Report back from Craven Canyon hearings |
Last week our organizers, Amanda Pittman and Doe Hoyer, traveled to Hot Springs, South Dakota at the invitation of Lakota Land and Water protectors. Paha Sapa, the Black Hills, is a sacred site for prayer and ceremony for generations of Indigenous Peoples, and it is constantly under siege from extractive industry. The latest target has been Craven Canyon. Excerpt from A reflection on land defense, Pentecost, Shavuot, and making space for Spirit by Amanda Pittman:
"This past week, I was in Hot Springs, South Dakota, attending state permitting hearings for uranium test-drilling near Craven Canyon, a site of prayer sacred to Lakota people and part of the treaty lands that are legally theirs. As in the multitude of other places where land and water–the sources of life itself–are under attack, Indigenous people are on the front lines. As our people have for centuries, the first peoples of the land continue to resist colonization–the forces that would make the land unlivable and the water both scarcer and unsafe to drink. They resist in prayer and ceremony, in song and in drumming. They resist both in direct action and in relentlessly holding to account the government boards and officials who, without their resistance, would be happy to rubber-stamp the permits and call it a day..."
Read Amanda's full reflection on our blog. We will continue to post reflections and updates over the next few weeks. |
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Monthly Spiritual Gathering - TODAY |
For the past 18 months the Coalition has hosted monthly online space for a Spiritual Gathering focused on decolonizing our worship - prepared by the Spiritual Care Team. Our regular meeting times are set for the last Friday of each month at 4 pm ET / 1pm PT.
We are wondering if this time and day work well for those participating, and if another time would make it possible for others to participate. Alternative times and days we have considered are Wednesday evenings, Saturday mornings, and Sunday afternoons. If you are a regular attender of our Spiritual Gatherings, or someone who cannot make it but would like to join us, please indicate your preferred meeting times/days on this Google Form by June 1st.
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Join us TODAY: Friday April 24th at 1pm PT / 2pm MT / 3pm CT / 4pm ET You are invited to join our monthly Spiritual Gathering on the last Friday of every month.
The Coalition continues its focus on the Sacred Values in all our gatherings including the monthly Spiritual Gathering. Today we will focus on the Sacred Value of Respect.
Join us: register for the link
*Once you have registered, save the link into your calendar -- we will use the same link each month. |
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Our monthly Spiritual Gatherings are Native led and encourage us to seek to decolonize our own spiritual gatherings in our own worshiping communities. You are encouraged to take what we are learning back into our diverse faith communities as we seek to reconnect with our Mother Earth, all of creation and our Creator. The invitation to decolonize includes revisiting our spiritual lives and the core values that define the world that continues to oppress Indigenous Peoples today.
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Join us at Annual Gathering July 31st - August 3rd, 2026 |
2025 Annual Gathering in The Dalles, OR (photo by Joe Hubbard) |
All are welcome to join us at our upcoming Annual Gathering! Whether you are a longtime volunteer, in process or part of our Repair Network, or just getting to know us - we hope you can join us at our in person gathering the weekend of July 31st - Aug 3rd, 2026.
Our gathering will be hosted by two congregations: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (248 Seneca St. Harrisburg, PA 17110) and Landisville Mennonite Church (3320 Bowman Rd, Landisville, PA 17538). Registration cost: $40 for Annual Meeting
If registration cost is a barrier, there are scholarships available (see RSVP form for details).
If you plan to join us for all or part of the long weekend in person, please RSVP at this link by July 15th. A Zoom option will be available for Annual Meeting sessions, please register by July 25th to join us online. |
Schedule - Thursday July 30 - Early arrival
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Friday July 31 - Carlisle Boarding School Tour and Welcome Dinner
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Tour of Carlisle Boarding School - time TBD
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What to expect: The tour will include a lot of walking and standing - please wear comfortable shoes and clothing. It is possible that we could be outside for long periods of time without chairs to sit on.
- Dinner and social gathering - 5:30pm at St. Pauls Episcopal
- Saturday Aug 1 - First day of Annual Gathering at St. Paul's
- Lunch and Dinner provided
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Sunday Aug 2 - Second day of Annual Gathering at Landisville Mennonite
- Monday Aug 3 - Repair Network Training: "Economic Justice, Mutual Aid Organizing, and Entryways into the Movement" at Landisville Mennonite
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Lunch provided
- Repair Network members are encouraged to stay for the Monday training and are offered a discounted rate ($30/person) during registration.
