Living into Right Relations: May 2023

Reconciliation and Indigenous Justice News from The United Church of Canada Celebrate Indigenous Peoples on June 21, 2023   The summer solstice, celebrated by many Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island for millennia, is recognized as National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities and urban Indigenous organizations organize many events where the general public is welcome and encouraged to attend. They are a great way to make connections with Indigenous neighbours and experience the beauty of Indigenous cultures and traditions. Lists of local events are published on line in June. [image credit: Lori Ransom] Worship Resources for National Indigenous Day of Prayer     Two new worship resources are available for use on Indigenous Day of Prayer, the Sunday before National Indigenous Peoples Day. Shane Goldie, a student minister at Knox and St. Paul’s United Churches, Taber and Milk River, Alberta offers: The Sacred Drum: Celebrating Indigenous Spirituality and Strength. Debbie Hubbard, a member of the Indigenous Justice Advisory Group, writes on The Possibility of New Beginnings, as the United Church considers establishing an autonomous Indigenous organization. [Image credit: P. Rogers] Mourning the Loss of the Rev. Dr. Grafton Antone     The United Church of Canada grieves the death of the Reverend Dr. Grafton Antone, of the Oneida of the Thames First Nation. He died on Saturday, May 20, 2023 surrounded by his family, in his 82nd year. The Rev. Antone was an esteemed Elder in The United Church of Canada. Generous with his teachings, he served in many leadership positions across the church, including the Indigenous Candidacy Board. The Rev. Antone graduated from Emmanuel College in Toronto with Master of Divinity, and was granted an Honorary Doctorate from Victoria University. With his wife Eileen, he was a founder of Toronto Urban Native Ministry. At the University of Toronto, the Rev. Antone served as an Elder-in-Residence and then member of the Elders’ Circle at First Nations House, as well as an Oneida language instructor in the Aboriginal Studies program. He was committed to advancing the outcomes of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. People across the whole of the United Church grieve his passing and offer deepest condolences to his wife Eileen, his daughters, grandchildren, family and the Oneida people. In gratitude for his leadership and service. Pêhonȃn—A Gathering-Waiting Place:  Voices of Indigenous Followers of Jesus in the Ecumenical Movement   For the first time, the Canadian Forum on Inter-Church Dialogues will focus its triennial meeting on the participation of Indigenous peoples in the ecumenical movement. The event will take place in Edmonton from June 8-10, 2023. It has been organized by the Canadian Council of Churches’ Commission on Faith and Witness, the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, and the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism. This gathering recognizes the growing evolution of Indigenous Christian communities and the various ways in which the Christian faith is being enriched by Indigenous theological perspectives. It seeks ways to engage with Indigenous peoples more deeply in the ecumenical movement. Russel Burns from the National Indigenous Council and Lori Ransom, Reconciliation and Indigenous Justice Animator, are among those scheduled to speak. [Image credit: The 8th Canadian Forum on Inter-Church Dialogues] Conference on Decolonizing Our Churches, Reweaving Our Lives St. Andrew’s College, the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, Lutheran Theological Seminary, and St. Thomas More College have organized a conference which will take place in Saskatoon from June 20-22, 2023. They will be exploring the theme of decolonization with a particular focus on the role and responsibility of churches in working toward truth, reconciliation, right relationship, justice, and healing. Elders, Knowledge Keepers, panelists and workshop leaders will share and explore their experiences of decolonization.  Participants will experience and learn from story-telling, tipi teaching, ritual, reflection, and conversation. Workshops on Building Bridges and Paddling Together   Brechin United Church in Nanaimo, British Columbia, has organized a series of successful, experiential workshops led by Indigenous facilitator Kathi Camilleri. They will take place again in the Fall of 2023. As Camilleri explains, Building Bridges through Understanding the Village allows participants to explore their personal role in supporting the revival of values that worked beautifully in Indigenous villages for thousands of years. The workshop also examines the effects of policies of assimilation such as residential institutions.  Camilleri says the second workshop, Paddling Together for Community, will help awaken participants’ understanding of traditional ways and values of being together in a village. The workshop is designed to help develop a vision and commitment to a shared path forward. The Justice and Reconciliation Fund has been pleased to support Brechin United Church’s work to organize these workshops for members of the Nanaimo community. [Image credit: Lynn Burrows] Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube Donate to The United Church of Canada and help fund life changing work around the world!

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