Today a friend and I visited a church service of the West End Assembly of God in the longhouse of the Spokane Indian Reservation. It was a joy to worship Jesus Christ together with native and non-native believers.
Below:
1. talking with Roy Graham (on the left), Franklin Graham's son (Samaritan's Purse was giving boxes as a giveaway to Rez families)
2. The praise team included Chief Reynard Faber of the Jicarilla Apache who gave a wonderful talk and testimony. Also Jan Brisbois, a descendant of Spokane Garry. A remnant of Garry's faith strongly remains in his family and tribe!
3. We sang songs on the overhead with Pastor Mike on his trusty laptop. To sing unashamedly to Jesus surrounded by native artwork was a real blessing.
How wonderful! I grew up in a Native Alaskan community in Southeast Alaska and our family was adopted into the Tlinget tribe, and so the Native peoples are very close to my heart. My parents were Salvation Army officers (pastors) in that and other SE AK communities for quite a few years during my childhood. I just returned for a totem raising after being absent for 34 years; it warmed my heart to see the rich artwork and a renaissance of their culture after it nearly died off.
ReplyDeleteThat's great Miriam! Do they use only English names now, or do they have Tlingit names as well? I think the flowering of native Christianity within a culture would help restore dignity to the culture and its language while at the same time identifying areas that need transformation. Thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteThat's great Miriam! Do they use only English names now, or do they have Tlingit names as well? I think the flowering of native Christianity within a culture would help restore dignity to the culture and its language while at the same time identifying areas that need transformation. Thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteThat's great Miriam! Do they use only English names now, or do they have Tlingit names as well? I think the flowering of native Christianity within a culture would help restore dignity to the culture and its language while at the same time identifying areas that need transformation. Thanks for your comments.
ReplyDelete