- Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples
- A New Agape
- A Covenant
- Gospel-Based Discipleship
- National Indigenous Anglican Bishop
- Sacred Circles
- Background and history
- Update on National Indigenous Ministry
- Facts: Indigenous Anglicans
- Links of interest
- Sacred Circle Videos
- June 2010 Indigenous governance update
- Foundational documents
- Walking the Dream: Sacred Circle 2012
- About Sacred Circles
- Resources for the Day of Prayer for Indigenous Justice (Jan. 11, 2013)
Video highlights: Primate’s closing homily
On Aug. 11, the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, delivered a moving homily as part of the closing Eucharist in the main tent of Sacred Circle. The Primate and other General Synod staff have served as partners throughout Sacred Circle.
Video highlights: New structures for Indigenous ministry
On Aug. 11, Sacred Circle membered approved Canon 22 on national Indigenous ministry. This proposed church law describes formal structures for electing the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the membership of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, and the membership of Sacred Circle. It will be considered at the national meeting of General Synod 2013.
Talking about suicide
Cynthia Patterson, coordinator for the Anglican Suicide Prevention Program, spoke about the crisis of suicides in many communities. She encouraged people to talk about the problem instead of avoiding it. The presentation was followed by a powerful healing service, led by the bishops.
Video highlights: Indigenous military chaplains
Sacred Circle heard a presentation on Indigenous Peoples in the military by Major the Rev. Catherine Askew and Vice President Victor C. Flett C.O., Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association of Canada.
Video highlights: suicide prevention
Cynthia Patterson, coordinator of the Anglican national Suicide Prevention Program, shares her work with Sacred Circle. She encourages members to talk about this crisis in their communities. This presentation was followed by a healing service, led by the bishops.
Time for rest
This afternoon, Sacred Circle members took a break from their work. Some people from remote communities went shopping at Wal-Mart. Others travelled out to see petroforms or walked down to the river for canoeing. A group of young people (and the young at heart) went body surfing at the Pinawa Dam. Wearing helmets and life jackets they braved the waterfalls, and were sometimes submerged underwater for several long seconds.
Indigenous strengths
Today the question for the talking circles was, “What are our strengths as Indigenous Peoples?” A long list emerged, including oneness with the earth (“It’s so close it’s like a phone line!”), young people, resiliency, laughter, dreams…
Sacred Circle 2012: Sisters in Spirit campaign
The Rev. Barb Shoomski talks about the thousands of Indigenous women who are suffering in violent situations and those who have gone missing. She is part of the Sisters in Spirit campaign that has been raising awareness about this problem since 2004.
Video highlights: Presentation by B.C. members
Members of the Nisga’a Nation lead a presentation to the Sacred Circle, accompanied by other delegates from British Columbia and the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, Mark MacDonald. This short video includes traditional drumming and a hymn sung a cappella.
Video highlights: Malcolm Naea Chun
Malcolm Naea Chun, an Episcopalian partner from Hawaii and a member of the Anglican Indigenous Network, reflects on his long-time partnership with Sacred Circle. He also encourages members to move towards peaceful reconciliation.
Youth impress
Members were impressed by a video presentation by the young people. Their film integrated the seven sacred teachings and creative answers to the talking circle questions. They also performed an original song that had been written and arranged by several group members.
Partners provide recap
Memory keepers were moved by the presentation from Malcolm Naea Chun, former secretary general of the Anglican Indigenous Network and a long-time Sacred Circle partner. Mr. Chun’s call to peaceful reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples struck a chord. Mr. Chun also made a powerful observation that it is hard to see your progress when you are in a gathering, but as a partner from away (he is a Hawaiian Episcopalian) he has the privilege of recapping the amazing progress he’s seen among Indigenous Anglicans in Canada.
Joys and challenges of talking circles
Memory keepers shared how working in a talking circle can be a good, but sometimes challenging experience.
One memory keeper shared how a talking circle overcame divisions of language, education, and geography by spending more time listening to certain members of the group. This group has experienced a transformation.
Self-determination in Manitoba
Today Sacred Circle members celebrated another step towards a self-determining, Indigenous church. A large group from Manitoba presented a proposal for an Indigenous bishop who will serve Indigenous communities within the civil province of Manitoba, which has three Anglican dioceses: Keewatin, Brandon, and Rupert’s Land.
