Social Justice Concerns

• The 175 trees by our 175th anniversary challenge
• Indigenous People
• Hunger
• Human Trafficking

The treed environment around us - a new project for 2023 and beyond.

As part of our 170th anniversary year, St. Anne's has joined the Archbishop of Canterbury's Anglican Communion tree planting project.

We hope that over the next five years we will be able to point to 175 trees planted to commemorate our church community, its people and our 175th anniverary in 2028. Why not plant a tree on your property or fund a tree to be planted elsewhere? Just let the church office know of your efforts so that we can tally up the numbers and the impact we are having on our environment. Listed below are a few organizations that plant trees in our area and feel free to tell us of others:

1) ReForest London www.reforestlondon.ca - $25 per tree to plant a tree in a London park. A tax receipt is provided.

2) Lower Thames Valley Conservation Foundation  www.lowerthames-conservation.on.ca - $40 per tree to plant in a conservation area memorial forest. The tree can be donated in memory of a person and a certificate will be provided. There are no areas within the city but in the region, the closest being at the Conservation Area outside Delaware. A tax receipt is provided.

3) St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation  www.scrca.on.ca/foundation/memorial-forests - $50 per tree to plant in a conservation area memorial forest – The tree can be donated in memory of a person and a certificate will be provided. There are no areas within the city but in the region, the closest being at the Conservation Area in Strathroy. A tax receipt is provided.

4) Upper Thames River Conservation Authority www.thamesriver.on.ca - $50 per tree for the memorial forest program in London and a tree planted in memory of a person. There is also a Tree Power Program whereby the authority provides free trees to people to plant trees on their property in partnership with London Hydro. While there does not appear to be a minimum donation only donations of at least $20 gets a tax receipt.

Indigenous People

Territorial Land Acknowledgement
We want to acknowledge that the land we are gathered on today is First Nations’ territory, the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Attawandaron, and Wendat peoples. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties. We also want to offer respect to our neighbouring Indigenous nations, including the Metis, Cree and Inuit amongst many others. Our necessities of life are here and our work today is possible because of the stewardship of the 7 generations who came before us.

Our Creator
Our Creator who dwells in the sky world
Your name is sacred.
Bring us your kingdom and let your will be done on mother earth and in the sky world.
Give us today the harvest of your land.
Forgive us for what we have done wrong.
Forgive those who have done wrong to us.
Don’t let us be led into wrong doing.
But let us walk the good path with a good mind.
You are our everything and you are everywhere.
You are powerful and you dwell in glory.
Before, now and forever.

Photo: Orange Shirt Sunday - September 25, 2022

National Indigenous Day of Prayer -  June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Indigenous Ministries supports the Indigenous Peoples of Canada (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) spiritually, socially, economically and politically. We recognize that the purity of the land base provides for all our needs. As active participants in the life of the church, we strive for reconciliation with the Anglican Communion and work towards Indigenous self-determination.

More information on the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, their work and many other resources may be found at: https://www.anglican.ca/im/

Navajo Beauty Way Prayer “Walk in Beauty” from the women of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland. Blessing led by the Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton at Sheep Camp, Navajoland.

Prayers, an adaptation of the Great Thanksgiving. Led by Ms. Judith Moses and Mr. John Haugen, members of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples.

Homily by the Rt. Rev. Chris Harper, Bishop of Saskatoon

The Strawberry Story, written by the late Canon Ginny Doctor, read by Donna Bomberry.

One particularly inportant resources is Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen lands, Strong Hearts. The purpose of this one hour long film is to respond to the calls to action by helping to provide education and insight into the racist foundations of many of our property and other laws still in existence to this day.
https://www.anglican.ca/primate/tfc/drj/doctrineofdiscovery/

The Lenni Lenape Algonkian Iroquoian Council consists of representatives of the six First Nation parishes in the Anglican Diocese of Huron. The LAIC logo consists of traditional First Nation and Christian symbolism: an Eagle Feather (representing Truth, Power, Freedom, and Balance); a white Christian cross on a blue background; and at the four cardinal points, spots of the traditional colours representing the Four Directions. To learn more of their ongoing Vision and Mission, particularly in the light of the Calls to Action and recommendation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, please visit: https://diohuron.org/ministries/laic-first-nations-parishes

Other resources:

• Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada
• First Nations University of Canada
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports
• National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls
• Canadian Encyclopedia

In 2019, St. Anne's hosted a Blanket Exercise and were pleased to have 29 people join us for this event.

