Words from Pastor Mary

My goal for Native American Urban Ministry is healing for people.  As I began my journey, I was unclear why God chose me. Today, I know it has to be about healing the souls of people. I began therapy in the early 70’s. This was the first time I heard of intergenerational grief and trauma. Trauma that is passed from one generation to the next. My grandmothers and both parents were in boarding schools. My mother was 4 when she was taken from her grandmother and put into a Catholic boarding school for 12 years. My dad went to a government boarding school for the same amount of time.

Boarding schools were started in 1879 with the thought of acculturating young Natives by taking them from their homes, forbidding the use of their language, songs or ceremony and forcing Christianity upon them. Many were physically and sexually abused. This resulted in generations of grief and trauma and breakdown of the family unit.

The past is healing through the young people today, who are choosing a substance free life. Our young Native people are breaking cycles of substance abuse and finding God’s love within themselves, through opportunities that NAUM and Grace Lutheran offer to the community. This is a major breakthrough in our culture,  we are part of God’s healing in the world.  

We created history on February 8^th, with Super Sober Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. meetings every hour. AA, Alanon, NA were all present along with Wellbriety Talking Circles and drum groups. This was held for the first time in a church, a welcoming, nurturing church where people walk hand in hand on this journey. We also had a full worship service that day, wrapped around the meetings and the message of the day was self love. John 10-10: I came that they may have life abundantly.

The Christ Consciousness of the Universe reaches everyone, rather they believe or not, they Holy Spirit is at work. I could clearly see that Saturday as I shared the message. People who otherwise would not be in church, were in church hearing of God’s love and desire for us is  to live a life of abundant Grace. Eighty people heard that message on Super Sober Saturday at NAUM.

Most Natives, if brought up in church at all, were fundamentalist thinking,  that were heavy on the law. Light on Grace. As Christian Lutherans we know about God’s grace. We mustn’t take that for granted, for it is a gift some have not heard.

Pr. ML.