How do you make the annual, very traditional Christmas Service for Sydney University staff and postgraduates more culturally sensitive and inclusive? And why should we try?

Let me answer the second question first, as it is more straightforward: we are responding to the Big Kingdom Vision goals of the Evangelical Union, one of which is that by 2030, the EU will be multicultural and multilingual. Why? Because our heavenly Father has a heart for all people, from every culture, ethnic group and language group from around the world, and as his people we long that all people will hear and respond to the gospel. Here at the University of Sydney, we have students from around the world and Australia from diverse cultural backgrounds, and we want to actively include these cultures. 

To explore this goal, in November, the EPS (EU postgraduate and staff ministry) held a symposium on intercultural sensitivity and engagement. And this prompted us to implement strategies in all our ministries to engage more deeply with the cultures that are represented in our fellowship. 

For the Christmas service, one obvious strategy is to have people from different cultures leading aspects of the service. We embraced this: Ben Lim (the senior EU staff worker with international students) preached, the musicians came from several cultural backgrounds, as did those who read the Bible and prayed. 

The Christmas service was a rich celebration of Jesus’ coming. From Luke 2: 21-40, Ben reminded us of the responses of Simeon and Anna to Jesus when Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple to present him to the Lord. Jesus fulfills all of God’s promises for salvation, redemption and comfort for Israel and all nations. But Jesus’ coming also divides people, bringing judgement to those who refuse his offer of salvation. We prayed for the University, the church and the world, including a Christmas prayer in Bahasa Indonesian and the Lord’s prayer in each person’s heart language. The carols were accompanied by the celebratory music of the trombone. We then shared a lunch of delicious food. 

My answer to the first question is more complex: Engaging deeply and meaningfully with other cultures is difficult and at times uncomfortable. It takes time to genuinely open up safe and long-held traditions to new ways of doing things. But Jesus’ incarnation – possibly the most significant and mysterious inter-cultural engagement our world has ever seen- came at great cost to Jesus. Yet, in taking on human flesh and dwelling with us: 

‘the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

and all people will see it together. 

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ Isaiah 40:5

Give thanks with us that we are exploring ways to engage with people of different cultures in meaningful ways in all our activities, and please pray that this will bear fruit for the Kingdom.

Co-hosted by the Sydney University Anglican Chaplaincy and the Sydney University Evangelical Union.

– Lynn Kay, EU Senior Staff