I encourage parishes to consider marking National Indigenous Sunday and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on the closest Sunday to June 21 and September 30. One of the things that excites me about the Diocese of Kootenay is a will to live into our commitments to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and I pray you find creative ways to do this in your community.
-Bishop Lynne McNaughton
The General Synod established the National Indigenous Day of Prayer on the 21 June in the Calendar of the Anglican Church of Canada enrolled under the heading of Other Major Feasts That Take Precedence of a Sunday and listed within Other Major Feasts on page 16 of the BAS.
June 2023- below is a recorded sermon provided to the Diocese of Kootenay for the National Indigenous Day of Prayer by the Most Rev. Chris Harper, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop. (Sermon notes here)
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Click here to see resources on the Anglican Church of Canada website, such as a Liturgy, Propers, and Litany for Healing and Reconciliation. Additional resources here.
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Click here to see Resources for Worship in the Vision of the New Agape.
- Click here to view resources from the United Church of Canada (UCC)
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If this is something new in your parish, you could show the brief 5 minute film: A reading of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
June 2022- below is a recorded sermon provided to the Diocese of Kootenay for the National Indigenous Day of Prayer by the Rev. Dr. Raymond Aldred.
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Film/Documentary Resources:
Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen Lands, Strong Hearts (1 hour, 6 mins)
Dancing the Dream (31 minutes)
Every Child Matters, Grace Will Lead Them Home (17 minutes)Reclaiming Our Spiritual Wholeness: Our Journey to Self-Determination (32 minutes)
- Cree musician, Don Amero, offers a musical Call to Worship along with a spoken introduction for Sunday service
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Resources for Orange Shirt Day (September 30)
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Churches Beyond Borders statement regarding September 30
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These may be good Sundays to introduce the practice of Territorial Acknowledgement as an Act of Reconciliation.
- KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
- The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society has created the “Seven Free Ways to Make a Difference” campaign for First Nations children and their families.
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At the November 2021 CoGS meeting, a motion was passed that was brought forward by the Anglican Council of Indigenous People's (ACIP) to affirm the commitment to the repeal of Act 43 of the Criminal Code in line with the commitment to the Call to Action #6 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (and all of the Calls to Action). The Rev. Murray Still, co-chair of ACIP, shared a statement from faith leaders- HERE. Fact Sheet HERE
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The Diocese of Kootenay has donated its refund from the residential school settlement fund to UBC to support a cultural safety curriculum addressing barriers facing Indigenous people's access to health care: