{{Short description|Leader in the Uniting Church in Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Charissa Suli | honorific_prefix = | image = | caption = | office = President of the Assembly, Uniting Church in Australia | term_start = 2024 | term_end = 2027 | predecessor = Sharon Hollis | successor = | office2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | office3 = | term_start3 = | term_end3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|41|2024|07|07}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/meet-charissa-the-first-person-of-colour-to-lead-the-uniting-church-in-australia/bsk9cqbbt |title=Charissa was told she couldn't be a minister. She's about to take a 'historic' step |date=7 July 2024 |work=SBS News |first=Edwina |last=Guinan |access-date=11 July 2024}}</ref> | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = | spouse = Langi | relations = | children = 4 | alma_mater = | occupation = Christian Minister | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | known_for = First person of colour to serve as President of the UCA }}
'''Charissa Suli''' is an Australian minister who is the President of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) since 11 July 2024, for a three-year term. She is the youngest person and first person of colour to serve in this role. She is also the second ordained woman to hold this position.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021-07-18|title=Rev Charissa Suli announced as President-elect|url=https://uniting.church/rev-charissa-suli-announced-as-president-elect/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Uniting Church Australia|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Career == Suli was called to ministry as part of the Cecil Gribble Tongan Congregation, Dee Why Uniting Church.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Charissa Suli|url=http://uniting.church/auto-draft-6/|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Uniting Church Australia|language=en-US}}</ref> Suli was ordained in 2014 and served at Dapto Uniting Church, New South Wales.<ref name=":1" /> Throughout her ministry in this congregation it became a more multi-cultural church, reflecting the multicultural nature of the broader UCA.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-06-21|title=Rev Charissa Suli: A local view of the 40th anniversary of the Uniting Church|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionandethicsreport/diversity-in-the-uniting-church/8639782|access-date=2021-08-21|website=ABC Radio National|language=en}}</ref>
Suli was cross cultural consultant in the NSW/ACT Synod's Board of Mission.<ref name=":2">{{Citation|title=21. Charissa Suli - 1 August 2021|url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/0wwriOaHXcpf9r90mbkpq6|language=en|access-date=2021-08-21}}</ref> She has been the convener of the Tongan National Conference, specialising in mentoring youth and young adults and creating bridges between first and second generation Tongans in Australia.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=VIC {{!}} The Tongan National Conference {{!}} Australia|url=https://www.tongannationalconference.com/copy-of-vic|access-date=2021-08-21|website=TNC|language=en}}</ref>
Suli has been working as a National Consultant in the Assembly Resourcing Unit for the UCA.<ref name=":1" /> Suli has been featured on the Australian Women Preach podcast preaching on John 6: 24–35, talking about surprises.<ref name=":2" /> She also has written for Common Grace's advent series.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Suli|first=Charissa|title=Sing a New Song in Hope|url=https://www.commongrace.org.au/advent_fear_not_day_19|access-date=2021-08-21|website=Common Grace|language=en}}</ref>
== Election == On 18 July 2021, it was announced that Suli had been selected as the President-Elect, succeeding Sharon Hollis in the role. Hollis was the first ordained woman to serve in this role.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Pulford |date=15 July 2021 |first=Matt |title=Is the UCA ready for a President of colour? |newspaper= Eternity News|url=https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/is-the-uca-ready-for-a-president-of-colour/|access-date=2021-08-21 |language=en-AU}}</ref> The first woman to serve as President was Jill Tabart, {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} (1994–1997).
Suli along with Michelle Cooke and Viniana Ravetali were the final nominations meaning that the 16th president would be a woman, regardless of the final vote.<ref name=":0" /> Haloti Kailahi had been nominated but his nomination was removed before the final vote.<ref name=":3" /> She was formally installed as president at a service at St Stephen's Uniting Church in Sydney on 11 July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joyful installation of 17th President|website =Uniting Church Australia |url=https://uniting.church/joyful-installation-of-17th-president/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Family == Suli and her husband, Langi, have four children.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Uniting Church in Australia Assembly - Assembly Leaders|url=https://assembly.uca.org.au/about/assembly-leaders-and-staff|access-date=2021-08-21|website=assembly.uca.org.au|language=en-gb}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Suli, Charissa}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Uniting Church in Australia ministers Category:Australian Protestant religious leaders