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Dear Friends,

Our Primate Linda Nicholls and Archbishop Mark MacDonald have written to tell us that on Monday, September 30 (Orange Shirt Day) at 10am Eastern Time in the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation will hold a ceremony to honour all the children who did not return home from the Residential Schools.  The ceremony will include, for the first time, the sharing of the first known names of children lost to the schools. This is a significant spiritual event and the calls us to join in heart, mind, and soul to honour and remember the children.

I am asking that all the churches in our diocese offer prayers for the children who did not return home.  For four days, beginning on September 27, we are asked to gather in prayer for the children, each person and parish in your own respectful way.  If it is not possible for you to gather in your church, pray with your family or by yourself.  On Sunday, September 29, we will remember the children in all our churches.  We pray remembering the children.  We pray for the healing of the Land.

Suggested prayers:

For the Children Who Didn't Return Home
Our dear brothers and sisters.  We have missed you being with us, so very much and for so long.  There have been times when we have cried in loneliness for you.  We have felt hurt and pain, thinking of your suffering.  There have been times when we cried to God for you and for justice.  Now, we join together to surround you with our very best thoughts and prayers, praying for you and for the very best for you.  We also pray for ourselves, who miss you so, and for the Land, that needs God's healing.  We pray that you would be at rest and peace.  We remember you now.  We will always remember you.

Prayer for the Children Who Didn't Return Home
Almighty God, we remember before you all the children - our dear relatives - who did not return home from the Residential Schools.  May you remember their suffering and pain.  May you grant them rest in the Land of Peace.  May you surround them with beautiful and sacred love and joy.  We pray to you also for ourselves and our children.  At a time like this we remember we need your Spirit so very much.  We pray to you, your Spirit prays through us, in the Name of Jesus, who suffered with us but raised us and will raise us with our departed loved ones.  Amen.

 

In Christ,

+Melissa

 

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