Tiny hand-knitted orange shirts – 215 to be exact – will be on display at a Maple Ridge church to honour the national day of Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, Sept. 30.
Holy Spirit Anglican Church will be holding a special open house between 2-5 p.m. and have invited to public to stop by to reflect on the meaning of the day.
The informal event will start with a prayer and land acknowledgement, explained Reverend Miranda Sutherland, and then people can look at the displays and contemplate what Truth and Reconciliation means.
“Just deep reflection on how we can seek to reconcile with the Indigenous family,”explained Sutherland.
The orange shirts were knitted over the past month by members of the congregation, and Jean Davidson, a member of the team that is organizing the event said there will be “mood music” so people can walk by and reflect on the day and their aspirations for reconciliation.
After the 215 unmarked graves were discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops, Sutherland’s church created a group called the 215 Gathering.
“It’s all about learning and awareness towards truth and reconciliation,” said Mimi Hunfeld, a council member at Holy Spirit Anglican Church.
“Also making a statement of land use we are working on as well within that group,” she added.
Sutherland is also hoping to establish an Indigenous library at the church.
Holy Spirit Anglican Church is located at 27123 River Rd., Maple Ridge.
For more information call 604-462-7933.
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