One Church, One Tribe

We’re catching up!  We know there is no way we can go back and fill in all the blanks of the past 2 ½ months, but we want to loop back with pictures so you can have a better understanding of where we have been and where we are going.

We hope you’ll take time to visit our blog at www.onechurchonetribe.com and the connecting http://www.flickr.com/photos/onechurchonetribe/sets/ where you can enjoy the pictures.  If you can “chat” with us for a few minutes, read the paragraphs below and the link in each text will take you to the pictures or you can visit the blog.

We were sitting at a table at the Yakama Indian Museum on the Yakama reservation in Washington State.  Our friend and tribal elder, Wendell Hannigan, had arranged for us to meet there with Clifford Casseseka, Cultural Specialist for the Yakama Nation.  Conversation took us back to the boarding schools as Clifford shared some of his personal stories with us, and his rejection of Christianity.  Boarding schools were an attempt to rid the children of all things Indian—their language, their dress, their social life, their family, their religion, their culture.  “Christianity” was presented as a set of laws to be obeyed, not salvation by grace through faith.  Bruce interjected into the conversation, “What those pictures represent–that was not the gospel.”  Wendell got up from the table and wandered to the pictures of the boarding school and began to examine them closely.  When he came back to the table he said, “It wasn’t the gospel, was it?” See the pictures:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/onechurchonetribe/sets/72157622446598130/

On our way to Lethbridge, Alberta in Canada, we stopped at Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump near Fort McCloud.  It was a drizzly day that limited our photo ops, but it was a fascinating piece of history and Indian culture.  In upper Montana next to Glacier National Park is the Blackfeet Reservation and once you cross into Canada it is the Blackfoot Reserve.  On the edge of this large reserve, Rohan Crown and his family are planting Amazing Grace Community Mission Church, Lethbridge.  There is a large representation of First Nations people in the city, and already God has given them friendships in the native community and connections in the town of Standoff on the Reserve.  There are a couple of interviews with Rohan on our You Tube site.

Montana Visits…

Had a refreshing time with Mike and Julie Kelly and their church family at Gallatin Valley Presbyterian Church in Bozeman, MT.  Mike heads up Campus Crusades NATIONS ministry, encouraging and equipping Native students and leaders on college campuses.  Over a wonderful homecooked meal at the Kelly’s, we swapped stories of what we are learning and the wonder of what God is doing.  We would encourage you to keep up with this budding ministry to Native students: www.nationsmovement.com and www.everynative.com

From Bozeman we drove through impressive Big Sky Country over to Billings, MT, where we were spoiled by the gracious hospitality of Bob and Connie Charette. Their son Josh (“Two Hawks”) and his wife Katie and kids are completing their final year at Covenant Seminary and plan to return to Billings to begin work on a Native church plant to reach the thousands of American Indians in that city.  Bob, whose heritage is Turtle Mountain Chippewa/Lakota Sioux, patiently schooled us in Indian culture/history and delighted us with a wealth of stories.  We took in the Canyon Creek Battlefield where Chief Joseph fought off the U.S. Army after the massacre at Big Hole and at sunset explored the Pictograph caves near their home overlooking the vast Crow Reservation.  They wrapped us in love and in a stunning Pendleton blanket that expresses protection, warmth, safety, health and honor.  They showered us with gifts and kindness and keen insights into Lakota, Chippewa and Crow culture.  We left with full hearts, yet wanting more!

While in Billings, we had the opportunity to meet with part of the session and family of Rocky Mountain Community Church, where Josh and Katie Charette are members.  Our hearts were encouraged by their enthusiastic support of the vision God has given the Charettes to reach the Native population of their city.  We explored possibilities of how that might vision might become a reality over the long-haul.  We pray it is a vision that will catch fire throughout that Presbytery and across the west in the PCA.

Still pressing toward the east, we moved on to Rapid City, SD to visit with Ron and Sue Jensen and their ministry, Life Initiatives: www.lifeinitiativesinc.org .  Bruce had the opportunity to preach at the Lakota He Sepa church.  It was a great joy for him and the interaction with folks after church was very affirming and meaningful.  We always look forward to our time with Ron and Sue—God has us very much “on the same page” and we are uplifted and challenged by their insights and blessed beyond measure by their friendship.  We would encourage you to keep up with this expanding ministry to the large Lakota population in Rapid City.

It’s a long way to pedal from South Dakota to Tennessee, but we had a brief reprieve on the way home, stopping over in St. Louis, MO. We enjoyed time with Josh and Katie Charette and family as they debriefed their summer internship with Rocky Mountain Community Church in Billings, MT.  Josh graduates from Covenant Seminary in 2010 and is eager to return Billings to begin a native-focused church plant/outreach in his hometown. There are 12 reservations in Montana and a large Native population in Billings.  It was exciting to hear the many ways that God is already opening doors, giving them contacts in the area, encouraging their hearts and stirring great hope.  This is a groundbreaking opportunity for Rocky Mountain Presbytery and Rocky Mountain Community Church to support Josh as he faces enormous challenges in the years ahead.  We hope that you will follow them also with your prayers and your giving for this long-haul ministry.

Seems we no sooner got our bags unpacked than it was time to pack again—this time to head to Minneapolis, MN for a Native American Awareness Conference, hosted by Bethlehem Baptist Church.  It was good to see and hear from our long-time friend Huron Claus with CHIEF (http://www.chief.org/). The church graciously allowed us to host a “Talking Circle” at the church before the conference began.  We were thrilled at how many were able to come on short notice for this time of sharing and brainstorming.  A group of us were able to meet for dinner on Thursday evening and the circle grew on Friday morning, as more were able to join us—even Huron Claus was able to come for a while.  We formed a large circle and began our time of sharing with a devotional brought by Josh Charette (Turtle Mountain Chippewa/Lakota Sioux).  Josh challenged us with questions like: Why did so much injustice coincide with mission effort through the centuries?  Why are there so few professing believers today (2-5%) after 500 years of the gospel on this continent? God used Josh to give us many insights into the complicated answers to these burning questions and much to think about as we press on to carry the gospel of grace into Native communities.

We went around the circle giving each person an opportunity to share some of their stories about how God has connected them to the Native community.  I think it’s an understatement to say that all of us were given much to think about.  We were challenged, encouraged, uplifted and nourished by the fellowship and prayer.  When we talked about doing it again, the response was immediate and unanimous!   So….plans are “in the makings” for a gathering in Billings, MT in the fall of 2010.  We will keep you posted!