This Native American Heritage Day we’re highlighting an incredible translation of Scripture we think you should all know about! First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament is a beautiful and important work, which “was birthed out of a desire to provide an English Bible that connects, in a culturally relevant way, to the traditional heart languages of the over six million English-speaking First Nations people of North America” (from the introduction of the book).

You might have heard some of this translation in a sermon Pastor Molly preached on July 27th, where she read The Lord’s Prayer. Hearing such a common passage from a new perspective is enlightening and powerful. The prayer is pictured above, and quoted below:

When you send your voice to the Great Spirit, here is how you should pray:

“O Great Spirit, our Father from above, your name is sacred and holy.

Bring your good road to us, where the beauty of your ways in the spirit-world above is reflected in the earth below.

Provide for us day by day--the elk, the buffalo, and the salmon. The corn, the squash, and the wild rice. All the good things we need for each day.

Release us from the things we have done wrong in the same way we release others for the things done wrong to us.

And guide us from the things that tempt us to stray from your good road.”

#nativeamericanheritageday

🏳️‍⚧️ 🕯️ Transgender Day of Remembrance calls on us to lament our trans and non-binary siblings whose lives have been unjustly taken from us this year, including all those whose deaths have not been reported, and with special attention to the disproportionate deaths of Black trans women. At least 58 people have passed away this year, 27 of whom were lost to violence, 21 lost to suicide, and 8 have been lost to natural causes. Though we honor these 58 people, we recognize that the true number may be higher, as many incidents go unreported.

Our Christian tradition calls us to remembrance and solidarity with the oppressed. We remember the lives of our trans and non-binary ancestors, honoring them by carrying them with us, learning from them, and being strengthened by their memories. We are called to be in solidarity with our trans and non-binary siblings who are being targeted, persecuted, and used as political pawns. We, as Christians, must stand in the way of those aiming to dehumanize our siblings, to give of ourselves so that our gender variant family may find rest and healing, and to hold those spewing and enacting hate accountable. This has been and will continue to be our task, so that all of God’s beautiful and diverse creation might flourish.

Let us continue to cultivate a world worthy of everyone, in concert with the guidance and determination of our trans and non-binary siblings leading us forward.

read all of their stories, at TransRemembrance.org (link in bio) #transdayofremembrance

Tomorrow is our All Souls Day worship service. The centerpiece to this day of remembering our loved ones is the amazing and beautiful ofrenda created by Ramón. If you’ve ever wondered about the history, purpose and elements of an ofrenda - Pastor Molly has put together this great guide…

🐹🐶🐱🐾 Yesterday was our annual Blessing of the Animals worship service! 🐾🐱🐶🐹

One of our favorite things about Normal Heights United Church is that any given Sunday there are usually at least one or two, or more, pets in our service. The sound of a dog barking reminds us that all creation is precious to God. And yesterday we celebrated all of our beloved pets by asking that they join the service so that we could bless them!

Listen to our weekly sermon podcast to listen in (link in bio), or check out the photo album by reading the Sunday email newsletter.

Just a few church folk that made it out to the #nokingssandiego march today.