Rupert’s Land Wechetowin
Rev. Deacon Tanis McLeod Kolisnyk – Deacon Report 2021
Rupert’s Land Wechetowin efforts have continued during the entire year of 2021. In June we were blessed with a grant by the Anglican Healing Fund to help with this ministry. Our efforts work towards healing, wellness, and reconciliation. Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Anglicans expand the circle of caring as we work together towards various initiatives.
- Prayer Ministry: Prayer Blasters Ministry Team: participants receive monthly prayer requests for individuals, community organizations, and concerns.
- Blessing/Care Resource Bags: sewn by people across the Diocese, rural and urban. They are filled with items collected and purchased, to bless the receiver, prayed over, and shared in the community. Connection points are important and this ministry fuses the Diocese of Rupert’s Land to the larger community and helps people in times of transition.
- Elders/Spiritual Care Supports: points of contact are various: fire evacuees, COVID- 19 Hotel quarantine centres, women shelters, HSC, funerals, community advocacy, and more.
- Engagement of Parishes: Rupert’s Land Wechtowin is an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in the world. Children/family support and women shelters have been the focus this past year. With a list of suggested items, the response has been an amazing success. Thank you to parishes who responded with generosity this entire year, sharing your talent (sewers are very creative), time, and treasures.
Children’s toys for blessing bags.
Here is a list of some of the activities and connections we have made in the community lately:
- Ogijiita Pinatiswin Kinamatawin (marginalized, at-risk Indigenous young adults and families) (Warm Hands project gifts of mittens and hats, comfort blankets)
- Velma’s house: 24/& Safe House for Women in West Broadway area
- Canadian Red Cross, COVID 19 Quarantine Hotels/Fire Evacuees, Saysi Dene FN
- HSC Child Life Department Children’s Hospital: Support for families in a difficult time.
- PeacePipe Family Centre (Winnipeg Beach): Building stronger families and Mental Health supports for families in the Interlake. Elder supports in place.
- Open Doors: Justice & Corrections Community Meetings: Blessing/care bags for inmates at Stoney Mtn/Rockwood Correction Centre; a Christmas gift for kids visitation.
- WiiChiiwaakanake Learning Centre: Inner-city programs
- All Nations Coordinated Response Network (ANCR): Early Interventions Program
- St. John’s College: Welcome to this Land greeting packages/handwritten cards
- Metis Child and Family Services: Care bags for children in transition (kinship care)Unfortunately, due to COVID, our Rupert’s Land Wechetowin friends were not able to gather and be the ones filling the bags and praying over them, but the task was completed and the items were shared in the community. We have had to be inventive to be active and a blessing to others. We give thanks to God who gives us the opportunities to connect and journey together.
In his service,
Rev. Deacon Tanis McLeod Kolisnyk
Coordinator Rupert’s Land Wechetowin, Diocese of Rupert’s Land
