780-468-1418
Spirit of Hope United Church
7909 82 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T6C 0Y1
Blessing the Transformation
On Sunday, March 14, on the grounds of our church building, ten people joined together in a special "Blessing the Transformation" service and ceremony that included elements of both Christian and Indigenous traditions. Reverend Blaine Gregg, Hunter Cardinal, Jacquelyn Cardinal and Mackenzie Brown were joined by three other members of the Spirit of Hope Leadership Team, Indigenous artist and poet Matthew Weigel and a representative from each of our renovation architecture consultant team and construction manager.
A link to the event can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtFP-9KuW4Y
For those who do not have access to the Internet, here are a few photos of that special event.
Reverend Blaine Gregg was joined by Hunter and Jacquelyn Cardinal who are facilitators with Naheyawin, an Edmonton-based agency that offers sustainable, practical, Indigenous-based solutions for improving diversity and inclusion through education and storytelling. They are working with us to learn and discuss Indigenous perspectives and the meaning of Treaty making – and how we can reflect these at Spirit of Hope.
Kevin Gue, Renovations Sub-Committee Lead and Spirit of Hope Leadership Team member (foreground), architect Barb Reid and Indigenous artist and poet Matthew Weigel were part of the circle gathering under the big spruce trees.
Hunter and Jacquelyn Cardinal led participants in an Indigenous Blessing smudge ceremony, conducted to metaphorically cleanse those representatives present of negativity and to seal in positivity, to set intention and invite our ancestors and the Creator to witness and help us in our endeavours. Afterwards, Hunter smudged the building to prepare the grounds for construction.
Mackenzie Brown, singer and drummer from Indigenous Tourism Alberta, provided two traditional songs - an Honour song and a Traveling song. The Honour song gave honour to this event, those gathered and the journey we’re on together. The Traveling song, played during the ‘Sending Out’ portion of the time together, was a song for well wishes on journeys and new adventures.
Reverend Blaine opened the ceremony with words of welcome, intent and hopes and closed the service and ceremony with singing of “All Are Welcome” and a Christian prayer.