10/12/2026
Statement for Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Monday, October 12, 2026
As our nation observes Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we take this opportunity as a church to reflect prayerfully on our shared history and to look with hope toward our shared future.
We recognize that our history contains moments of courage, discovery, sacrifice, and cultural exchange, as well as chapters marked by suffering, injustice, displacement, and loss – particularly for the Indigenous peoples who have called this land home for generations. Remembering our past faithfully means making room for its complexity, honoring what is good while having the humility to acknowledge where humanity has fallen short.
As followers of Christ, we believe that every person is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth. We therefore honor the history, cultures, resilience, and contributions of Indigenous peoples, while praying for healing wherever wounds from the past remain.
Our faith reminds us that we are not bound to the divisions of yesterday. In Christ, we are called toward reconciliation, understanding, mercy, and peace. We can learn from the past without allowing it to divide us, and we can walk forward together with greater compassion for one another.
On this day of reflection, may we seek truth with humility, extend grace generously, and pray for a future in which every person and every community is treated with dignity. May God give us wisdom to learn from those who came before us, courage to love our neighbors well today, and hope as we build a more peaceful and united tomorrow.
