Native Mission Ministry Reflections

ECCIM CCAB 2009 Chicago 2

2009-11-19T18:53:00.000-06:00

late breaking news from ECCIM about another non grassroots event scheduled for 2010: Oklahoma IV Consultation

From: bpnodak@aol.com
To: kjefferts@episcopalchurch.org
Cc: GinDoctor@aol.com; debbieroyals@sbcglobal.net; minneapolisfox@aol.com; oberlycpa@gmail.com; ckm_eaton@msn.com; lp4golf@comcast.net; chaplain@whidbey.com; gstraub@episcopalchurch.org; seagleheart@episcopalchurch.org; banderson@episcopalchurch.org; mncnaea@earthlink.net; Robert.TB@Episcpalmn.org
Sent: Thu, Nov 19, 2009 2:08 pm
Subject: Oklahoma IV 2010 Consultation

November 19, 2009

Dear Bishop Katharine:

I received electronically your invitation to the "Oklahoma IV 2010 Consultation" while in Chicago at the First Meeting of the CCAB's. Taking the liberty of sharing your letter with the Executive Council Committee on Indigenous Ministry (ECCIM), we would like you to know how much we appreciate your support for and presence at this important gathering.

General Convention 2009 Resolution A150 endorsed "the collaboration between the [ECCIM] and the Indigenous Theological Training Institute for 2010 Oklahoma Consultation for leaders in Indigenous ministry." To that end we have appointed ECCIM members Lewis Powell and Rachel Taber-Hamilton to serve on the Design Team to replace Malcolm Chun and Robert Two Bulls who are no longer serving on ECCIM.

ECCIM also looks forward to taking the dreams and visions emerging from the Oklahoma Consultation and presenting them at the grassroots level of Episcopal Indigenous communities for evaluation and feedback. After that, we will be prepared to make recommendations to Executive Council and draft resolutions for General Convention 2012.

Again, thank you emphasizing the importance of this gathering for the future of Indigenous ministries in The Episcopal Church. I am,

Yours in Christ,

+Michael Smith, North Dakota
Chair, ECCIM

Cc: Ginny Doctor, ITTI
Debbie Royals, Coordinator for Oklahoma IV
Donald Fox, ITTI
Frank Oberly, ECCIM/ITTI
Cornelia Eaton, ECCIM/ITTI
Lewis Powell, ECCIM
Rachel Taber-Hamilton, ECCIM
Bonnie Anderson, PHoD
Gregory Straub, GC Executive Officer
Sarah Eagle Heart, Native Missioner
Malcolm Chun
Robert Two Bulls

An interesting experience is to search for "Oklahoma IV 2010 Consultation", either straight out Google or the National Church (815) website, for information concerning this event. The other interesting search is for ITTI (Indigenous Theological Training Institute) website which you are referred to from the National Church (815) website for information on "Oklahoma IV 2010 Consultation". Enjoy.

ECCIM CCAB 2009 Chicago

2009-11-19T17:13:00.000-06:00

After a stellar round of appointments by the "powers that be" in filling vacancies in ECCIM, the group announces today, November 19, via a tweet from Sarah Eagleheart:

Exec Council on Indigenous Ministry elected their leaders w/Chair - Bp Michael Smith, Vice - Frank Oberly & Secretary- Rachel Taber-Hamilton

I know that this will cause dancing in the streets in some portions of Native Ministry and much sadness and consternation in other portions of Native Ministry. For those that think Native Ministry is more than Advocacy, maybe it has something to do with catechesis, than this is a sad day. A search of the resolutions of General Convention and Executive Council since the 1980's produces an interesting and disappointing portrait of Native Ministry at the, excuse me for inappropriate/forbidden usage, national church level; oops, by decree, it is at the TEC level. No longer is it the national church but TEC, which sounds like a youth event.

I then see that ECCIM went on to discuss "Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery" in a tweet from Terry Star. This resolution was hailed by white liberals and secular injun groups but puts Native Christians in a weird position as to what does it really mean for us. Prior to or during General Convention no one contacted groups like the MN Department of Indian Work for our input or the input of local (dare I use the word grassroots) Episcopal native congregations about the impact or necessity of a General Convention resolution such as this to assist us in our work of baptizing, confirming, burying, marrying, and reaffirming people that look to our altars for spiritual action, guidance and support.

I am finding that blogging is harder then Twitter and facebook but as I get the hang of writing offline with documentation and then posting it may make more sense to me. One thing about this method, blogging, is that things that some think I pull out of the air or make up are linked to for their enjoyment and satisfaction.

Once I get the hang of linking documents it will be even more fun because I have been converting, archiving, updating formats of documents since I was first a consultant to MCIW in the early 1980's. I did destroy some hard copy before I figured out and acquired a sheet feeder document converter. I am getting ready to upgrade my hardware and software to improve my hardcopy to PDF conversion speed - it my blizzard project.

