Native "Dream" Leads Anglican Church to Historic National Television Broadcast
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official10652
- Date
- 1989 April 27
- Source
- Anglican News Service
- Type
- Press Release
- Text of motion
- Toronto, April 27, 1989 -- In its premiere production on Vision TV The Anglican Church of Canada will present a documentary marking the first national convocation of native Anglicans. The hour-long presentation called 'Share The Dream', will be aired across Canada May 10, at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. EDT.
- The setting is Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, in early October. The Saskatchewan landscape provides a sweeping backdrop as 180 delegates gather from all over the country to share their stories and dreams as native peoples, and as members of the Anglican Church.
- 'Share The Dream' powerfully presents the testimonies of native people as they struggle for recognition both within the church, and within Canadian society, and addresses how the Anglican Church is responding to their concerns. The purchase of airtime to broadcast a program is funded by a coalition of Anglican dioceses and the Council for Native Ministries, who contributed a total of $12,000.
- The video chronicles the deep faith, and also the pain, that native people have experienced in their long history with the Anglican Church. Anglican missionaries are part of the early history of northern exploration and settlement, and the Anglican Church has a larger percentage of native members than other Canadian denominations.
- Rose Evans, a lay delegate from Norway House in Northern Manitoba, tells of a dream in which a beautiful feather is floating to the ground. "Suddenly it was pulled up and I heard laughter," she said. "It was the white people. They were controlling the feather. I could see the strings."
- Viewing 'Share The Dream' was a humbling experience for the Reverend Clarke Raymond, executive director of program at the church's national office.
- "I wept when I saw the film, not only for what the native people were telling me about themselves, but also for what they were telling me about my own culture," he said.
- "Presenting the story on Vision TV is, I hope, a clear indicator to the native people that those sponsoring the project are prepared to put their money where their convictions are."
- The Reverend Laverne Jacobs, consultant for the national church's council for native ministries says 'Share The Dream' is an important vehicle through which native Anglicans can convey their own story.
- "The program is an accurate and sensitive reflection of what happened at the convocation," he says.
- The Anglican Church's video crew, who were in Fort Qu'Appelle for eight days taping the proceedings, say they came away from the event as changed people.
- "We went through tremendous personal growth and professional challenge while doing this project," says Lisa Barry, director/producer of 'Share The Dream'. She adds, "We are proud that it will be the first offering from the Anglican Church on Vision TV. It seems appropriate that the native Anglican people, so often forgotten, will lead the Anglican Church into this new journey."
- Over 100 copies of 'Share The Dream' have been distributed across Canada. It's available on VHS at $29.95 through the Resource Centre, Anglican Church of Canada, 600 Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2J6.
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- For more information, contact: Doug Tindal, Director of Communications, The Anglican Church of Canada, 600 Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2J6, (416) 924-9192, (416) 335-8349 (res.)
- Subjects
- Share the Dream [Video recording]
- Native Convocation (1st : 1988 : Fort Qu'Appelle, Sask.)
- Sacred Circle
- Indigenous peoples - Canada - Religion
- Indigenous peoples - Canada - Anglican Church of Canada
- Indigenous spirituality - Canada
- Mass media in religion - Anglican Church of Canada
- Television in religion - Anglican Church of Canada
- Vision TV (Canada)
- Anglican Video
- Raymond, L. Clarke (Laurence Clarke), 1926-2016
- Jacobs, Laverne V.B. (Laverne Valentino Burton), 1942-