On Sunday June 28th, at 9:30am, in the parish hall, St. George’s will be hosting the Kairos Canada designed workshop called,  “The Blanket Exercise.” The Blanket Exercise is designed to deepen our understanding of the denial of Indigenous peoples’ nationhood throughout Canadian history. Since it’s creation in 1997, the Blanket Exercise has be done hundreds of times with thousands of people indigenous and non-indigenous, children and adults, in many different settings, including school and churches.

For us at St. George’s, the Blanket Exercise will also be an opportunity for us to participate in the ongoing work of the Anglican Church of Canada of reconciliation, between our church and the Aboriginal people who lived and live here.

At the beginning of the this month, the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Fred Hiltz, and leaders from the United Church of Canada, The Presbyterian Church of Canada, and the Canadian Roman Catholic Church, issued a statement in response to the findings and Calls to Action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. In this statement, the Anglican Church of Canada showed its commitment and support to the important work done by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Among the many important areas noted for support and action, was to play a role that would “continue to foster learning about and awareness of the reality and legacy of the residential schools, the negative impact of such past teachings as the Doctrine of Discovery, and the new ways forward found in places, such as  the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

Reconciliation involves a deepening understanding and a commitment to healing and justice.

The Blanket Exercise, I hope will engage you physically, mentally, and spiritually, as we enter into a 500 year history of Aboriginal people and new immigrants coming to this land. I pray that it will deepen our understanding of what has happened and what has brought us to this point in our relationship with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis, and that each of us will feel a stronger commitment to healing and justice.