On September 30th we observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, or Orange Shirt Day. We witness and honour the healing journey of survivors and families of the residential school experience, and we remember those who didn’t make it home.
This year, there are many ways that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation can be honoured, observed and remembered. Importantly, we as the United Church are called to live into Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples faithfully, intentionally, and respectfully. Holding this day as an intentional pause, keeping this time separate from the rest of our “to do” lists or our holiday plans, is essential to supporting the spiritual foundation of reconciliation within ourselves and within our communities. On this day, many local First Nations, Métis, Inuit and Indigenous organizations will hold ceremony and events to call people into relationship. Showing up to these events with open hearts, open minds, humility and loving-kindness is a spiritual practice, one that helps to guide us toward walking this path of decolonization in a good way.
For NDTR or Orange Shirt Day, you can:
- Organize a group from your congregation, community of faith, or neighbourhood to attend local NDTR events together
purchase your orange shirt (if you need one) from an approved Indigenous organization, ensuring that you are investing in reconciliation efforts properly. You can find a list of suppliers on the Orange Shirt Day website - Organize an orange tshirt pin campaign in your congregation or community of faith, encouraging acknowledgement of the importance of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples beyond Sept 30. You can order beaded pins here and an Orange Shirt Day affiliated website
- Organize an event either before or after September 30th to learn about, encourage dialogue on, and make community action plans for reconciliation. Scheduling your event on a different day than the local Indigenous event is respectful. Some event ideas may be:
- Host a film screening for Sugarcane, a film that tells the story of Indigenous people from Williams Lake, BC and residential school survivors
- Host a conversation evening on the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Report, paying attention not only to the church-specific calls, and asking “How can we as people of faith act to pressure organizations and the government to make further progress on these calls to action?”
- Holding and Orange Shirt Day worship service on Orange Shirt Sunday, September 28th
- Engage with reading some of the resources available on the Pacific Mountain Region Indigenous Ministries webpages for Residential Schools and Recommended Reading, and exploring how these might inform faithful action for reconciliation in your community
- Create an event or series of events to educate yourself and your community on current challenges to Indigenous sovereignty here in Canada, and what we can do to support efforts to uphold the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (to which Canada is a signatory)
- Host a community session to learn about the United Church Justice and Reconciliation Fund to see if you and your community would be eligible to undertake a project, program or event to further reconciliation efforts
For inspiration, you can find Moderator Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne’s 2024 Orange Shirt Day message here, and ensure you keep your ears open for Moderator Right Rev. Dr. Kimberly Heath’s forthcoming Orange Shirt Day message to share at your Orange Shirt Sunday worship on September 28th.