Orange Shirt Sunday

                                                                          Phyllis Jack Webstad 

A Prayer for Orange Shirt Day*

Today we wear orange
to remember and honour all the Indigenous children who went to residential schools.

Today we wear orange and we pray
for the residential school and intergenerational survivors who are still struggling.

Today we wear orange and we are thankful
for those who speak the truth, and who work to shine a light on injustice.

Today we wear orange in the name of compassion and the spirit of truth and reconciliation.

Help us, God, to remember and act on this this every day.

Amen.

*This prayer was inspired by Honarine Scott’s Orange Shirt Day blog.

A couple of months ago those of us who are part of the Trenton United Church congregation were invited to purchase Every Child Matters tee-shirts in anticipation of Orange Shirt Sunday later that name in September.  This  Sunday is an act of solidarity with those who were taken from their families and essentially incarcerated and indoctrinated under the guise of Residential Schools. 

As is so often the case, dedicated congregation members had stepped up to organize this initiative and not long ago we received word that our shirts had arrived. The description on the United Church website is helpful: 

Why orange? Because of Phyllis Jack Webstad from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, who went to St. Joseph Mission Residential School. On her first day of school, Phyllis wore an orange shirt that her grandmother had given her. It was immediately taken away, and that marked the beginning of Phyllis’s long separation from her family and community, a separation caused by actions of the church and federal government.

Orange Shirt Day is a time for us all to remember those events, their ongoing impact, and just as importantly the continuing strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples. 

The shirts are now available in lots of locations but this concerted effort by a group of concerned Christians is an important act of solidarity. And while Orange Shirt Day is actually September 30th  congregations will be commemorating the event a few days earlier on Sunday, September 26th. Trenton UC has also put up a flag on the building in anticipation of the events. 

If you are interested in participating here is the United Church link with important practical information and food for thought. 

https://united-church.ca/news/orange-shirt-day-2021