From our Bishop: On May 27, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced the discovery of the bodies of 215 Indigenous Children at the former site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. This news is heartbreaking and horrifying, and is profoundly distressing for Indigenous people, especially Survivors and intergenerational Survivors.

A prayer: Holy One, Creator of all that is, seen and unseen, of story and of song, of heartbeat and of tears, of bodies, souls, voices and all relations: you are the God of all truth and the way of all reconciliation. Breathe in us the grace to trust in your loving forgiveness, that we may face our histories with courage. Guide us with holy wisdom to enter through the gates of remorse that our feet may walk gently and firmly on the way of justice and healing.

May the bracing and challenging love of God be with us all as more stories of Indigenous Children who perished in residential schools come to light.

We placed these teddy bears from our church community in our Sanctuary and 215 seconds of silence was held during our service this morning to mark this day.