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Note for travel: We recommend flying into Harrisburg Airport, as it will be the easiest location for homestay pickups and transportation. You can indicate whether you would like a homestay on the RSVP form. If you fly into Philadelphia Airport there are buses and trains from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. |
Coalition Annual Business Meeting
Saturday, June 20th at 10am PT / 1pm ET |
Since our inception as the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, a portion of our annual gathering has included a business session. A session where budgets are presented, volunteer leaders are affirmed and new initiatives are presented.
The Annual Business Meeting for the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery will take place virtually this year, not in person at the Annual Gathering (July 31st - August 3rd, 2026 in Harrisburg PA / Lancaster County PA). Members of Coalition Steering Committee, working groups, and Repair Network are invited to participate.
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Jubilee Prayer Vigils Recap |
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Altar from Plainsong Farm vigil, photo courtesy of James Goff |
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This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America - commonly being referred to as 'America 250'. The U.S. government, and many communities across the country, are planning events and celebrations to mark America 250. This ‘anniversary’ cannot be marked without acknowledging the full truth: The U.S. was founded on Indigenous lands, stolen through the Doctrine of Discovery.
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On Sunday May 17th, a day of prayer was held by the U.S. gov and other partners in Washington D.C. as part of this year long commemoration, and was marked as a day of Jubilee celebration.
The Coalition, along with various faith partners, hosted a day of prayer on the 17th as well, oriented towards a Whole and True Jubilee. A Jubilee based in the Hebrew scripture (Leviticus 25): that every 50 years the land will be returned to the original inhabitants, and every seven years a Sabbath year will be celebrated.
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We wanted to create a sense of Jubilee for the land – that the land may rest (a sabbath year), and for the return of the land to its original inhabitants (50 years).
Together, we hosted 6 public online vigils with partners from: - the Moravian church
- Episcopal Church Women
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Plainsong Farm
- Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon (Cove Ascension School)
- Trinity Chapel (Phoenix, AZ)
- St. Phillips in the Hills (Tucson, AZ)
In addition to online vigils, Coalition members held 8 in person prayer times. Thank you for joining us in prayer! |
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| Personal vigil, photo courtesy of Darrell Johnson |
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Decolonizing 250 Years of America
Reckoning with Our Past and Weaving a Collective Future |
As we continue to explore what it means to ‘celebrate’ 250 years of the Declaration of Independence on colonized land, and how we can counteract the message of Christian Nationalism, we invite you to attend our Decolonizing 250 Years of America webinar in June.
Join us June 8th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET for a panel discussion led by the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery's Executive Director, Sarah Augustine, featuring Diane Schenandoah (Oneida/Haudenosaunee Confederacy), Mark Charles (Navajo/Diné), and Asma Uddin. Together, we will reckon with the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, explore the Indigenous roots of democracy, and envision a future where “we the people” means ALL the people.
Register for the zoom link
This webinar is sponsored by the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, Mennonite Church USA, and St. Stephen's University. |
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Loss of Turtle Island Workshops - Elkhart County |
Mennonite Central Committee and the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery are hosting two Loss of Turtle Island trainings in Elkhart County this June. “The Loss of Turtle Island” is a participatory learning experience that depicts the historic relationship between European settlers — including Mennonites — and the Indigenous nations, the original inhabitants, of the land we now call the United States of America.
Join us: -
Goshen, IN on June 3 from 6:30-8pm at College Mennonite Church - Register here
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Elkhart, IN on June 7 from 2-3:30pm at AMBS Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount - Register here
To learn more about the events, please see the MCC website. To learn more about "The Loss of Turtle Island", please see the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery website here.
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The Doctrine Documentary Screening and Q&A June 17th at Riverview Theater in Minneapolis, MN |
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The Doctrine explores the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery on driving violence against Indigenous Peoples, land, and water in the Americas and around the world. The central narrative follows a group of Indigenous youth from the Twin Cities who travel to the Vatican to confront the Catholic Church about the Doctrine and its legacy. The film exposes how the Doctrine has targeted communities of color around the world for centuries, and still today enables corporate forces driving the climate crisis.
Doors 6:30pm | Screening 7pm | Q&A discussion to follow. Tickets available at the door and in advance. |
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Land Justice Working Group Update |
On May 4th, the Land Justice working group launched a campaign to support buffalo restoration and land return on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. In a well-attended webinar, Jason Baldes, founder and Executive Director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRTBI) shared his vision for cultural and community revitalization through the restoration of buffalo to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho peoples. And Sarah Augustine, founder and Executive Director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, announced that it is the Land Justice working group’s goal to contribute the final $100k needed for the Wind River Tribal Buffalo initiative to complete a critical land return purchase for their growing buffalo herds.
