As followers of Jesus, we are continually called to the work of repentance and seeking forgiveness as the path towards reconciliation. The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, like much of the Episcopal Church, was built on the ancestral lands of Indigenous/First Nations people. As a step toward seeking acknowledgement and repentance, the Missioner for Indigenous Ministry Engagement is to assist the Diocese as we seek to intentionally remember, recognize, and reconcile the harmful past while forging new relationships in connection with our Indigenous siblings.
The Rev. Leslie Scoopmire is our missioner for Indigenous Ministry Engagement.
The Missioner’s responsibilities include:
- Provide tools and resources for communities of faith to collect the stories of the land upon which our buildings reside.
- Provide resources to communities of faith to enable ongoing acknowledgement of the land upon which our buildings reside.
- Build bridges that connect the Diocese to the Indigenous people/tribes, primarily around ancestral lands.
- Develop liturgical resources to be used by communities of faith that comprise the Diocese.
- Seek ways to invite and incorporate Indigenous practices into the life of the Diocese, paying close attention to the temptation of cultural appropriation.
- Offer resources to communities of faith within the Diocese around Indigenous engagement.
- Establish a Council of Advice to share in the work of ministry.
- Preach and teach in communities of faith that make up the Diocese.
- Submit an annual report to the Diocesan Convention.
- Offer presentations to Diocesan Council which highlight the ongoing work of racial reconciliation within the Diocese.
Liturgy and Prayer for Native American History Month 2025
Gathered Poems and Liturgical Elements from around the US and Canada, including templates for complete Eucharistic liturgies, collected by the Rev. Leslie Scoopmire
A Disciples' Prayer Book, from the Episcopal Church's Office of Indigenous Ministries (2nd edition).
A Sampler of Native American/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Liturgies, prepared for the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, July 2009, Anaheim, CA, found at The Episcopal Church's website.
"Liturgical Resources for Commemorating Indigenous Peoples' Day and Other Occasions," prepared by the Rev. Dr. Matthew Cadwell, the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts Racial Justice Commission and the Indigenous Peoples' Justice Network of the Dioceses of Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts, September 2023