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If you are a settler, take direction from your Indigenous friends. If you are invited to an event, show up.  As Christians we are called to model reconciliation in all its forms, and we have often failed and continue to fail. It will take a long time - perhaps, as the elders say, seven generations - but we CAN decide that the sins of racism and colonialism end with us.

Jer Nii K'an Kwsdins (Jerry Adams, Nisga'a/former Diocesan Missioner for Indigenous Justice) and Rev. Melanie, our chaplain for reconciliation, has also shared the following two events, both on Orange Shirt Day itself, Saturday September 30th:

Downtown:
Beginning at 9.30am a friendship walk and gathering will occur, with assembly at the Vancouver Aboriginal Policing Centre (1719 Franklin Street). All will process to Grandview Park where there will be sharing and a meal.

Trout Lake:
A gathering for the occasion will occur at the Trout Lake Community Centre (3360 Victoria Drive) on the gravel field at 1pm.For September 30 here are some resources to explore:

You can listen to Phyliss Webstad tell her story and hear the origins of Orange Shirt Day here

If you want a structured event for the day September 30, Kerry Baisley, Diocesan Missioner for Indigenous Justice, recommends the UBC event detailed here:

Also suggested is viewing the documentary film Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen Lands, Strong Hearts

 
Quotes from the film:
Ray Aldred: "The dictionary meaning of “reconciliation” can mean a couple of things: One is to be friendly and harmonious again.  So that is a good thing. But then it can also be taken as maybe your people should just reconcile yourself to the fact that this is the way it is. And sometimes I’m concerned that the latter is the case."
 
Murray Sinclair: "Reconciliation is not about being a spectator. It is not about sitting back and waiting for government and churches and corporations and businesses to change the way they do things. It’s about changing the way you do things too."

We might all ask ourselves: How is our awareness of Reconciliation changing us and changing the ways we do things?

 

(Photos: Golden Threads from Heaven by Debra Sparrow. Photos by Martin Knowles)