“Don I am making a motion that you draft a proposal over the summer for reconciliation with our Indigenous neighbours.” The words came from George, an elder statesman of our Journeys Class at Sardis Community Church. I quickly responded, “if you pass this motion then I expect you as a class will stand with me.” I did not want to be on a journey alone!  Stand with me they did, and Outreach Canada blessed me to lead this initiative in my church as part of my ministry.

The statement from George came after months of listening to speakers, watching films and reading books that helped us understand why so many obstacles stood in the way of trusting relationships with the first peoples of our neighbourhoods. After going though many drafts, we finally approved a statement that identified and took responsibility for the barriers that we as newcomers to the land had constructed.

When we presented our newly drafted reconciliation statement to the Chief and a few council members of the Cheam First Nation, they graciously accepted it, and invited us to journey with them. That was seven years ago, and we are just getting started. Cheam community members insisted that the journey of reconciliation would include lots of eating together, and we were up to the task! After an Easter celebration and feast on March 30 of this year one of the organizers wrote “I can’t tell you how much your volunteers’ efforts are appreciated.”  She is dropping off 40 jars of blueberry honey made on reserve land as a thank you gift.

Faith Today recently published an article on our journey.  You can find it at https://www.faithtoday.ca/Magazines/2024-Jan-Feb/B-C-First-Nation-and-nearby-church-journey-togeth