Aboriginal Ministry, Canada

Introduction

For Aboriginal Canadians who leave reserves looking for a better life, Canada's large cities can turn out to be more of a nightmare than a dream come true. Historically, they have been discriminated against in housing, recreation, education and more.

In the face of such discrimination, the Christian Reformed Church seeks to meet the spiritual and social needs of aboriginal Canadians through three Urban Aboriginal Ministries:

• Indian Family Centre, Winnipeg
• Indian Metis Christian Fellowship, Regina
• Edmonton Native Healing Centre, Edmonton

Each ministry seeks to respond to the needs of Aboriginal Canadians in its community. The ministries, while addressing spiritual needs and incorporating worship, are multi-service delivery centres rather than churches, striving to help Aboriginal Canadians to live dignified and harmonious lives.
 

reForming Relationships

Starting Fall 2011, the Aboriginal Ministry Committee together with the CRC's Urban Aboriginal Ministries invite you to participate in reForming Relationships with our Aboriginal neighbours.  

Inspired by God's call to be ministers of reconciliation, reForming Relationships is a cross-country art tour featuring Kisemanito Pakitinasuwin - 'The Creator's Sacrifice'.  This tour will provide opportunities for learning and building new and renewed relationships with our Aboriginal neighbours, as part of the Christian Reformed Church's ongoing journey of reconciliation with Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
Visit the reForming Relationships webpage

Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee

The Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee (CAMC) has the specific role of educating and mobilizing CRC members and congregations to live in reconciled relationships as covenant (treaty) people before our Creator.  
Read more

Video

“A Stolen Identity” tells the story of an aboriginal girl’s experience of abuse at a Saskatchewan residential school, and how years later she found the path toward healing at the Indian Metis Christian Fellowship (a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church). This was originally broadcast as an episode of Primary Focus, a series from Back to God Ministries International.

Liturgical Resources

• Responsive reading 1 (.doc)
• Responsive reading 2 (.doc)

• June 11, 2009 was the one year anniversary of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's public apology to First Nations for residential schools.

  Worship resources for June 11, 2009

• June 21, 2009 was National Aboriginal Day in Canada.

          Litany for a National Aboriginal Day

          Litany for a National Aboriginal Day

          Multimedia Presentation (4 min)

Articles

From Mobile Justice:

• "A battle against time" by Ella C. Land, November 2008
• "Response to the Prime Minister's Apology to Aboriginal Peoples" by The EFC's Aboriginal Ministries Council, October 2008
• "A story to heal our land" by Rev. Michael J. Lafleur, September 2008
• "Strawberry Communion in the Manner of the Longhouse" by Henry de Young, August 2008
• "Dance the reconciliation dance" by Harold Roscher, July 2008
• "Do you seek what they seek?" by Dr. John Valk, June 2008

Contact Us

For more information, contact Bruce Adema by email or phone at 905-336-2920 or 800-730-3490.