Repair Network Call - Fall 2025 |
Tuesday, November 11 4-5:30pm PT / 6-7:30pm CT / 7-8:30pm ET
We are bringing back the Quarterly Repair Network calls! Come touch base again with Coalition Repair Network staff members Doe Hoyer, Phoebe Chatfield, and Sarah Augustine. We will hear updates of the work being done across our network, connect with others in our geographic region, and get a sample of the Coalition's new organizing training. Join us if you are active, in process, or in the early stages of leading your congregation or community in joining the Coalition's Repair Network. |
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Oak Flat Prayers and Solidarity Vigils |
On Monday Oct. 6th we heard that the Supreme Court had again denied to hear Apache Stronghold’s case. As we grieve this injustice, we also continue to raise our prayers for a miracle and for the remaining court cases seeking to protect Oak Flat.
Our accompaniment of Oak Flat and Apache Stronghold is not over. There are still court cases trying to stop the land transfer, and COFA continues its prayerful accompaniment work. However, as we near the end of the year COFA has been struggling to find people to camp at Oak Flat during the Fall/Winter months. Please pray for Oak Flat, and for the COFA team, that we would find ways to continue showing up in a good way.
Currently active court cases: Lopez v the United States - Four Apache women and their children filed suit in the 9th circuit court on July 24. This case is also based on religious freedom (RFRA). The San Carlos Apache Tribe, Inter Tribal Association of Arizona, and a coalition of environmental groups filed a suit arguing the U.S. Forest Service has violated federal laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
In their press release about the Supreme Court denial, Apache Stronghold “[called] on all people to pray, to raise their voices, and to join us in defending Mother Earth. Thank you for standing with us”. Read the full statement from Apache Stronghold
And prayer has continued to hold us through the month of October! On October 13th, Indigenous Peoples Day, faith leaders from across Turtle Island gathered at Oak Flat for a livestreamed prayer vigil. You can watch the recording of the livestream HERE.
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People of faith at Oak Flat for the Oct. 13 prayer vigil. From left to right: Amanda Pittman, Pat McCabe (Woman Stands Shining), Jodi-Beth McCain, Bishop Pat Bell, Kohenet Molly Block, Sister Barb Battista, Rev. Dr. Beth Johnson. (Photo credit: Steve Pavey) |
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To carry the spirit of prayer in this important time we invited communities to host solidarity/echo vigils in October. In response, 96 individuals/communities hosted a vigil or prayed in solidarity.
Thank you to all those who hosted or attended a solidarity vigil, and everyone who continues to pray with us. |
Prayer vigil in Minneapolis on Oct. 13 (photo curtesy of: Kristi Zabriskie) |
| Gathering at First Menno in Urbana IL (photo curtesy of Tim Clink) |
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Gathering in Boulder, CO, on Oct. 13th - speakers connected the fight for Oak Flat with the oppression and genocide of Palestinians (photo curtesy of Moji Agha) |
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The call to protect Oak Flat through prayer continues - it is always the time to host a solidarity vigil with your community! Feel free to use this prayer toolkit for ideas/inspiration and send us any photos/notes from your gatherings.
Together we pray: Provenant God, aware of our own brokenness
We ask the gift of courage, to identify how and where we are in need of conversion
In order to live in solidarity with Earth and all creation
Deliver us from the violence of greed and privilege
Grant us the desire and the will to live simply so others may have their just share of Earth’s resources
This Litany of Nonviolence was read by Sister Barb Battista during the livestreamed vigil |
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SUGARCANE Faith Community Screening Tour |
SUGARCANE is film documenting the Williams Lake First Nation investigation of St Joseph’s Mission, a Catholic run boarding school in Canada.
"Set amidst a ground-breaking investigation into abuse and death at an Indian residential school, the film empowers participants to break cycles of intergenerational trauma by bearing witness to painful, long-ignored truths – and the love that endures within their families despite the revelation of genocide" (sugarcanefilm.com)
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From now until January 31st, 2026 communities of faith are invited to host a FREE screening of the film. This program encourages Christians, and all people of faith, to engage in dialogue around truth telling and repair.
Learn more about the screening tour |
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Simply fill out the request form and a member of the SUGARCANE impact campaign team will be in touch to confirm your screening. You will receive a screening toolkit with a conversation guide developed by Land Justice Futures, event planning checklist, additional resources and promotional materials.
