Genesis 21:8-21
Luke 10:25-28
National Indigenous Peoples’ Day: “Rejection, Resilience, and Renewal”
I think it was six years ago on National Indigenous Peoples’ Sunday that we were honoured to have the Rev. Mary Fontaine as our guest preacher for an online COVID-era service. Mary grew up at Mistawasis Presbyterian Church here in Saskatchewan, and she is the founder and executive director of Hummingbird Ministries in Vancouver, one of our Presbyterian Indigenous Ministries.
On the Sunday Mary preached for us, she had the text from Genesis 21 to consider as well. I don’t remember exactly what she said, but ever since that time when I come across this story about Hagar and Ishmael being cast out, almost dying from lack of water in the wilderness, I think about the Indigenous peoples of our country.
The parallels are striking when you think about it – a trajectory that I want to summarize with three words this morning: Rejection, Resilience, and Renewal. Those with more power and privilege decide that others are not worthy of life and dignity and attempt to wipe them off the face of the earth. They are almost successful. Great harm is done, and they are very nearly wiped out.
But with the help of the Creator, they are resilient. They open their eyes and find the water (the cultural practices, the spiritual truths, and the languages) that will sustain them again.
And then comes the renewal through the presence and faithfulness of God who stays with them, and the promise that God will make a nation of them has the hope of being fulfilled.
National Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an important time to celebrate the resilience and renewal of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultures and communities across this country. We remember the past history of rejection and the systemic attempt to wipe the peoples and cultures off the map of Canada. But we celebrate the resilience of the people, the Creator’s presence and help, and the renewal that is happening and will continue to happen by God’s grace.
I don’t want to say much more myself this morning, because I would rather invite you to listen to the voice of one of our Indigenous Presbyterian leaders, the Rev. Mary Fontaine. This is a short clip from a reflection she shared at an online worship service five years ago on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Listen to her wise teaching, hear about her ministry at Hummingbird, and celebrate the resilience and renewal of our Indigenous neighbours.
Video clip from a PCC online service for National Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021, with the Rev. Mary Fontaine sharing a teaching: Worship service by Indigenous ministry leaders marks National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) (Start watching at 1:56.)
The short Gospel text that Marianne read for us this morning was suggested for this Sunday to mark Indigenous Peoples Day. We are reminded of the greatest commandment – the two-part commandment in which the two parts are integrally connected and cannot be separated one from the other:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.”
As the church, we must keep this commandment in mind in all that we do, in particular today remembering our call to pray for and support the Indigenous Ministries of our church, the work of healing and reconciliation, and the renewal of Indigenous cultures, languages, and spiritualities within the nations that are our neighbours.
One lovely example of this commandment being enacted was a special ceremony that took place at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in Winnipeg this week. Church leaders from the Anglican, United, and Presbyterian churches were invited to the centre to present gifts of support for the centre totalling 1.5 million dollars.
I was encouraged by the photos of the ceremony, including the presentation of a bronze eagle feather to the church leaders. Viv Ketchum, a survivor of one of the Presbyterian-run schools, who is also a member of Place of Hope Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg, participated in the ceremony and reflected on its significance for her:
“During the beginning of the ceremony, Smudge was passed around the circle. In the circle were RSS and church leaders from the three churches. One of the church leaders was a Presbyterian minister who sat next to me.
“When the Smudge was at the end of the person in the circle. I felt compelled to ask for the Smudge bowl to come back my way. I gently held the Presbyterian Minister’s hand in mine. I asked the helper to Smudge our hands together.
“Understand I attended the Presbyterian Indian school as a child. It has been a lifelong journey of hate and healing for me and my walk with the church. Now I felt my journey was about to go on another path. Past the hurt. Past the ugly memories. Onto True reconciliation with the Church.”