Indigenous leadership is vital to the life of the United Church, and this is a crucial time of journeying together toward reconciliation.
Worship Ideas
- 2023 Indigenous Day of Prayer | The Possibility of New Beginnings (58.95 KB) (Word): Worship service that addresses change and the remit on an autonomous National Indigenous Organization in the United Church.
- 2023 Indigenous Day of Prayer | The Sacred Drum (61.39 KB) (Word): Celebrating Indigenous Spirituality and Strength. A worship service by Shane Goldie.
- A Time of Reflection on Port Alberni: A Pastoral Gathering (54.42 KB) (Word): A part of the United Church’s response to the Feb. 21, 2023, news from Port Alberni for the non-Indigenous church.
- All God's Beloved Children | 2022 Indigenous Day of Prayer (40.44 KB) (Word): Worship service, including sermon, by the Rev. Jan Jorgensen.
- All My Relations | 2022 Indigenous Day of Prayer (256.14 KB) (PDF): A worship service and sermon by the Rev. Nancy Best and music by the Rev. Dr. Lisa Waites.
- Being a Good Neighbour bulletin | Indigenous Day of Prayer 2021 (37.49 KB) (Word): Bulletin with service outline to accompany the Being a Good Neighbour worship resources.
- Being a Good Neighbour | Indigenous Day of Prayer 2021 (52.19 KB) (Word): Worship resources and a service bulletin/outline by Read Sherman, intended for use by non-Indigenous communities of faith.
- Living on the Path of Respect (460.82 KB) (PDF): A worship service on the repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.
- Prayer Service to Remember the Children (29.17 KB) (Word): This service of prayer seeks to remember and honour the children who were forced to attend church-run institutions.
- Sermon Starter | Indigenous Day of Prayer 2021 (37.57 KB) (Word): A reflection on 1 Peter 2:9‒17 by former Moderator Stan McKay.
- The Covenant of Reconciliation | Indigenous Day of Prayer 2020 (49.83 KB) (Word): A worship service created to honour the meaning of National Indigenous Peoples Day.
- The Seven Grandfather Teachings | Indigenous Day of Prayer 2020 (47.07 KB) (Word): A worship service on the seven laws for living a good life: Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth.
Related Material
- Acknowledging the Territory in Worship (170.12 KB) (PDF): A brief guide to help congregations and bodies of the church incorporate an Acknowledgement of Territory into their gatherings.
- Have a Heart Day: Sunday School Activity (153.79 KB) (PDF): On Have a Heart Day, kids help remind the prime minister that all kids should be treated the same: fairly.
- Prayer for Students of Kamloops Residential School (Moderator) (35.18 KB) (Word): A prayer for the 215 children whose remains were found in Kamloops in May 2021.
- The Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery | United Church of Christ (947.4 KB) (PDF): A biblical reflection
Worship Blog
Walls of Welcome
Rev. Anne Hines writes how our church’s Truth and Reconciliation project transformed our walls, and our lives.
The Creator's Abundant Gifts
Rev. John Snow offers an Indigenous perspective on Epiphany season and the sharing of God's sacred gifts.
Why an Indigenous Day of Prayer?
In 1971, the observance of June 21 as a National Indian Day of Prayer was formally recognized by The United Church of Canada, at the 24th General Council. In 1982 the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations) called for the creation of a National Aboriginal Solidary Day.… Read more
Under the Big Top: Thoughts on National Aboriginal Day
I took these pictures last August while visiting my mother’s relatives in the central part of Saskatchewan on the Muskoday First Nation. They capture some of the 825 dancers that participated in the 25th annual traditional Powwow.
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