An Evening With Our Neighbours and Friends

On Thursday June 4,  a group of about twelve people from St. Andrew’s headed to Milford to join our friends at St. Philips and to learn more about our neighbours at Tyendinaga, the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, and Indigenous spirituality.  

The gathering began with a delicious potluck in St. Philip’s parish hall. Our guest speaker, Kaleena Hanoski, her two children, and her mother joined us at the potluck. Afterwards, we gathered in the church to listen to Kaleena’s stories about the transformational activities happening on Tyendinaga, the progress or lack thereof of the 99 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the similarities and congruences of Indigenous spirituality and Christianity.

Kaleena Hanoski is a lay reader at All Saints Church in the Parish of Tyendinaga, the only Indigenous parish in the Diocese of Ontario. She is also an educator, the vice principal of the Quinte Mohawk School. Additionally, Kaleena is an amazing speaker, and she challenged us to form new relationships with our Indigenous neighbours as well as to visit the newly opened cultural and language centre in the heart of Tyendinaga.

New bonds were formed. Hearts were moved. Skenne!