National Aboriginal Day, June 21

Wednesday, June 21, is National Aboriginal Day. In the Anglican calendar, it is a Day of Prayer. We confess our participation in the terrible legacy of the Residential Schools, and reaffirm once more our commitment to the goals outlined in Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Anglican Church of Canada established the Anglican Healing Fund 25 years ago to support projects for recovery of language, culture and spirituality.

Let me quote from the last of the Ten Principles the Truth and Reconciliation Commission declared as underlying their 94 Calls to Action. It reads in part,  “Together, Canadians must do more than just talk about reconciliation; we must learn how to practise reconciliation in our everyday lives—within ourselves and our families, and in our communities, governments, places of worship, schools, and workplaces. To do so constructively, Canadians must remain committed to the ongoing work of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.”

We will mark National Aboriginal Day in Worship on Wednesdays on June 21 at 7:00 pm. The collect for the day reads:

“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”