November is Native American Heritage month and we give thanks for the Native American contribution to The United Methodist Church.
“I give you as light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah sings the beautiful vision of God. We carry in our heart this deep, deep sense of God’s love and embrace for all humankind. November is Native American Heritage month and we give thanks for the Native American contribution to The United Methodist Church.
We, in the North Carolina Annual Conference, point with pride to Native American leadership of our connectional church. Our lay leader, Gary Locklear, is known across the connection for his leadership of Laity ministries of the mission of the church and of Disaster Response in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
Our superintendent in the Gateway district, Ken Locklear, has led with energy and compassion and vision in the wake now of two storms, Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence. In our Native American churches, clergy and laity, older adults, little children, families, households, worship, learn and serve together.
We give thanks, and yet we also name the distance we have yet to go for full inclusion of all people in The United Methodist Church. We have yet to see the election of a Native American bishop or the election of a judicial council member from the Native American community. We continue to monitor our life together in order to be faithful to the vision of God.
I give you as light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. In order to live and embody this vision, it’s essential that we embody the great inclusive nature of God’s love. In this month, let us give thanks for indigenous people, the first Americans, Native Americans near us and across our country.