Join us in this central practice of our community—worshipping together the God who makes all things new.
Evening worship is our informal service and gathers a more intimate group of city dwellers looking to find themselves in faith-community, connecting in a relaxed space.
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In our worship this day, we mark the beginning of Indigenous History month in a posture of lament before the God of Justice and Mercy. Our focus this day will be on our residential school history and historical injustices experienced by First Nations peoples.
As part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, our church is involved in the pain and harm caused to Indigenous peoples in Canada through the residential school system, ways of colonization, and racist postures. In 1994, the Presbyterian Church in Canada issued a confession of its role in operating residential schools. Furthermore, it continues to affirm this confession in its healing and reconciliation ministry:
The Church’s relationship with Indigenous peoples in Canada has been marked by colonization and the racist beliefs that underscored colonization (namely, the superiority of a Christianized, western European worldview). The Church has confessed its role in running residential schools, its complicity in the harms of colonization, and rejected the Doctrine of Discovery. The church is committed to walking toward reconciliation.
On June 4 at both 11am and 4:30pm services, our Service of Lament will affirm this confession and seek to pursue healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This worship service will be a space to acknowledge our participation in injustices against Indigenous peoples of Canada, confess the ways that we have been complicit, and participate in building healing relationships with Indigenous peoples.
As part of our worship, we will hear a message of healing and reconciliation from a First Nations Pastor and mark our lament and reconciliation through the traditional practice of smudging.