Aboriginal Sunday 2026
You are invited by Common Grace to hold an Aboriginal Sunday Service on Sunday 25 January 2026.
Annually, Aboriginal Sunday is celebrated the Sunday before January 26, as an opportunity for individual congregations and faith communities to reclaim William Cooper’s Aboriginal Sunday, a call to the Australian Church to stand in solidarity and pray for justice and the flourishing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Aboriginal Sunday is an important opportunity for your church community to go deeper in listening, learning, and being led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders.
In 2026, Common Grace will again be providing free Aboriginal Sunday Church Resources developed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders, with a focus on the theme of ‘Be Strong and Courageous’.
Be strong and courageous: This was God’s word to Joshua as he stepped into unknown territory (Joshua 1:9), and it is God’s word to us today. The journey of justice and healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in these lands is not easy. We continue to see and bear the pain of ongoing injustices – children still being taken from families, young ones imprisoned, truth and treaty still denied, lives cut short in custody. These realities can feel overwhelming.
Yet we are not alone: we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) – faithful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Elders who have gone before us. Their lives of courageous faith call the Australian church to stand up, speak out, and walk boldly in the way of justice. Their witness reminds us that courage is possible because Christ goes before us and God’s Spirit strengthens us.
On Aboriginal Sunday 2026, we listen to their voices and hear again the biblical call to “learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17). We take heart, knowing God is with us wherever we go. As we walk together in courage and faith, we bear witness to the God who is bringing healing, justice, and reconciliation to these lands.
If you would like to get your church or faith community engaged and equipped to mark Aboriginal Sunday in 2026, please sign up using the link below.
Sign up for Aboriginal Sunday 2026
Once signed up, Common Grace’s Aboriginal Sunday Church Resource Toolkit will be emailed to you. The toolkit will include Bible readings, prayers, benediction and sermon materials from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian leaders, as well as a bush food communion guide, creative activity and advocacy resources.