Whether you are a visitor to our area, a long time member of one of our congregations, or seeking a new church home, we look forward to welcoming you to the Episcopal Church in Northern Michigan.

NATIVE AMERICAN connections

We celebrate our connections with the people who have lived in this land since time immemorial. The Diocese developed Walking Together: Finding Common Ground to uncover, acknowledge and document the truth about Indigenous experiences in the Michigan Native American Boarding Schools, in conjunction with the Great Lakes Peace Center and the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University.

And we offer this Christmas poem by Tom Biron, Anishinaabe Ojibway citizen of the Garden River First Nations, and instructor of Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University.

 

niibaa-anama’e-giizhigad  It is Christmas
aadizookaan na a sacred story (a legend)
This human being was created.
He told sacred stories all year round.

Jesus Christ was anything but evil in these stories.
His medicines saved many and lingers on still, longer than others believe.
What does that mean?
Truth was shared in his stories.

Not glory as much as healing feelings.
The people who were made whole again loved him.
Many others feared him.
And many, we are told today, saw him as a threat.

This story is not poetry in the sense of reading.
The life of Jesus was immense.
He died young and suffered for being born.
His mother, Our Earth, Kashnakii, and Mary mourned.

We share the same birth place.
Not from within a manger but free and whole in nature.
Introduced as a sacred binoodjiins like Jesus.
A spiritual relationship.

We are a group of Christians gathered.  We believe that every person is made in the image of God–beautiful, unique and beloved.  The Baptismal Covenant is part of the fabric of our lives together. In that spirit, we seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. We are a community of advocates who strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.

Our lives are made rich by the people in our congregations and in our communities, including those of other faiths and belief systems, orientations, ethnicities, and identifications. Our message to you is simple, but heartfelt:  God Loves You. No Exceptions.
Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan

131 East Ridge Street
Marquette, MI 49855

(906) 228-7160

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The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan is located in K’chi Namebini-Ziibing (Marquette), the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabeg, Three Fires Confederacy. The diocese acknowledges the historical connection our organization has with its Indigenous community and their sacred connection with the land. We recognize, support and advocate for the sovereign rights of tribal nations as they navigate through the various impacts of settler colonialism. This acknowledgment is aligned with our churches core value of creating a diverse and inclusive community. It is an organizational responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture and history that make up our beloved shared community.