I need to go read awhile - something about the peasant's of Jesus' time little tradition/culture and its relationship to the ruling powers. It is a critique of New Testament studies based on theology, spiritualization, and the disconnect of Jesus from the movements using his name that emerged in the 1st and 2nd centuries.

Native Mission Ministry - Part 1

2009-11-18T17:04:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time, I believed or accepted the idea that Native Ministry and Mission was institutionally viable, then I became the institution. Serving in various positions in the original Minnesota Committee on Indian Work (MCIW) in the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota under BP Robert Anderson and Howard Anderson, Executive Director. During that time, I also began my engagement of the unNative Church by being a General Convention Delegate in 1984 and 1990 while serving on various Diocesan Boards, Committees, Commissions and the Trustees before leaving for seminary in the Fall of 1990.

I know - what does this have to do with Native Mission Ministry? See during this time, I also encountered Native Ministry as proposed/practiced through the Office of Native American Ministry (ONAM) in Congregational Ministries of the Program Division of the Domestic and Foreign Mission Society (DFMS) as implemented through the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America (PECUSA). At this time two bodies funded by the General Convention exercised mission and ministry in Dioceses with Native Ministry, Coalition 13 and National Committee on Indian Work (NCIW). Being from Minnesota and living on a rez put me in direct relationship with NCIW and ONAM. It wasn't until later that the lack of distinction between Diocesan Indian Mission/MCIW and the national ONAM/NCIW would be recognized by me as disastrous for baptized Native Peoples in the Diocese of MN under judicatory of the DFMS/PECUSA. I began to see that resolutions and budgets seemed to be the ministry and mission as expressed by the institutional church. I was good at both, so I fit right in.

This period of time, 1982-1988, began my relationship with mentors such as Dan Brown, Giles Hart, Jim Allen Sr, Marvin Red Elk, Virgil Foote, Johnson Loud, Doyle Turner, Pearl Blue, Art Goodthunder, George Smith, Howard Anderson, Dottie Bluestone, and others. As one can see the majority of these people were community based not institutionally based. Their goal was self sufficiency relying on the resources that existed in our communities. The relationship to God was/is definable totally within the structures, definitions, and culture of our communities. It didn't matter whether it made sense to others, it was "God Is Red", for real. I was lucky to be a part of this sovereign community of native Christian leaders that knew who they were without the need for the outside to OK, certify them. The only justification that really mattered was that of the community and its structures or else whatever one was trying to do didn't matter. I learned that everything we did in our communities was Native American Ministry because we, the Natives, did it. We could try to be what others mythologized about us or we could accept ourselves and live our lives - Native People practicing Christianity in the late 20th century.

Then I ran into the Episcopal Church's 1980's practice of Native Ministry at the pan Indian level - the destruction of Coalition 13 and NCIW by the Executive Council and ONAM with effects that are still rippling through Native Ministry as Advocacy. I am tired a break will be taken.

I will come back to the resolutions/budget thingy, grassroots versus intelligentsia as the source and practice of Native Mission Ministry, mentors and their thought and influence, the Diocesan Indian Work/MCIW and ONAM/NCIW confusion and impact on Native Ministry locally and nationally, and the "new" national leadership affiliated with ONAM. There will be multiple parts spread over months. Enjoy.

Trying again

2009-11-18T09:46:00.004-06:00

Here is an attempt to recommit to writing or more appropriately reflecting through the blogs: Native Mission Ministry Reflections, Bishop Whipple Vicar and dakotarez. I have discovered that the social networking environment has a stratified atmosphere that again I do not or will not understand. I think that if I go to blogging school, pay attention and do my homework - my blogs maybe the way to go.

Why?

Let me count the ways. First and foremost, is that the blogs are under my control: it is my content, it is my opinions, it is my response to myself and the stimuli that I encounter, and only those that want to read them, will read them. Second, is the fact that I am only accountable to myself which is more than enough. I do not have to explain, justify, qualify my posts to anyone but myself since I am the only one that reads them anyway. Third, I am not responsible enough for public discourse. Fourth, I am lazy and do not want to change my evil ways.

What are the blogs and their intentions. Probably the most benign is Bishop Whipple Vicar where I will post, reflect on, discuss things about Bishop Whipple Mission/St. Cornelia's Church. The content is based on the local context of the Vicar of an historic Episcopal Church mission to the Dakota people remaining and residing in the Lower Sioux Indian Community of southwestern Minnesota along the ancient River Warren now known as the Minnesota River.

A little more self reflective and antagonistic but still focused on Indian country Christianity is the blog Native Mission Ministry Reflections. This is the beginning of the explanation of why I will never make it to heaven - I definitely have an us/them, me/you, mine/theirs view of the world where names are used and processes accused. Sometimes self-righteousness is the dominate attitude in the posts in this blog but done with sufficient sarcasm, irony and Dakota pessimism to make it readable and tolerable. Anyway, that is the intent of the content.

Last but not least is the loosest of the three blogs dakotarez , where it is a blog free for all, full of free flowing, stream of conscience type of content about anything Indian, Native American, American Indian, Amerind, Indigenous, First Nations, First Nations, Fourth World, People of the Land, First Peoples, Aboriginal, etc. It is a blog full of personal, tribal, cultural contradictions, contraindications, inflammatory commentary, and delicate philosophical ditties about all things spatially contextual. Metaphorical conflicts of epic proportions flow across, through the posts - totally out of context and place. Nothing is sacred but all is filled with spirit. It is my favorite blog without a purpose.

So there you have it - so long social networking, its been fun to know ya.

Slap Slap GeeWiz Whatta Mess this Is

2008-07-23T14:26:00.002-05:00

So there I was minding my own business (kinda, for a vicar) when the following email pops up regarding Diocesan Council (leadership group of the Diocese of MN):

Members:

Several Council members have indicated a strong desire to meet in executive session this Thursday. Accordingly, after consultation with the Canon to the Ordinary and with the Bishop's express consent [through contact with him in London], we agree that the July meeting should occur without the presence of diocesan staff. Accordingly, tommorow's meeting will occur without staff support or input. We do need a member to volunteer to take the minutes of this meeting. Excluding staff will, of course, require postponement of a few matters which, according to staff, can easily be addressed at our September meeting.

We look forward to seeing you in Mankato.

doug

So now, I am not minding my own business anymore. I have a different kind of mission before me... One of futility and energy wasting but since I am only 1/2 time vicar, I have time and energy to waste/expend on battling windmills. I then penned the following to the Diocesan Council:

Dear Fellow Council Members,

I am at a loss as to how "several council members" can initiate and create an
executive session without the rest of the council being aware of this
action/maneuver and no vote taken. We just had an email vote over something more
important then an executive session which was considered valid and legal.

I thought we were operating in the first person as a council - "several members"
does not cut it. I know it wasn't me - were any others not part of the "several
members" group or was I the only one?

I did not vote on executive session - did anyone else?

Am I not a part of Diocesan Council and have a voice/vote in how we operate? As
a staff member (Vicar of a DIW mission) am I to stay home from the Diocesan
Council meeting? How is the fact of my being a staff member and Council member
being handled?

Maybe the legal beagles can dice the words either to keep me away or to allow my
presence. I am interested in the legal grounds for "several members" to call
executive session without the rest of Diocesan Council voting to consent or not.
If "several members" can call executive session without a vote what constitutes
"several members" so that I can maneuver Council actions with "several" other
members. Oh yeah, a retroactive vote to go into executive session when we get
(if as a staff member I can be there) to Mankato will be vigorously challenged
by myself and "several other members".

I await the determination on as a staff member being allowed to assume my seat
as the Region IV Clergy Representative at Diocesan Council, July 24, 2008 in
Mankato, MN at St. John's Episcopal Church.

--
Rev. John E. Robertson
Bishop Whipple Mission
PO Box 369, Morton, MN 56270
Native Ministry is a verb not a noun.

I have no idea if this little diatribe is good, bad or indifferent. I cannot be silent when 1+1=3.

All of this excitement points to the question of mission. What is it? Where is it? How is it?

What was is not

2008-07-17T12:57:00.004-05:00

I had thought about doing a daily reflection on some aspect, some thought, some theology, of being ordained to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church in the United States. I had intended to tie it to the 15th year of the Right Reverend James Jelinek's episcopate as the 8th Bishop of the Diocese of Minnesota in some mystical manner. Instead, life happened, my own lack of consistency, my lack of commitment and the important stuff of being somebody and blogging slipped into the fog of these realities and myths.

Now what will emerge will be a blog of my inconsistent tirades regarding Native Mission Ministry. What does this mean? This is the churchy, pseudo-theological, mission defining, ministry refining blog. This is where I will try to stay broad, institutional church focused in the narrow and broad sense of the definition.

I do have second blog that talks about the actual Native Mission I serve as vicar called Bishop Whipple Vicar. This is a place based blog about the doings, the activities, the realities of a 21st century native Episcopal Church mission located in a small Dakota community in Southwestern Minnesota.

A third, inconsistently posted blog called dakotarez is where I rant, pontificate, and generally complain about Native academics, politics, and culture. This is a blog that I started before blogging exploded so it is a sad statement on opportunity missed and my own laziness to adopt and adept technology for my use.

Now that I have internet access at the coffeehouse where I hangout, I may try to develop into a blogger after all these years.

Thanks for the patience.