Thanksgiving 2022 | Listening, Learning & Leaning In
Creator,
Sometimes we don’t know what to pray,
or how to talk to you about fixing what’s broken…Sometimes we want to say…
“Why do so many bad things happen to the vulnerable?”
This week we are reminded that gratitude changes things,And so we try to shift our focus a little,
remembering that though things aren’t as they should be,
we’re waiting and listening for what is good.So we give thanks for what we can—
For a world of seasons that teach us about life and death;
For children who remind us to let go of our pretenses;
For diversity that is a mirror of your kingdom.And we simply ask that we know you better,
that we know our neighbor better,
and that when we don’t know exactly how to fight for justice or rescue the oppressed,
we can at least mouth to you that we’re trying,
and that we trust you to show us the way.For that, we are deeply, deeply thankful.
Amen.
-Kaitlin Curtis, member of the Potawatomi Citizen Band (Prayer abbreviated. Read in entirety here.)
As we enter the Thanksgiving holidays, we carry heavy hearts with the recent UVa tragedy. Many of us also bring additional traumas of pain and loss. Our Native sisters and brothers know grief intimately. We invite you to take some time to listen and learn from them over this holiday season.
The Christian Community Development Association and the Reformed Church of America both have wonderful Thanksgiving ‘toolkits’. We’ve pulled from these below as well as added some of our own. May these resources add real depth and kingdom hope to your Thanksgiving celebrations this year.
LISTENING & LEARNING
LEANING IN
In addition to prayer, here are some suggestions from the Reformed Church of America:
This article from PBS isn’t a Christian resource, but it does offer a number of resources for how to honor Indigenous American and Aboriginal people with your kids.
Consider participating in the Blanket Exercise—“a history experience from the perspective of Indigenous People”— that was created by the Christian Reformed Church in North America. There are trained facilitators across the U.S. and Canada.
Offer a land acknowledgement in addition to your prayers of gratitude. This article offers more details surrounding land acknowledgements. You can also discover what Native American communities reside in your area using this digital Native lands resource.
Explore this series of poems and art produced by Bizzy Feekes and Mae Stier or this Indigenous Bible Study by Bizzy Feekes.
Read with your faith community or book club using this book club resource, which includes videos, discussion questions and more. This is a practical and easy next step to start a robust conversation.
Watch the “Original Americans” episode of Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (season 1, episode 7), on Hulu, to learn more about Indigenous American food and decolonizing Thanksgiving.
Consider incorporating Native American recipes into your Thanksgiving meal. One good resource is The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman. Or click here for 5 recipes from various Indigenous chefs.
Some final inspiration for your Thanksgiving dinner.