Dear Ones,

This year’s diocesan convention was unique in many ways.  The fact that it entirely virtual was only the beginning.  You will hear more about convention, but I wanted to write to you about one theme during convention that struck me, caused me to look at systemic racism and injustice and then it led me to some hope. 

On Saturday morning, we heard the keynote speech, delivered by the Rev. Dr. Bradley S. Hauff. Rev. Hauff, pictured at right,  is the Episcopal Church Missioner for the Indigenous Ministries, a member of the Presiding Bishop’s staff, and he lives and works in Minnesota. 

In his very thoughtful and well-delivered address, he set out to share with us a bit about his life growing up as a Native American.  He added gentle bits of  reflective humor, but did get down to the more serious nature of his life and to some pain he has experienced.  The beauty and direction of the Holy Spirit blew through his words. If you'd like to hear his keynote, ckick here.

As Missioner for Indigenous Ministries, Hauff is now responsible for enabling and empowering indigenous peoples and their respective communities within the Episcopal Church.  In his work, it is crucial that he fully understands the culture and the lived experiences of indigenous peoples – and he does.  He spoke about the history and the pain that native people have suffered in having their land taken from them and then being subjugated to live in a European culture.  He (and Bishop Rickel in his convention address) spoke about the idea of reparation.   That full reparation for the years of untold pain and loss could ever fully happen is unlikely.  Rev. Hauff told us that in his travels around the church, in the discussions he’s had along the way, when occasionally someone might ask him, “What is it that Native peoples want?  The land back?” he replies, with his gentle wisdom, “No, that would not be possible, nor is it what is being asked.” He then offers the idea of land acknowledgment.  Rather than paying or giving something back, land acknowledgement simply and prayerfully acknowledges – in a corporate way -  the loss and the fact that the land upon which our churches stand was all once native land, cared for, stewarded by native peoples.  That, he said, is a start. The simple, yet important step of acknowledging that our church, our town, our country is built on land that was once native land represents a profound step in healing for the native people.

The idea is not new to me.  As a seminarian at Vancouver School of Theology, I recall that during our worship there was always an acknowledgement of the tribal lands upon which VST stands. The language, during our prayers always went something like, “We give thanks for and acknowledge that the land on which VST is located, is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəyəm (Musqueam) People.” I believe that a simple acknowledgement of the land once having been stewarded by native people is altogether appropriate during worship.

Currently, during their worship, several congregations in our diocese do  acknowledge and give thanks for the native people who once lived on and cared for the land upon which their churches are built.  We may want to consider land acknowledgement in our worship too. In the days ahead, you will hear more about convention and perhaps a bit more about land acknowledgement in our worship.  I invite you to listen to those conversations and add to them.

The land upon which Christ Church sits once belonged to the Coast Salish People, specifically the Semiahmoo First Nation.  In a time of innate separation of people in so many ways, this simple act of statement and thanksgiving may begin the healing process.

Let’s talk about it.
 
Faithfully,
Rilla+

by Myra Ryneheart Corcorran

When I was growing up, my grandmother was an excellent role model for stewardship, much to my grandfather's chagrin. Grandpa Rupert was known to grumble that Grandma Katie was "carrying off the groceries" to share with those in need. Those groceries usually manifested themselves in the form of fried chicken, Parker House rolls and pound cake. Yum! Grandma Katie was also known to share her books and magazines with those who were sick or homebound, and to drag her grandchildren (yes, that would be me!) along for home visits. Here we are, circa 1995, sharing a meal with family and friends. That's Grandma Katie, in the center (in blue and white).

Grandpa worked night shift for the power company, and Grandma worked as a librarian for the county prison, so they were not wealthy people. We lived in a small rural town, with limited shopping and limited resources to shop with, so she also kept a supply of extra dishes, furniture and clothing in what we called the "dry room", a tiny room with a slanted roof off one of her upstairs bedrooms. Folks knew they could come to Mrs. Katie Mary's back door for help, whether they needed a prayer, a meal, or an extra bedframe. 

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you...you should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. -Dt. 15:7a-8

When we went to church each Sunday morning, we sat in a pew that had been given by my grandparents to the church. Grandma Katie always made sure to give me a coin to put in the offering plate, teaching me the importance of participating in stewardship from an early age. Yet it was her service to the church, in the choir, in the church kitchen, as a Sunday School teacher, as a leader of church women, and in visiting the sick, that showed us all that ALL of her life was dedicated to serving the Lord. Flowers from her yard often beautified the altar, and palm fronds, which grew easily in her front yard in Florida, were always used for Palm Sunday celebrations.

I was six years old when my father died of cancer. Perhaps some people had life insurance then, we certainly did not. We struggled financially, I always wore my older cousin's hand-me-downs, and my younger sister wore mine. We were blessed to live on the family farm rent-free, and we always had enough love and enough food. We had an extended family and a church family that surrounded us in prayer, meals, and child care for my mother who had to work. My grandmother's example and my church family taught me very early that we can give, serve and glorify the Lord in any circumstance, and it's important to give generously whenever and however we have the opportunity. Indeed, if we are created in our Loving Creator's image, and if we are seeking to follow Jesus' beloved example, then it follows that our purpose and meaning in life is to give and serve others with all of our lives, and all of our resources.

Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;
   others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.
A generous person will be enriched,
   and one who gives water will get water. Pr. 11:24-25

At Christ Church Blaine, I have witnessed that same generosity of spirit and sense of family. We pray for one another, we care for one another, we reach out and offer help, whether we can worship in person or not, because we are a family and we are the church. It is one of the reasons it is so important to me to pledge to our church in our town of Blaine. Together, our dollars and donations of time and resources makes such a difference, not only in our own lives, but in the life of our whole community. It is such a JOY to share, and such a blessing to be a part of this Christ Church Blaine in this time and place.

VIRTUAL COFFEE CHAT
FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
Join us: Sunday, November 1st
10:45am-11:15am 

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