National Aboriginal Day of Prayer 2007

Contents:

Introduction
About National Aboriginal Day and our partnership with Indigenous Anglicans in Canada
Some Thoughts about Planning your Celebration

A Service of Evening Prayer Commemorating National Aboriginal Day of Prayer
Bulletin Cover (PDF format)

Introduction

This Service of Evening Prayer was prepared by the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, originally for use on National Aboriginal Day of Prayer on June 21 as part of the official gathering of the General Synod in Winnipeg. This order of service will form Evening Prayer for the whole gathering of General Synod that evening. It is also offered widely to the church, and we encourage you to use it, adapting to your own contexts, on, or about June 21.

The Service has a familiar ‘ordo’ – Service of Light, Psalm, Canticle, readings, Affirmation of Faith, and prayers. The Service of Light draws on the “Four Directions” teachings of First Nations people in Canada, recalling the gifts that God gives us, through the light of Christ as it shines on us in our different stages and places in life.

It is appropriate, when the size of the gathering permits, to gather in a circle, and to use candles representing the traditional colours of the Four Directions: Yellow for East, Red for South, Black or Blue for West, and White for North. There are local variations in these colour schemes across the country, but these are generally accepted.

The service calls for the sharing of leadership, as members of the community offer prayers and proclaim Scripture. It is also entirely appropriate, if the size of the group permits, to share the time of “Reflections”. In place of a homily, those gathered around the circle may be invited to share their reflections, using the “sharing Circle” model.

For Indigenous people the Circle is a sacred symbol. It is a gift that lifts up the possibility of all voices being heard, without cross-talk. It encourages listening, which can be the ground for healthy dialogue; it discourages argument and the subtle ways in which quieter voices can be silenced in some kinds of conversations. And it is a break from the usual patterns of communication that we experience in the normal course of daily life. It upholds several key principles:

Sharing -Everyone in the circle shares, whether he or she chooses to speak or not. There should be no pressure placed upon anyone to speak.

Gift -Each person’s participation in the circle is a gift of value and is to be appreciated and received as a gift.

Respect -In the circle members receive each other’s gifts with respect, neither judging nor belittling the gift that each person makes. The person is listened to and allowed to speak without interruption.

Equality -The circle is not hierarchical. No person, and the gift they share, is more important than another. Each person’s gift is necessary to complete the circle.

Sacredness -The circle is a sacred space, made up of sacred relationships. It is an altar upon which members of the circle offer themselves to each other and to the Creator.

The language one uses, and the way that one relates to others in the circle reflects this sacredness.

To begin a circle for this Service, the leader of the group names someone to start, sharing reflections on the reading. When that person has completed their thoughts, the person on their left takes his or her turn, and so on until all have shared. Anyone who wishes not to speak may simply indicate that they “pass”.

It is very important, when marking the National Aboriginal Day of Prayer in predominantly non-Aboriginal communities, to be sure to make invitation to your Indigenous neighbours, to give leadership, where possible, to First Nations people, and to practice this as a spiritual and real hospitality.

About National Aboriginal Day - June 21

and our partnership with Indigenous Anglicans in Canada

In 1971 the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada declared June 21 as a "National Indian Day of Prayer" and requested all dioceses to commend this day to parishes and congregations throughout Canada. In 1995, participants of the Sacred Assembly in Hull, Quebec - a national meeting of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people - revived an earlier campaign to observe June 21 as a national day to recognize the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canada. The summer solstice, the longest day of the year, falls on June 21. For generations, this was a sacred day for many Aboriginal people on which they celebrated their culture and heritage. On June 13, 1996, Governor General Romeo Leblanc declared June 21 National Aboriginal Day.

In Winnipeg in 1994, representatives of the Indigenous people gathered and made a Covenant to build a truly Anglican Indigenous Church in Canada, claiming their place and responsibility "as equal partners in a new shared journey of healing, moving towards wholeness and justice."

In July of 2001, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada commended for study and implementation the working document A New Agape: A Plan of Anglican Work in Support of a New Partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Anglicans. This plan expresses the commitment of the Anglican Church of Canada to a new relationship with the Indigenous (or Aboriginal) Peoples of Canada based on a partnership which focuses on the cultural, spiritual, social, and economic independence of Indigenous communities.

The Day is about celebrating the gifts of Indigenous people and giving thanks to God who has created the diversities of peoples of the world and gifted Aboriginal peoples of Canada with many treasures of wisdom, spirit and vision. Celebrate!

As we mark the passing of the summer solstice, let us pray in thanksgiving to God for the gifts that Aboriginal peoples have brought to Canada and to the church. Let us pray that we might all walk in the spirit of the Covenant made by the Indigenous partners in Canada to "do all we can to call our people into unity in a new, self-determining community within The Anglican Church of Canada".

Some Thoughts about Planning your Celebration

Healing and reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and newcomer peoples happens person to person, community to community.

The National Aboriginal Day of Prayer is a day to honour the gifts of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples across Canada. The Order of Service for this year was created for use in a cross-cultural context of ministry in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It is a service of prayer that emphasizes the gathering of all in circle.

This offering grows out of a partnership between the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples and the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee, as we work together to lift up the gifts of local Indigenous communities.

