A Message from Archbishop Anne Germond for National Indigenous Peoples Day and in Loving Memory of Deacon Lana Grawbarger

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a sacred opportunity for reflection and relationship across our country—and especially in a Diocese like Algoma, where Indigenous communities are woven into the fabric of each deanery.

Ordinarily, I would do everything in my power to be present with our Indigenous partners on June 21. But this year, my responsibilities at General Synod have taken me far from home. Though I cannot be there in body, my heart is very much in Garden River, where a memorial Eucharist will be held for a beloved daughter of the land, Deacon Lana Grawbarger.

Lana served faithfully at St. John’s Anglican Church, Garden River. A proud member of Garden River First Nation and a fifth-generation descendant of Chief Shingwauk, Lana’s leadership flowed not from title or role, but from wisdom, humility, and a heart open to all. Her bannock was famous. Her counsel was cherished. Her storytelling was luminous. And her ministry—as a deacon, teacher, singer, and auntie-mama to so many—left a lasting imprint on the lives she touched.

I remember one of my last Christmases in Garden River, sitting with Lana and Elder Willard Pine as we discerned how best to serve the community during the pandemic. In that moment, I witnessed what made Lana so special: a deep sense of responsibility to her people, and an equally deep trust in the Spirit’s guidance. What emerged that year was the wood bundle ministry—fires of warmth, light, and prayer in every home.

As we approach June 21—National Indigenous Peoples Day and the date on which many churches also observe the National Indigenous Day of Prayer—we remember that the Church is not a building. It is people, called and sent, rooted in love and relationship.

Throughout the Diocese of Algoma, the commitment to reconciliation continues to be lived out in sacred and local ways. At St. Paul’s, Thunder Bay, reconciliation is woven into the very architecture of the worship space, where a sacred circle welcomes all who gather. Bishop Lydia Mamakwa has been invited to offer the sacrament of confirmation there—an act of welcome that affirms our deepening partnership in the spirit of mutual respect. And through the ongoing work of Sandra Fox, who serves as Algoma’s representative on the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP), we are strengthened in our collective witness.

As we mark National Indigenous Peoples Day, may we do so with open hearts, remembering that the path to reconciliation is walked most meaningfully in local places—in stories shared, wisdom received, relationships nurtured. Lana taught us that. She lived it. May her memory strengthen our commitment to live it, too.

Baamaapii.

With love and blessing,

+Anne
Archbishop Anne Germond