Video highlights: checking in with members
On Aug. 9, Anglican Video interviewed Sacred Circle members to get their impressions of the meeting so far. People interviewed include the Rev. Iola Metuq, the Rev. Lisa Brant Francis, and the Ven. Dr. Larry Beardy.
Young film makers
The young adults were busy all day, running around with cameras, interviewing people, uploading files, and working away on their computers. They are making a movie that (Lord willing!) should be ready on Thursday afternoon. It will capture their responses to the questions that the talking circles have been working through. There will be songs, art, and lots of insight.
National Indigenous governance
Today members heard about plans to establish formal structures for national Indigenous Anglican governance in national church law, Canon 22. The changes would include the process for electing the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the membership of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples and the membership of Sacred Circle.
Video highlights: “Amazing Grace”
Sacred Circle members from the Eastern Arctic sing their own version of “Amazing Grace.” Bishop Andrew Atagotaaluk of the Arctic plays the accordion with National Indigenous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald on the guitar.
Video highlights: Adele Finney
Adele Finney, Executive Director of the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, offers greetings from PWRDF. She explains how PWRDF has been in partnership with the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples and what their plans are for moving forward together.
Video highlights: Ted Quewezance
Ted Quewezance of the National Residential School Survivors Society shares his family story with Sacred Circle. He talked about how residential schools affected five generations of his family, and how they have worked hard to rebuild their sense of identity.
Video highlights: National Bishop Susan Johnson
National Bishop Susan Johnson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada offers greetings to Sacred Circle from her home church. She also speaks about the need for spiritual renewal within all churches.
Video highlights: lighting the sacred fire
This video features special sunset moments around the lighting of the sacred fire on the first night of Sacred Circle, Aug. 5. The fire is tended by an elder from a local community and it will burn throughout the conference, in the centre of the Wilderness Edge Retreat Centre in Pinawa.
How healed are we?
One memory keeper noticed that healing has been an important theme, especially after Bishop Andrew Atagotaaluk’s comment yesterday—that leaders need to be healed before they move on to mission. This statement inspired lots of questions in the talking circles.
Residential school wounds still with us
Many were touched by the keynote from Ted Quewezance of the National Residential School Survivors Society. He shared how the residential schools affected five generations of his family and what they were doing to rebuild. Earlier today, in several talking circles people felt led to talk about their experiences in residential schools.
Questions to build
Today the talking circles got into some big questions: “What makes an effective church?”, “What does an educational model that works for Indigenous ministry look like? How are we equipping our people for ministry?” One memory keeper observed that these were important questions that showed how Indigenous Peoples are evolving beyond just organizing themselves. Now people are focusing on building up communities.
Video highlights: Bishop Kito Pikaahu
The Right Rev. Kito Pikaahu, a Maori bishop, offers greetings, jokes, and insights to the Sacred Circle on the morning of Aug. 7, 2012. Bishop Pikaahu serves in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, and is one of several partners who are joining Sacred Circle for the week.
Video highlights: the opening Eucharist
The second video from Sacred Circle, produced by Anglican Video, features highlights from the opening Eucharist of Sacred Circle, on Aug. 6., including the procession, excerpts of the Primate’s homily, and blessings from four bishops in four different languages.
Colour and culture
Sacred Circle members put on their finest regalia and traditional costumes for today’s procession to the Eucharist. There were ribbon shirts, Haida designs, moccasins, and more.
Anticipation
“I think there’s going to be a lot of tears, laughter, and more healing. I feel that we’re going through another step and we’re closer to where we want to be. The elders had a vision long ago of our own people ministering to our own people. That was our dream and it’s happening.”
Talking circles resonate
“When we are in the circle, I like listening to what’s happened. It’s still the same things that we are going through in our communities. We’re not rich, but rich in the spirit. It’s the same stories, what we’re going through with our youth, addictions, suicide, young people in jail.”
Being transfigured
In his homily at today’s Eucharist, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said the process of self-determination was like the transfiguration. Archbishop Hiltz said that over several decades, Indigenous Anglicans have gone from depression to dreams…
Continuing the walk
“Today was a continuation of the walk,” said a memory keeper. “Many of us were joining together from different places.”
Video highlights: the walkers arrive
Some 20 people walked from Beausejour, Man., to Pinawa, Man., to raise awareness about the Sacred Circle and its theme, “Walking the Dream.”
