Dear friends,
As you know, Bishop Andrew is away on Sabbath Leave, so his regular ‘Friday Letters’ are on pause. We look forward to welcoming him back briefly at the end of this month for Synod Council on June 19, and then for General Synod in London, Ontario from June 23-29. No doubt he will be eager to share some of his adventures when he is back from his whole sabbatical in September. In the meantime, as Commissary of the Diocese during his time away, I wanted to write to you in this first week of June to highlight two important celebrations this month.
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day across Canada, when we celebrate the cultures, languages and traditions of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people. On this date each year, various events take place across our country to remember and give thanks for the enduring contributions of Indigenous people.
Within the life of our Church, June 21 has a slightly different focus. On this National Indigenous Day of Prayer, our Church commits to pray for the ongoing work of truth and reconciliation. It is a day for settlers to acknowledge the harms of colonialism and commit to a different path forward.
This year, June 21 falls on a Saturday, and this is also the tenth anniversary of the 94 Calls to Action. There are many events and gatherings taking place across the country this year. I invite you to seek them out in your own communities, where you can stand with Indigenous siblings, praying for reconciliation and recommitting ourselves to this sacred work.
June is also Pride Month. In communities large and small across our Diocese, parades and celebrations are taking place to honour our 2SLGBTQ+ siblings, and to stand in solidarity with them. With the rise in homophobic and transphobic rhetoric over the past few years, Pride is as much protest as it is parade.
Individually and collectively, we denounce any violence or prejudice against our 2SLGBTQ+ siblings in Canada and around the world. As followers of Jesus Christ, we affirm the sacred worth of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The call of Jesus is one of love and inclusion, where, in baptism, we are called to seek peace and justice among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.
This year, I invite you to join with us in standing with the Queer community. Check in with your 2SLGBTQ+ friends and neighbours to make sure they are feeling safe. Celebrate with them the beautiful diversity of the children of God and remind them of God’s love for all. My own family will be attending some of the events on Pride weekend, when I know we will be warmly included, celebrated and embraced – including by the Proud Anglicans of our wonderful Diocese.
As we celebrate our Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ siblings this month, let us remember God’s dream: an emerging reign of love, justice and peace, where the inherent dignity and sacred worth of every creature is honoured and celebrated. The love of Jesus calls us “to be God’s co-creators in new and wondrous ways” of this emerging reign.
On behalf of Bishop Riscylla Shaw and myself: Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! Happy Pride!
Yours faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Kevin Robertson
Bishop Suffragan of Toronto
