Background

Personal Background

I sing my faith as a Chinese–Celtic Aussie woman, serving as a Minister in a reformed, progressive and evangelical setting. I am a Christian convert, Buddhist by background. Trained as an opera–singer and conductor, I entered ministry through varied denominational and ecumenical influences. I am married with adult children and young grandchildren. Our home has ‘family–members’ from seven different ethnic groups. 

For some years, I explored Trinitarian Ecclesiology, using music to illustrate the influence of a dynamic God breathing life into communities of faith. I was drawn to the work of the Spirit in and among people, called together to become God’s own. I became wary of speaking of God’s activity from a theoretical–abstract position and sought to observe and measure God’s inspiration in a concrete setting. I looked for a opportunities to use music to inspire people.

Background to the Study

From 2012-2015, I served as the National Chairperson for Multi and Cross– cultural Ministry in the Uniting Church in Australia. I gathered leaders, representing different ethnicities, sharing identity in Christ, to join in God’s mission. This made me aware of global movements exploring interracial and intercultural communities of faith and how to share the gospel in a hurt and broken world. 

Increasingly, liturgical resources, including music, are being sourced internationally or developed locally for use with congregations of multiple background identities. They find their way from Iona (Hawn, 2000) and Cleveland (Tirabassi, 2000) to a coal town in Australia.

In March 2012, I commenced as the Minister of an urban community, with a mix of people from diverse ethnic and socio–economic backgrounds, generations and sexual orientations. While I brought passions for creative arts and theology, these people were entering a period of exploring shared identity and common purpose. This research is an expression of my work with them. I helped them understand identity in Christ, and their missional calling as disciples. Music was to be a key tool at my disposal.
  
The diversity presented challenges in sharing lives and naming common identity. I supported their covenanting together in worship. They gathered in one place, their voices joined in praise, prayer and prophecy. They participated in Baptism and Holy Communion, becoming one body through ritual experience. Yet, this coming together was not an end in itself, it became a story of empowering the people to fully engage in God’s mission (Lingenfelter, 2008:83).

Purpose, Goal, Significance