Pikangikum FN Group
Christ Memorial Church first learned about the plight of the people in Pikangikum First Nation in 2013. A Toronto-based group of professionals and Pimatisiwin Nipi (PN), a GTA area Anglican group, invited us to take part in a Water Project, whose goal was to bring potable water to Pikangikum. Members of Christ Church joined other Anglican churches in giving generously to help out. Monies raised that year from the Water Project brought clean drinking water to fourteen homes in Pikangikum.
While of course church members were encouraged by this positive result, some admitted to confusion around First Nations issues. They asked to learn about other needs in Pikangikum and about Aboriginal issues more generally.
Seven members of Christ Church became active in their desire to learn and advocate on behalf of the Pikangikum and to equip others. They met to pray and plan in February 2015.
Christ Church’s Pikangikum First Nation Group shares the four objectives, or Pillars, of PN which are:
- Education
- Advocacy
- Spiritual Walk
- Strategic Funding.
Currently our focus is on the pillars of education and advocacy. Some examples of our advocacy work includes engagement with politicians on this issue; education-wise, we have been on road-trips to pow-wows and at Christ Church have hosted Lunch-and-Learn events, which provide members of the church and community opportunities to engage with First Nations issues.
Join us as we prayerfully seek to join in what God is doing around First Nations concerns in our country!
