Did you know that the “typical” Australian is a 38-year-old married woman with two children? She is of English ancestry and her parents were both born in Australia. Having completed Year 12 she lives in a three-bedroom house with two cars. The typical Australian male is 37 years old.
Preliminary data released from the recent 2016 Census reveals a changing Australia. Back in 1911 when the first Census was taken the typical Australian was a 24-year-old male. In recent years the median age of Australians has increased from 37 to 38 years. Meanwhile, the average Australian owned their own home back in 2011. Now they are paying off a mortgage.
In terms of migration, the typical Australian migrant was born in England and is 44 years old. But here in NSW migrants are likely to be Chinese.
Data on religious affiliation is yet to be released. However, the overall percentage of Christians in Australia is likely to decrease. Figures for the Uniting Church may not make happy reading. The last census in 2011 showed a decline in Uniting Church affiliation. The figure for 2016 is likely to be less than 5.0% of the total population.
What do these numbers mean for us a church here in Sydney? Australia is becoming more diverse with significant migration from all over the world. Our population is aging and the cost of housing is clearly becoming a critical challenge. Moreover, the Uniting Church is losing, or perhaps has already lost, its profile as a major church.
More data from the 2016 Census will be available on 27 June.
As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the Uniting Church this Thursday (our celebration is next Sunday) I invite you to spend some time thinking about what it means to be the church in Australia today. How are we really going? What needs to be done? Most importantly, what is God calling us to be?
The challenges are real. But God is calling us on. Let us, therefore, be open to what God is saying. As the
40th Anniversary approaches, let us remember the past. Let us celebrate the present. And, most importantly, let us be ready to move on to where-ever God chooses us to go!
18 June 17