Smoke Signals - Prayer for important gatherings
Richard Twiss
Sep 19, 2009
Hau kola,
I hope you are well. I want you to know I appreciate the fact you want to receive these smoke signals reports of our humble journey. Here are some important concerns and plans I want to make you aware of and invite you to join us in bringing before our Creator. As usual at this time of year, we have heaps of stuff going on.
NCAI PRAYER BREAKFAST
On Monday, Oct 12 at 7:00 am we will convene the 2nd Annual Tribal Leaders Prayer Breakfast for the National Congress of American Indians at the convention center in Palm Springs. Some 3000 people will gather for four days from across America to develop plans and strategies to deal with the many difficult issues facing First Nations people and communities. My vision is to follow the example of the National Prayer Breakfast to create an environment of hope, peace and trust in the Spirit of Jesus, where genuine and caring relationships can form in the midst of political, tribal, ideological, religious, racial and cultural complexities. And, perhaps more importantly, follow up with these leaders throughout the year to assist them in forming small group gatherings in their communities on reservations and urban areas across the land.
Will you please pray for Creator’s guidance and wisdom as we pursue this dream! It is a timely vision that is pivotal in finding liberty, healing and reconciliation amongst our people facing often desperate conditions; alcoholism, teen suicide, poverty, critical health crisis, etc.
Please pray for:
Final confirmation from the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to be our keynote speaker. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is under the jurisdiction of the Interior and Secretary Salazar plays a powerful role in shaping policy effecting Native people. He is a man of faith and his participation would be a huge boost to the vision for years to come. His office is trying to make it happen, but we need to know yesterday.
Confirmation from Larry Echohawk, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior as a prayer breakfast participant.
Wiconi International carries the financial weight of underwriting the program side of the breakfast and this year my budget is $4200.00. We still need another $3000 to meet our budget. If you would like to give online click here.
We had 75 people last year, we’d love several hundred this year. We begin at 7:00 AM on the first full day of business for the conference. Pray too for a heartfelt response to my invitation to join together in ongoing honest, accountable relationships with other tribal leaders who love the Creator, their people and families.
BAKKE GRADUATE UNIVERSITY (BGU) MEETINGS
I’d appreciate your prayers as I attend three days of meetings beginning this Sunday as a member of the Board of Regents for BGU. Meeting north of Seattle, we will discuss many important issues of developing relevant, missional, and transformational educational programs that speak to future generations of Christ-following leaders around the world. You can read more of BGU at http://www.bgu.edu/index.
SPEAKING AT GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY
I will be speaking a number of times to students and faculty over two-and-half-days at GFU in Newberg, Oregon, September 28-30. I love speaking to university students. The two chapels are open to those in the area who might be interested in attending. My topic is “Thy Kingdom Come: moving from a white Western Christianity to a Christ-centered global faith.” Check out GFU at http://www.georgefox.edu.
NORTHWEST NATIVE WOMEN’S CONFERENCE - OCT 9-11
We convened two Native women’s conferences the past five years with great success. This year some of our good friends have picked up the vision and are convening a gathering to address the many difficult realties facing our Native women today. It will be held on the Muckleshoot Reservation in Auburn, Washington (near Seattle). This will be a great “Holy Ghost” style meeting where traditional regalia and dancing are welcome and encouraged. For more information click here.
OAXACA CITY DANCING OUR PRAYERS OUTREACH – NOV 2-14
CALLING ALL DANCERS AND SINGERS: I am inviting Native traditional dancers and singers to join us for our second “Dancing Our Prayers Team” trip to Mexico. We will use our powwow style dances, songs, cultural ways and traditional stories to share the Good News with indigenous communities in the State of Oaxaca. Like last year we will be dancing and singing our prayers in remote villages, public squares, in schools and to more than a 1000 indigenous pastors at a conference in several different communities. In addition to team participants, I am also inviting prayer and financial partners to join our team. Each team member must pay for their travel to and from, but we will prayerfully cover “in-country” expenses. More details will be on our website in a few days. Please contact our office if you are interested in joining this team who will be among tribal peoples who desperately need some “Good News!”
HOLY BIBLE: MOSAIC PROJECT
I wrote a devotional piece for this publication coming out this month. Their blurb reads, “Encounter Christ on every continent and in every century of Christian History. A new genre of Bible—a weekly meditation Bible—Holy Bible: Mosaic is an invitation to experience Christ both in His word and in the responses of his people.” You can check it out here.
Shalom
CONTACT _Con-3CA82D1F67 \c \s \l Richard Twiss, Sicangu Lakota
Wiconi International
360-546-1867
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