Page 13 - pc_Issue6_Summer2018

Connection
RECONCILIATION
Calls
to Action
presbyterian.ca
SUMMER 2018
PRESBYTERIAN
13
By Justice Ministries
More than 150,000 Indigenous chil- dren attended residential schools between the mid-1800s and 1996. The Presbyterian Church in Canada ran eleven of these schools, includ- ing two after 1925: Cecilia Jeffrey in Kenora, Ontario, and Birtle in West- ern Manitoba. In 1994, General As- sembly adopted its Confession to God and to Indigenous people for the harm it caused while operating these schools. In our Confession we com- mit to “walk with Aboriginal peoples to find healing and wholeness togeth- er as God’s people.”
In 2015, the Commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) announced 94 Calls to Action for churches, governments, businesses and all parts of Canadian society to address the history and legacy of residential schools (tinyurl. com/TRC-CTA). For congregations, the Calls to Action can be helpful in discerning ways to live out the spirit of our Confession. However, reading the Calls to Action can also seem daunting. You may ask: How do we begin? What can we do?
The first time you read the Calls to Action, write down any ques- tions you have. In the summary of the TRC’s final report (tinyurl.com/ summary-trc), the Commissioners provide preambles for each Call to Action that can help you begin to an- swer those questions.
Ask a few members of your con- gregation to join you in reading the Calls to Action. Which Calls to Action stand out? Remember that there is no prescribed way to respond to the Calls to Action. Begin by sitting down and reading them, praying about
them and talking about them. Choose one that you feel strongly about and begin to learn more together. Seek Indigenous voices. Listening is es- sential in reconciliation. Justice Min- istries’ staff can suggest resources.
Georges Erasmus, former Nation- al Chief of the Assembly of First Na- tions, said: “Where community is to be formed, common memory must be created.” Understanding the past tells us why we need to seek and build new relationships. Call to Ac- tion 59 is about providing ongoing education regarding the Church’s role in colonization and Indian Resi- dential Schools. On January 26, 2018, First Presbyterian Church in Collingwood hosted a day camp for 40 children in their community to par ticipate in activities and make crafts that highlighted Indigenous culture and history. Children heard from Indigenous elder Miptoon (pro- nounced: Mip-tone), from the Chip- pewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. Miptoon helped the children understand the impact of residential schools on families. He also spoke about how revitalizing Indigenous languages and use of traditional medicines is helping communities to heal.
As we develop a sense of common memory it can ground us and draw Indigenous and non-Indigenous peo- ple together to envision a better fu- ture. Consider ways you can support
Members of the PCC delegation at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission closing event in Ottawa, June 2015.
Indigenous-led organizations. Read- ers of the Presbyterian Connection may recall the article from the Winter 2017 issue about how members of First Presbyterian Church in Regina are advocating alongside Indigenous people to protect and commemorate the Regina Indian Industrial School (RIIS) cemetery. Thanks to the work of the RIIS Commemorative Asso- ciation, the school’s cemetery has gained recognition as a municipal and provincial heritage site. Calls to Action 73-76 are related to residen- tial school cemeteries.
Your congregation may wish to respond to some of the Calls to Ac- tion in worship. For example, Calls to Action 46 and 49 ask churches to reject concepts that have been used throughout history to justify sover- eignty over Indigenous lands and peoples. The Rev. Mark Tremblay is the minister at Knox Presbyterian Church in Calgary. He recently led a Lenten Bible study about one such
concept called the Doctrine of Dis- covery. He wrote the 2018 Women’s Missionary Society worship resourc- es for Mission Awareness Sunday (April 29), which explores some of the reasons churches got involved in running residential schools.
Equipping for Leadership: A Guide for Churches to Respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action is a new free re- source to help Presbyterians begin these conversations. This resource provides suggestions on how to read the Calls to Action, questions for reflection and ideas for action. All congregations received a copy of the resource in the May PCPak. For additional copies, contact Justice
Ministries.
No one is alone in the work of rec-
onciliation. In 2 Corinthians 5:18–20, we are reminded that through Christ, the world is reconciled to God. God calls us to the ministry of reconcilia- tion as ambassadors for Christ. God draws us into this ministry and walks with us.
To learn more about the PCC’s reconciliation journey, visit presbyterian.ca/healing or contact healing@presbyterian.ca, 1-800- 619-7301 ext. 278.
Online Course — Fall 2018 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
An online course for lay persons and M.Div. students, providing an overview of the content, history, geography, and socio-political background to the Hebrew Bible. Explored in the context of faith. Taught by the Rev. Dr. Greg Davidson, minister of Central Presbyterian, Hamilton.
Thursday evenings, 6:15 – 9:00 p.m. starting on September 20th. Course cost is $370. For more information:
www.presbyteriancollege.ca / reception@pcmtl.ca