Ballot Item: a land acknowledgement
Over the course of this past year, the St. Clare’s Land Acknowledgement Committee has been learning more about and reflecting on a land acknowledgement for our parish. Many of you have also been a part of this slow yet steady work by attending book groups, movie screenings, podcast discussions, and trainings designed to help us better understand the issues at hand.
As a committee, we feel this is a good time to gauge the level of congregational support for this initiative. At the annual meeting on January 30, you will see a section on the ballot where you can register your position as to support of a land acknowledgement for St. Clare’s. In part, the ballot reads:
What is a land acknowledgement?
As a sacred, spoken statement, a land acknowledgement reflects on our history, examines the ways we all continue to benefit from structures put in place to advance the wealth and power of dominant cultures, and commits to repairing harms through demonstrable action, including but not limited to honorariums for Native peoples and institutions guiding us, donations to nonprofits focused on Native causes, and advocacy in support of initiatives elevated by tribal communities.
Equally as important, a land acknowledgement celebrates and honors the resiliency, sovereignty, agency, and wisdom of Native peoples who are still here while expressing support for the vitality of current and future generations. In summary, a land acknowledgement is one step on a journey of building relationships and, we pray, healing.
How would St. Clare’s use a land acknowledgement?
Once written, the committee would seek the guidance of the Worship Committee for how best to integrate this land acknowledgement into our services. Please note that this land acknowledgement would be unique to St. Clare’s. In the future, a separate acknowledgement may be crafted in partnership with TBE and Genesis to reflect the shared intentions of our communities and read at events such as Erev Thanksgiving or displayed on the Genesis grounds.
If you have questions in advance of the annual meeting, we invite you to reach out to any one of us through the parish directory.
In Peace and appreciation,
Knut Hill, Linda Klimach, David Laurance, Nancy Lewis, Kate Morris Curtin, Ann Putallaz, Jennifer Wolf