Conversation & Blanket Ceremony with Prairie Rose Seminole: 11/16/19

Join us for a special weekend at Redeemer Lutheran Church with Prairie Rose Seminole, the ELCA's Director of American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries. We will share time in conversation and ceremony on Saturday November 16, 2019 at 6:00p. Proceeding, Prairie Rose will preach during our 10:30a worship service on November 17, 2019.

Prairie Rose Seminole is an enrolled tribal member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of ND, descendent of the Sahnish/Arikara, Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Nations and of German Russian heritage. Seminole has served on the Midwest advisory council to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, advising on labor, nonprofits and tribal government. In 2013 Seminole was named Arikara Woman of the year, by the Sahnish Community of White 

Shield North Dakota. In 2014 the Bush Foundation recognized Seminole as a Native Nations Rebuilder, a program that recognizes individuals who have a passion for learning about innovative tribal governance practices, and how they can take these ideas and approaches to their own Native nations to make a positive difference. In 2015 the ND Center for Business and Technology recognized Seminole as one of 2015 Leading Ladies. She writes for the MHA Times and hosts a radio show on KMHA called the Voice that emphasizes community building and reconciliation efforts.

Seminole was formerly the Cultural Advisor to the Sanford Health Systems One Care initiative. Currently Seminole is the Program Director for the American Indian, Alaska Native Ministries. Serving over thirty American Indian Alaska Native ministries and 65 synods within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Lutheran witness of the gospel with American Indian and Alaska Native people has a history of more than 350 years. The Lutheran witness was seen among the Cherokee as they walked the infamous trail of tears and continues all the way to the Northern shores of Alaska’s Inupiat Eskimo people. The ELCA’s American Indian and Alaska Native membership is around 4,850. The American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries works closely with 30 native congregations around the country and is working to open new faith communities as well.

Relationships with American Indians and Alaska Natives in the ELCA are firmly grounded in reconciliation and the mutual building up of the saints — people of all backgrounds, tribes, regions, communities, congregations and unique needs. Together, we work with a common vision to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, share in the ministry of word and sacrament, participate in God’s work of reconciliation in the world and creation, seek justice for all people and celebrate diversity within Christ’s unifying love. In our shared work, we strive to nurture and uphold the dignity of American Indian and Alaska Native people, their congregations and communities, and the church.

An American Indian and Alaska Native Strategic Plan was adopted in 1997 and provides American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries with a vision and comprehensive plan that points to the future. Visit the Ethnic Specific and Multicultural Ministries resources and read the full text of the American Indian and Alaska Native Strategic Plan as a downloadable resource.