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It’s not too late to learn about buffalo restoration and support this campaign! -
Contribute online through PayPal and choose “Land Justice Fund” in the drop down menu, or visit dismantlediscovery.org/landback-fund/ for more information on how to donate via check!
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Join the update calls June 1st and July 8th at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET - open conversations with the Land Justice working group about buffalo restoration, land rematriation, and progress made towards the $100K goal. Register here: https://forms.gle/b467PP464o6CTxq77
If you would like to watch the recording of the May 4th webinar, or to get more involved in land justice, reach out to phoebe@dismantlediscovery.org. |
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Oak Flat Working Groups Update |
COFA (Chichil Bildagoteel Oak Flat Accompaniment) is no longer providing protective accompaniment through an ongoing team presence at Oak Flat. As such, the Coalition is no longer accepting donations for accompaniment work. Please direct any donations to support ongoing work and organizing for Oak Flat to Apache Stronghold.
The Mobilizing Spiritual Communities and the Buddhist working groups are still actively organizing advocacy and prayer among our communities in response to Apache Stronghold.
As part of the Mobilizing Spiritual Communities working group for Oak Flat, Jennifer Rayman attended a gathering called by Apache Stronghold after the US administration illegally transferred the land to the Resolution copper mine. Read her poetic prayerful reflection from her time at Ga’an canyon, adjacent to Oak Flat in Arizona.
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Activists Living with Disabilities - June 10th |
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.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, June 10th from 3-4pm PST / 5-6pm CST / 6-7pm EST. You can register here to receive the Zoom link. This month, we will continue our discussion on activism as part of a life of resistance.
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A Dangerous Faith Submission Call |
A Dangerous Faith: Inspiration for the Journey is an online and printed zine for youth and young adults with content written by them and for them. Do you know a young adult or teen who writes or creates art? Share this submission call with them!
Submission Call: We want contributions from young people of faith who are passionate about justice and advocacy. We are interested in visual art, poetry, songs and reflections (max: 1000 words)
Our theme for the Summer 2026 issue: Holding Love and Justice
Psalm 85:10 describes a relationship between Love, Faithfulness, Justice, and Peace. Depending on the translation, they are paired together, like the NIV: “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” -
What do you picture the meeting of righteousness (or Justice) and peace would look like? How would you describe the meeting of Love and Justice? What examples of this have you seen in the world around you?
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In Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. How is ‘love’ as a practice or skill different from an emotional feeling? What does justice look like when we love our enemies?
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In 1 Corinthians 1:18 it says “the message of the cross is foolishness”. The idea of loving your enemies can seem foolish, and appearing ‘foolish’ to others can be seen as a negative. What is possible when we appear foolish in front of others as we live out our values? What does it look like when love, justice, and foolishness meet?
Submission deadline: Monday, July 13, 2026
To share your submission, fill out this short google form |
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JustPeace Pilgrimage: Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples |
Navajoland (Bluff, Utah) - Learn more/register Date: September 22 – 26, 2026 Cost: $1050, plus travel to and from Durango, CO (for those flying in)
Registration deadline: July 15, 2026
Become better acquainted with Indigenous Peoples, their profound connection to the land we inhabit, and the settler colonial history that is antagonistic to their culture, spirituality, and way of life. Hosted by the Episcopal Church on Navajoland, and the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery: Episcopal Organizer Joe Hubbard and Executive Director Sarah Augustine. |
Mennonite Church Canada: South Africa Solidarity Learning Pilgrimage
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Land, Faith, and Identity - Healing the Colonial Wound
Participants will explore the long history and legacy of colonialism and apartheid in South Africa, which was a political social engineering project based on racial segregation that continues to define South African society. See MC Canada's website for more details.
For whom: up to 20 participants from Mennonite Church Canada congregations
When: October 5-18, 2026 Cost: $4000 plus the cost of airfare to and from South Africa.
Registration Deadline: July 31, 2026 |
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Looking for how to plug-in? Want to learn more about the Coalition? Join our next Volunteer Orientation on June 18th 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 - hosted by Coalition staff - will be Wednesday, June 24th 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 - Decolonizing and Organizing for Systems Change in June:
- Sarah and Sheri's Substack: Sheri Hostetler is serializing a new series on Substack called “What I Inherited from My Father: On Being Raised Working Class but Structurally Privileged”:
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Joe Hubbard's Substack: Confessions of a Basic White Guy (in Clericals)
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Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Podcast - In the newest season of the DoD podcast we are releasing the Indigenous Speaker Series in audio format! Listen to the latest release: Episode 2: Steve Darden
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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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