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Propers for the National Indigenous Day of Prayer (June 21)

These propers support the National Indigenous Day of Prayer, inviting communities on June 21 to honour Indigenous Peoples, celebrate the Creator’s gifts and recommit to the shared work of healing, right relationship and renewed life in Christ.

Propers for the day are available in English below and have also been made available in PDF format for the following languages:

See also: Additional suggestions for readings and hymns

Background

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 Indigenous and non-Indigenous people – revived an earlier campaign to observe June 21 as a national day to recognize the contributions of Indigenous 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 Peoples of Canada based on a partnership that focuses on the cultural, spiritual, social and economic independence of Indigenous communities.

Since the mid-1990s, the Faith, Worship and Ministry department and the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples have worked together to develop worship resources for the National Aboriginal Day of Prayer, now the National Indigenous Day of Prayer. The observance was later added to the calendar in the Book of Alternative Services by the General Synod 2010 under the heading of “Other Major Feasts That Take Precedence of a Sunday”, reflecting its significance across the Anglican Church of Canada and the Church’s commitment to its ongoing celebration.

Sentence

The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Collect

Creator God,
from you every family in heaven and 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

Readings

Isaiah 40:25-31
Psalm 19
Philippians 4:4-9
John 1:1-18

Prayer over the Gifts

Creator, you bless us
with many good gifts
returned to you from your creation.
Feed us with the Bread of Life,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preface for Weekdays

Prayer after Communion

Great Creator, you have fed us with bread from heaven.
continue to renew us in your truth,
to give light to our minds
strength to our bodies,
and seal us with your Holy Spirit.
We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.