Opening Our Hearts to Reconciliation

with Katherine Murray, Dr. Mary Ellen Kelm, Kerry Baisley

Opening Our Hearts to Reconciliation

$400 plus accommodation and (optional) meals

This interactive and prayerful workshop will focus on the relationship between the church, especially the Anglican church, and Indigenous people in Canada.

Our goal is to reconcile ourselves to the truths of that relationship that are complex and sometimes contradictory. Part history lesson, part lesson of the heart, we will explore how we, as Christians, can let go of the struggle to accept these truths, and how we can prayerfully work to open ourselves to new, and renewed, relationships between Indigenous and settler people.

Katherine Murray is passionate about God, the contemplative life, and spiritual transformation. She deeply loves the practices of Centering Prayer, Welcoming Prayer, and Listening Prayer as they offer us a way to be present to our union with God. For 12 years she has been facilitating retreats, groups and individual sessions to guide and companion others on their spiritual journey. She oversees the Listening Prayer Ministry at St. Dunstan’s Anglican Parish. Katherine holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Masters degree in International Relations.  

Mary-Ellen Kelm is a professor of history at Simon Fraser University specializing in settler colonialism. She is the author or editor of five books including Talking Back to the Indian Act (with Keith Smith). She is an Anglican with a passion for contemplative practices, social justice and transformation. 

Kerry Baisley has been serving as the Missioner for Indigenous Justice for the Diocese of New Westminster since 2020. Working as the Missioner for Indigenous Justice is simultaneously a daunting task and an exciting adventure. The daunting task is how to encourage those new and developing relationships to become “streams of living justice.” Being the church is all about being in relationship with others. Kerry worked for over 35 years in public service in positions ranging from emergency child welfare to work in the Yukon and medical social work.  He retired after ten years as Director of Client Relations and Risk Management in Richmond. He is a past Board Member of the 127 Society for Housing and a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia.