Local church preparing for reconciliation

February 23, 2018 · 0 Comments

Caledon East United Church invites the community to Making Space —Preparing Ourselves for Healing and Reconciliation.
It will be March 3, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the church at 6046 Old Church Rd.
The program will be presented by Rev. Thérèse Samuel, a United Church minister and racial justice educator. She is passionate about creating opportunities for settlers of colour and others to participate fully in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. She engages in anti-oppression work, and seeks to foster connections across differences.
The effort has been prompted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report from December 2015. Rev. Ross Leckie said all Canadians have been invited to engage in the journey ahead with indigenous, adding the report also had particular recommendations for churches in Canada.
“The outreach committee of Caledon East United Church is taking the lead on this,” he said, adding they will be offering the Kairos Blanket Exercise” in conjunction with St. James Anglican Church early in May. This is an interactive learning experience that teaches the Indigenous rights history other people are rarely taught. Developed in response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which recommended education on Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the key steps to reconciliation, the Blanket Exercise covers more than 500 years of history in a 90-minute participatory workshop.
All are welcome to the March 3 event. Light refreshments will be served.
To reserve a spot (a fee of $5 per person will be collected at the door), call the church office at 905-584-9974 or e-mail caledoneastuc@on.aibn.com by March 1.