A New Agape, our Church’s statement of commitment to healing and reconciliation, reminds us that healing and right relationship happen person to person and community to community. After this day, you can continue to learn about Indigenous people in our church and world. Why not:

Get to know your Aboriginal neighbours!
Get to know Aboriginal Anglicans, their communities and stories through the Anglican Video productions, The Seventh Fire, A Journey Begins with a Dream, Dancing the Dream, Walking a New Vision, The Healing River, The Healing Circle, and others available from the Anglican Book Centre or contact your Synod office.
Drop in electronically to visit www.anglican.ca/acip to visit the Anglican Council of Indigenous People
Find out if your Diocese has an Indigenous Council, and invite members for a sharing circle and/or social.
Ask your Synod office about the New Agape Resource Binder, which contains a wealth of information, educational and worship resources, as well as information about the Indigenous Healing Fund. See www.anglican.ca/newagape.
Read A New Agape: Plan for Anglican Support of Healing and Reconciliation between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous People in Canada, available through www.anglican.ca/acip, or contact your Synod office or ACIP member.
Find out if your Diocese is represented in the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP), and invite that person to share their stories with your community

A Service of Evening Prayer

Commemorating National Aboriginal Day of Prayer

The Service of Light

Do not fear, for I am with you;

     I will bring your offspring from the east,

     and from the west I will gather you;

I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’,

     and to the south, ‘Do not withhold;

bring my sons from far away

     and my daughters from the end of the earth –

everyone who is called by my name,

     whom I created for my glory,

     whom I formed and made.’                   Isaiah 43. 5-7

Direction Intercessor

Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

People

A light no darkness can extinguish.

East candle is lit followed with a prayer

O Creator, Great Spirit of Light the giver of the gift of a new day,

come to us out of the East with the power of the rising sun.

Let there be light always in our words and on the paths that we walk.

We ask, Spirit keeper of the East, Brother Eagle to be with us.

Fly high as you carry our prayers to our Creator.

Give us the sharpness of your eyes, so we are able to see truth

and hope on the path we have chosen.

Guide our every step and give us courage to walk the Circle of life

with honesty and dignity.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

West candle is lit followed with a prayer

Holy and Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and earth,

we give you our thanks and praise for

your grace that lifts us up and bears us each day.

As the daytime begins with the rising of the sun

your eternal light shines on us.

Even as this day is completing its circle,

Emmanuel, be with us, as the sun set approaches.

May our mortal bodies be refreshed and restored this night

with your precious gift of sleep and rest.

Surround us with your loving kindness during the nightime.

As the eternal dawn shall come so will your appearing.

And we shall be known as you are known.

And in love and joy you will receive us.

Into your holy name we commend our spirit. Amen.

North candle is lit followed with a prayer

Almighty God, our Father, the giver of all good gifts from every

direction, send down your love from the North that all who

minister to your call may faithfully and truthfully serve you and

to the benefit of your Holy Church, in serving one master and

looking for one reward, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

South candle is lit followed with a prayer

Gracious God, Creator of the Universe

you speak to us through your prophets

and through Jesus Christ your son.

Through Jesus comes grace and truth,

healing and justice.

Your love has freed us from the bondage of fear

to become your disciples.

That love gives us the strength

and compassion to do your will

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Officiant

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe!

You led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day

and a pillar of fire by night.

Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ.

May his word be a lamp to our feet

and a light to our path;

for you are full of loving kindness for your whole creation, and we, your creatures, glorify you,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn: Draw the Circle wide (Common Praise # 418) or an appropriate Evening Hymn may be sung here.

Psalm 33. 12-15, 20-22 said responsively

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord! *

happy the people he has chosen to be his own!

The Lord looks down from heaven, *

and beholds all the people in the world.

From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze *

on all who dwell on the earth.

He fashions all the hearts of them *

and understands all their works.

Our soul waits for the Lord; *

he is our help and our shield.

Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, *

for in his holy name we put our trust.

Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, *

as we have put our trust in you.

The Proclamation of the Word

The Readings

Canticle 14 A Song of Creation

Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, *

              all winds and fire and heat.

Winter and summer, glorify the Lord, *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, *

              drops of dew and flakes of snow.

Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, *

              O shining light and enfolding dark.

Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *

              praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

A reading from Romans.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Romans 8: 18 – 21

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Reflections A Homily or brief reflections may be offered here, or, in a small group, members may be invited to share their reflections using the process of a Sacred Circle.

Affirmation of Faith

Hear, O Israel

the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

This is the first and the great commandment.

The second is like it:

Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.

Intercessions and Thanksgiving

The Prayers of the gathering may be offered here.

A Covenant Collect

Together

Creator God,

from you every family in heaven

and on earth takes its name.

You have rooted and grounded us

in your covenant love,

and empowered us by your Spirit

to speak the truth in love,

and to walk in your way towards

justice and wholeness.

Mercifully grant that your people,

journeying together in partnership,

may be strengthened and guided

to help one another

to grow into the full stature of Christ,

who is our light and our life. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer in the languages of those gathered

Dismissal

Closing Hymn How Great Thou Art (Common Praise 423) or another hymn of praise is appropriate here.

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