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Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples: Upcoming Webinars |
Decolonizing Our Activism: The 7th Fire – How to be a Good Ally Saturday, November 8th (4-6 pm ET / 3-5 pm CT / 2-4 pm MT / 1-3 pm PT)
Presented by Sweetwater Nannauck (Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian), an activist and Director of Idle No More Washington, who will be sharing talking about decolonizing activism and how to be a good ally to indigenous communities. Learn more and Register
Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka ʻĀina I Ka Pono, the Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness
Thursday, December 4th (8-9:30pm ET / 7-8:30pm CT / 6-7:30pm MT / 5-6:30pm PT)
Kumulāʻau and Haunani Sing are kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) educators and culture bearers who combined have over 40 years teaching in the community. They will speak about the history and current issues that are important to Native Hawaiians. Learn more and Register
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Activists Living with Disabilities - Nov. 12 |
Activists Living with Disabilities have gifts to offer the movement for repair and seeking justice alongside Indigenous relatives. Together, we will explore these gifts and how we can effect change towards disability justice and increased accessibility within the movement. Anyone living with any kind of disability or chronic illness is encouraged to join our monthly drop-in calls. We meet monthly on the SECOND Wednesdays (a new change).
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, November 12 from 3-4pm PST / 5-6pm CST / 6-7pm EST. You can register here to receive the Zoom link. This month, we will engage in relationship building together and hear updates about the Coalition's structural campaigns.
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As we gather for our Decolonizing Worship this month and as we continue to focus on the four sacred elements, this month we focus on the element of FIRE. It is also a time when we honor all those who have transitioned into the Spirit World. In the Pascua Yaqui tradition, this month has been a time of visitations from our loved ones. We have put out food they enjoyed, water and even some of their favorite items along with their picture. We have erected an Ofrenda (altar) honoring them.
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You are invited to have a candle to light and picture(s) of loved ones with you for our time. You will be invited to add their names to the chat during the time of prayer.
Join Decolonizing Worship Today
Friday Oct 31st at 1pm PT / 4pm ET
(This is a recurring meeting link - when you sign up for our October worship the same link will work for subsequent worship hours) |
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Video: Interview with Diane Schenandoah from our Indigenous Speaker Series |
Have you heard of our Indigenous Speaker Series? In this lecture series, we asked Indigenous thought-leaders to reflect with us about what might comprise ecologically successful systems. Our latest episode is an interview with Diane Schenandoah:
Born on Onondaga Nation territory, and the homelands of her father, Diane Schenandoah holds the responsibility of Faithkeeper for the Oneida Nation. She was born into the Wolf Clan and her mother, Maisie, was a Wolf Clan Mother for Oneida Nation. As a young woman, with the support of her artistic family, she pursued her love of the arts at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in ABQ, NM and later the prestigious Institute of American Indian Arts/Santa Fe, where she was mentored by Chiricahua Apache sculptor Allan Houser/Haozous.
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Looking for how to plug-in? Want to learn more about the Coalition? Join our next Volunteer Orientation on November 20th from 4-5:30 PST / 5-6:30 MST / 6-7:30 CST / 7-8:30 EST. You can register below for the zoom link! |
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Our next Coffee Hour will be Wednesday, November 26th at 9:00 am PST / 10:00 am MST / 11:00 am CST / 12:00 pm EST. Grab a hot beverage of your choice and bring your questions as we spend time in community together. Register for the link below to join! |
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Resource Corner -
Online Trainings: Both modules of our Decolonization and Organizing for Systems Change Training will be offered in November. This will be the LAST offering of trainings in 2025. We will offer online trainings again in Jan of 2026. See the 2026 training schedule
- The latest episode of the DDoD Podcast is part 2 of Following the Spirit: Sarah and Sheri continue their discussion of Decolonizing Worship with Debbie Royals, our Coalition Chaplain. Listen to the latest episode
- Sarah and Sheri's Substack:
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All check donations to the Coalition should be sent to the following address: Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery 3258 Thompson Ave. Alameda, CA 94501 Checks should still be made out to our fiscal sponsor, Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference. If the check is for the salary campaign or another special fund, that should also be mentioned in the memo line. |
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Our Contact Information
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The Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition is fiscally sponsored by and a ministry partner of the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference (PSMC).
Want to receive our appeal letters by mail? Email your address to us at admin@dismantlediscovery.org |
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