Hillsong Church has played a significant role in the End COVID For All campaign, alongside a coalition of Australian Churches and Aid and Development organisations. The efforts are part of a nationwide campaign, founded by Micah Australia, which is in its second year of running now. The founding statement that the COVID-19 pandemic is ‘not over for anyone, until it is over for everyone’ has become a well-known statement among the Australian Parliament, Churches, and within the Australian Aid and Development sector.

There have now been 250 million cases of COVID-19 reported across the globe and over 5 million deaths in total.

Devastatingly, the pandemic has disproportionately affected the world’s most vulnerable. With an additional 150 million people across the world being pushed into extreme poverty, the humanitarian crisis is far from over.

In response, the ECFA campaign has been encouraging the Australian Government to continue efforts in vaccinating those who wish to be vaccinated in our country, and replicate these efforts across the world. The ECFA coalition has been working to produce high impact moments with our Members of Parliament and producing foundational research to assist the Australian Government in an endeavor to achieve this.

Earlier this year, our very own Donna Crouch was a part of a key advocacy opportunity in Canberra that saw 40 key women leaders meet with our nation’s leaders. These women met with 48 Politicians to discuss the significant role Australia has to play in addressing extreme poverty and injustice in our world, particularly in response to the effects of COVID-19.

Hillsong Young & Free have also been actively engaged in the campaign and continue to promote the message that this pandemic is not over for anyone until it is over for everyone. Members of the team have been attending planning meetings and team events to engage with the coalition of Churches and organisations involved in the campaign.

In addition to this, last month, the ‘Shot of Hope’ report was realised as part of the campaign, co-authored by an Expert Advisory Group of researchers, analysts, and leaders. It makes the case for an ambitious, expansive, and intelligent investment to vaccinate the world, highlighting the role of the Australian Government in that, and respectfully indicating the capacity we have as a nation to do so, together. You can access the report here.

Looking forward, the hope is that we as the Church can represent the cry of justice in Australia, to see our country take a lead in vaccinating the most vulnerable across the world and those who wish to be vaccinated but do not have the access to be so. There is an urgent need for the world to come together to combat this crisis for us all. We agree that the harsh consequences of COVID-19 will not end for any of us until it ends for all of us.

We believe it is not just the moral move, but the right move, to see a healthy future for our country and for all across the world.

In the words of Rev. Tim Costello:

“We cannot ignore the moral imperative we have to help our poorest neighbours”.