On Monday, October 11, our nation celebrates Columbus Day. For some, this holiday serves as a painful annual reminder of the Europeans’ brutal settlement and conquest of the Americas. The Diocese of Southern Ohio has resolved to celebrate the first Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day and congregations are urged to recognize and celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on the Sunday before with special services, offerings, music, and education offered for all ages. These events are free and open to the public. Registration is required for the Saturday workshop – Addressing Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation for Native Communities.
The Native American Ministry Council of Christ Church Cathedral has been active since 1984, as the result of a bequest from Nina F. Lansley. The Council’s early work included support for social work with the poor and elderly in the backcountry of the Navajo reservation and summer mission trips to Good Shepherd Mission in Fort Defiance, Arizona.
Starting in 2011, the Native American Ministry Council has conducted an annual workshop and Sunday service to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. By honoring the customs, and traditions and developing a greater understanding of the impact of the history of the Doctrine of Discovery on present-day Native Americans we inform our congregation and the larger community we serve. Native American leadership has been integral to these events. This year’s Native American Weekend will focus on the Care of Creation and the impact of governmental policies on our planet. The Council is active with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland and helps underwrite its activities through direct donations and fundraising by selling Shima soaps, honey and blue corn meal that are produced by the enterprises of EDC.
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