Hunger

In 2021 St. Anne's began growing some fresh food for the local Byron Cares Food Bank. A greenhouse was supplied to the church by Business Cares London and the London Food Bank.  Thanks to Green Horizon Sod Farms/Big Yellow Bags and Home Hardware Komoka for their donations to help us continue the greenhouse operation. We truly appreciate the people behind these organizations for caring enough about their neighbours to support this effort!

Our community and parish volunteers spend time caring for our garden beds several times a week from May until the weather turns too cold for production to continue, weeding and watering as needed so the plants have good ventilation and moisture. You can also sign up for harvesting when the crops are ready to deliver to Byron Cares. New volunteers are most welcome to join us as we all do our small part to help feed our neighbours.

As we come to the beginning of our 2024 growing season, we will be expanding our use of the greenhouse and growing additional crops. A bit of an experiment this year, yet it is our hope it helps us increase our yield of fresh produce for our neighbours who use Byron Cares. Feel free to contact us if you wish to participate as we are always looking for fresh ideas and help!

This year we will be holding a Blessing of the Gardens and Open House on Sunday May 26th, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am to celebrate the beginning of another growing season. This Blessing will take place at the end of our regular 9:15 worship service. Refreshments and treats will be served as we hear a bit about our 2024 plans. All are welcome to attend our worship service or Open House and visitors will also enjoy special music by the ‘Uke ‘N Do It’ ukelele band.

We are expanding our operations to increase our yield and the variety of crops grown. Key to our work will be a more intentional focus on how we can incorporate green practices into growing our food. Composting, worm castings and providing shelter for beneficial insects will be part of our efforts. Although we have a small area to grow food, large pots recycled from a local nursery, potato cages and a new trellis will hopefully increase our offerings to Byron Cares. A Three Sisters planting of corn, beans and squash will also pay tribute to our Indigenous neighbours and those who farmed this land in past generations.

Do you have a garden space that could contribute to growing food for the Food Bank? Anyone with their own backyard or community garden can help – will you?

 St. Paul's Daily Bread Program, a registered charity, is an ecumenical social service provider supported by over 50 London and area churches of various denominations, a number of service and fraternal organizations and hundreds of caring individuals on a regular ongoing basis. The Daily Bread Program is available to anyone need in the community who is in need and is one of the few agencies in London that offers emergency financial assistance in crisis situations pertaining to shelter and/or utilities cut off as funds permit.

Human Trafficking

The Trap, created by the Ontario Government, simulates the realities of being targeted, recruited, and exploited by a sex trafficker. It is designed to be used as part of a discussion facilitated by an adult, helping you teach your kids about human trafficking in an interactive, impactful way.

Courage for Freedom is one organization working to increase awareness of this practice of human sex trafficking and its presence along the 400 series highways and have a Project Maple Leaf intitiave to spread the word - https://courageforfreedom.org/solution/projectmapleleaf/  Can you spread the word?

In 2019, 14 members of the congregation attended a public rally in July to learn more about what can be done to decrease human trafficking. It was both informational and inspiring.

Internationally, human trafficking, bonded labour and slavery are still very prevalent in some parts of the world. The International Justice Mission (IJM) - https://www.ijm.org/ - partners with local authorities in 24 program offices in 14 countries to combat slavery, violence against women and children, and police abuse of power against people who are poor. IJM is a global organization partnering with local justice systems to end violence against people living in poverty.

An article in Christianity Today about an IJM opearation to end slavery on Lake Volta.