Looking at what cannot be seen.

June is indigenous history, as well as, LGBTQ2S+ Pride month. It has been my tradition at St. Johns to reflect on what we can learn from our indigenous brothers and sisters beginning on the First Sunday of June. This commemoration of indigenous history has has had a horrific start, as we learned of the large unmarked gravesite at a former residential school in British Columbia containing 215 indigenous children. As we Canadians should know, this is just the tip of the iceberg of injustices that the people of Turtle Island (the name that indigenous peoples have had for this land which predates the arrival of settlers) have suffered. What has to change in order for us settlers to change our attitudes and work toward meaningful reconciliation with the original peoples of this land? In his letter, Paul talks about looking at what cannot be seen. Can this help?

Thank you to Bett and Drew, our tech team; our music coordinators, Marcia, Marilyn and Sandy, our talented choir, as well as Leslie and Katharine for lifting our spirits throughout today’s service.

If you feel that you would like to do something that moves us all in the direction of reconciling with our indigenous brothers and sisters, please visit:

https://oncanadaproject.ca/settlerstakeaction

https://KairosCanada.org

https://United-Church.ca

Please also consider attending a Blanket Exercise should it come to your area.

For more information about St. Johns United Church please visit our website: https://StJohnsUC.ca

If you would like to make a donation to St. John’s United Church, please go to: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/st-johns-united-church-of-georgetown-and-glen-williams/

Thank you for your generosity, it makes a big difference in a lot of lives.

Title Slide: “Turtle Island”
Jeffrey George
Museum of Ontario Archaeology

Music in this service:

Creator God, You Gave Us Life MV #27
Sung by: Sandy Woodworth, Christine Arbic, Sue Hertell, Marilyn Willis, Mark Burns, Brian Williams
Words and music: Judith Snowdon, 2004
Vocal arrangement: Carolyn Maule

Sweetgrass and Candle
Sung by: Marcia Moorcroft, Rob Allison, Marilyn Willis, Andrea Van De Valk, David Hadskis
Drumming by: Leslie Michalak
Music by Ron Klusmeier
Words by Rev. John Wesley Oldham

For the Healing of the Nations VU #678
Played by Sandy Woodworth
Words: Fred Kaan 1965
Music Henry Purcell ca 1682

Streaming Licenses:
One License A-606768
CCLI 425664