Witnesses of Truth in the Face of Power
When Peter speaks before the Sanhedrin, it is in rebelliousness of orders. He and the others had been told to stop preaching. And yet he says: “We must obey God rather than human beings.” The religious leaders want to silence the truth. But Peter won’t comply.
He speaks with holy boldness, not hatred. He names the truth: that Jesus was crucified, but that God raised Him up. That forgiveness is available. That peace is possible. Even under threat, Peter speaks the truth. Here is a deep courage—not the courage of battle, but the courage to stand for truth.
We are called to the same kind of witness. Not just in remembering history, but in living faithfully. As Christians, we bear witness to a Kingdom not of this world. A Kingdom where swords and guns are beaten, and where peace is the final victory.
On Anzac Day, we remember not just battles won or lost, but the enduring human spirit—one that clings to hope, to justice, to truth in the face of fear. We must remember not only soldiers, but also conscientious objectors, medics, chaplains, peacekeepers—those who bore witness in different ways. Some resisted war altogether, choosing to serve in ways that aligned more fully with their conscience.
As a Uniting Church, we are called to bear truthful witness—to speak honestly about the costs of war, about the trauma carried by veterans and families, and about the kind of world God desires. Our Basis of Union reminds us that the Church is “a pilgrim people”—always seeking, always discerning what obedience to God looks like in each time and place. To bear witness is to tell the truth—even when it’s uncomfortable.
3. Witnesses of Peace and Reconciliation
Perhaps one of the hardest things to witness in war is not only its violence, but the longing for peace that underlies every act of sacrifice. The Christian witness is deeply rooted in that longing. In the cross and resurrection, we see that peace is not cheap—but it is possible. Christ’s peace is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of reconciliation, healing, and hope.
As Peter said, Jesus was raised “to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” This is not just a statement of belief. It is a revolutionary claim—that death does not have the final word. That forgiveness is possible, even for enemies. That reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel. God brings peace where there was none, who breaks the cycle of violence with mercy. And we—like those before us—are called to be witnesses of that peace.
Anzac Day offers us an opportunity to witness to peace. Calls us to be people of peace—not only remembering the cost of war but also committing ourselves to the work of peacemaking.
In the Uniting Church, we affirm that peace is not simply the absence of violence—it is the presence of justice. It is right relationships between people, between nations, and between the land and its people.
This means:
. Seeking reconciliation with the First Peoples of this land.
. Advocating against the injustices that lead to conflict—poverty, greed, racism, and hatred.
. Praying and working for peace with the earth, recognise how war and environmental destruction so often hand in hand.
The Uniting Church has long upheld a vision of the reconciliation of all things in Christ. This includes seeking peace among nations, among peoples, within families, and within hearts.
We are called to embody Christ’s peace—a peace that reaches across boundaries, that listens, that heals.
As we gather in safety and freedom, we remember that this peace has hard-won—and we take up the call to live in ways that protect and extend that peace.
4. Witnesses Through the Holy Spirit
Peter say: “We are witnesses … and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey”.
The Spirit is not passive. The Spirit empowers. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, that emboldened the apostles to speak truth to power, is given to us. And so being a witness isn’t just about memory—it is about discipleship. We are called to be active participants in the mission of God:
. Not just to tell stories, but to live that honour those stories.
. Not just to honour the past, but to build a future worthy of it.
. Not just to wear a poppy, but to live out courage and compassion that it represents.
This is not an easy work. The apostles were arrested, threatened, even martyred for bearing witness to Christ. Likewise, the work of peace and justice today is often uncomfortable. But the Spirit is with us.
The Uniting Church was born from the encouragement of coming together across differences—for the sake of unity, mission, and hope. That same courage is needed today. A Uniting Church Vision of Witness.
So, what does it means, on Anzac Day, to be the Uniting Church as witness?
It means we:
. Remember with humility, knowing that war is always a failure of humanity.
. Honour sacrifice, while resisting the temptation to glorify violence.
. Proclaim Christ’s peace, even when the world clings to fear and division.
. Commit to reconciliation—with First Peoples, with our neighbours, and with creation.
. Live by the power of the Holy Spirit, as active witnesses to God’s redeeming love.
And we do this not alone, but as part of the Body of Christ—called, gathered, and sent into the world to bear witness to better way.
Conclusion: Lest We Forget – Live as Witnesses
On this Anzac Day, we say: “Lest We Forget”—and rightly so. Let us not forget the pain of war, the price of peace, the power of self-giving love and the calling we have received through Christ.
Today, we can also say: “May we remember to bear witness.”
To bear witness to sacrifice, to bear witness to truth and to bear witness to peace.
May we honour the memory of the ANZACs not only with words, but with lives committed to the kind of world they dreamed of—a world shaped by justice, compassion, and peace.
As the apostles said: “We are witnesses of these things.”
Lest we forget to bear witness:
- To the courage and sacrifice of others.
- To the truth of Jesus Christ, risen and reigning.
- To the hope of peace, here and now.
Today, we do remember. We give thanks. We grieve.
But more than that, we open our lives to be shaped again by the story of Christ.
Amen!