Unite in support of adult survivors of childhood trauma

Interfaith Prayers at Pitt Street Uniting Church, 264 Pitt St, Sydney NSW

3pm Sunday, October 22, 2017

Pitt Street Uniting Church will be holding a now annual service in honour of Blue Knot Day 2017, drawing from the multi-faith communities of the Greater Sydney region. In an ecumenical worship setting, survivors are acknowledged and celebrated through prayer, personal testimony and song. With the rich contribution of members of the Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Baha’i and Christian traditions, a space is created for lament and healing. As we face the ongoing grief of trauma in our diverse communities, we also rejoice in our shared resources for recovery and recognition.

Experiencing abuse or other trauma in childhood leaves people feeling alone and isolated. Often they have been harmed by the very people who are charged with their care. While the majority of abuse and trauma occurs in the home and family, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has identified abuse as having occurred within 4,000 of our mainstream institutions. This is not an individual issue but endemic to organisations and communities.

From “Secular and religious space for recovery” by Caitlin Scott (South Sydney Herald, October 2017)