Indigenous Ministry Engagement
The Rev. Leslie Scoopmire is the Missioner for Indigenous Ministry Engagement.
As followers of Jesus, we are continually called to the work of repentance and seeking forgiveness as the path towards reconciliation. The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, like much of the Episcopal Church, was built on the ancestral lands of Indigenous/First Nations people. As a step toward seeking acknowledgement and repentance, the Missioner for Indigenous Ministry Engagement is to assist the Diocese as we seek to intentionally remember, recognize, and reconcile the harmful past while forging new relationships in connection with our Indigenous siblings.
Responsibilities of the Missioner for Indigenous Ministry Engagement
The Missioner’s responsibilities shall include:
- Provide tools and resources for communities of faith to collect the stories of the land upon which our buildings reside.
- Provide resources to communities of faith to enable ongoing acknowledgement of the land upon which our buildings reside.
- Build bridges that connect the Diocese to the Indigenous people/tribes, primarily around ancestral lands.
- Develop liturgical resources to be used by communities of faith that comprise the Diocese.
- Seek ways to invite and incorporate Indigenous practices into the life of the Diocese, paying close attention to the temptation of cultural appropriation.
- Offer resources to communities of faith within the Diocese around Indigenous engagement.
- Establish a Council of Advice to share in the work of ministry.
- Preach and teach in communities of faith that make up the Diocese.
- Submit an annual report to the Diocesan Convention.
- Offer presentations to Diocesan Council which highlight the ongoing work of racial reconciliation within the Diocese.
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Rector, St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Ellisville
