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Sacred Circle--the 11th national gathering of Indigenous Anglicans has officially installed Chris Harper as the Anglican Church of Canada’s new national Indigenous Anglican archbishop. This is the first time the national gathering of Indigenous Anglicans has held a formal installation ceremony for its presiding elder.

“We are being sent in a glorious message and the glorious opportunity to build up the church and to show the unity of the church in our Indigenous ministries, as we find our own voice in our own communities … to say [this message] within our own languages and our own context in our own gatherings, to show some of the traditions that we have of the spirituality that we’ve had, to give thanksgiving for our relatives and our ancestors,” Harper said. “This world needs peace,” he added. “We need peace, we need healing … I pray it is you, as a representative of the church, from wherever you come from, from all corners—that you are that message of peace.”

For more please go to the Anglican Journal from which this post was excerpted.

About the symbolism of the National Indigenous History Month image: The First Nations (the eagle), the Inuit (the Narwhal) and the Métis ( the Violin)  as well as the four elements of the earth are represented in the image. The whole visual is supported by a multicolored smoke. Smoke is used in different ways by all three Indigenous groups in Canada. Whether is is to smoke fish and meat, burn sage and tobacco or for sacred ceremonies or celebrations, it is a significant symbol in Inndigernous culture. The multicolors of  the smoke remind us of the colors of the rainbow -- a symbol of inclusion and diversity of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and their members.