Blanket Excercise - February 23rd at 12:30

Sorry about that...  but there has been unprecedented interest in the February 23 Blanket Exercise mentioned in the e-update and during the Sunday service on January 19th. In fact all 50 places are now spoken for but we are establishing a waiting list in case of any cancellations. If you have registered but are unable to attend, please let Dudleigh know and we can offer your place to someone on our waiting list. His email is [email protected]

The popularity of this event is a testament to our need for education and the sincerity of our GSJ community's interest in reconciliation. It is our hope that other churches in the SE Ottawa cluster and others will also take the initiative to host a Blanket Exercise. 

As background and thanks to a grant from the UCC’s Healing Fund, the ReconciliAction Working Group will be hosting the KAIROS Blanket Exercise after coffee hour in Fraser Hall, starting at 12:30 on Sunday, February 23.

What is the KAIROS Blanket Exercise?  Here is a short video clip of one held a few years ago including some shots from Glebe St James!

The Blanket Exercise is based on using Indigenous methodologies and the goal is to build understanding about our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by walking through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. During this 2-to-3-hour workshop, everyone is actively involved as they step onto blankets that represent the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and later Métis peoples. By engaging on an emotional and intellectual level, the Blanket Exercise effectively educates and increases empathy.

Thank you.