Project

Red Clover

Can the church, one of the primary wounding places for First Peoples, become a place of healing for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike?

Cause: Justice

Location: North America

Field Staff: Jodi Spargur

Local Partner: Red Clover

The Challenge

The non-Indigenous church is at a crossroads. Will we receive the invitation of residential school survivors and learn to walk together in a new way? Will we be shaped by Shalom — a pursuit of right relations where nothing is missing and nothing is broken? Or will we leave unexamined and unconfessed our participation in the violence of colonization? Only by facing the wounds we have inflicted is there hope of healing.

Red Clover is a faith-rooted non-profit movement and works as a Partner Project of Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM). Healing at the Wounding Place is the arm of Red Clover that works with churches. We want to come alongside Baptist churches to discern the movement of the Spirit and to catalyze actions for justice and right relations with Indigenous neighbours. Red Clover is based on the west coast, on the unceded territory of the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-wa-tuth nations and is founded and directed by Jodi Spargur.

A process for Healing

01 | Orientation

Our work begins with gaining clearer understanding of our particular localities and challenges. Take a look at the resources provided on our site, then reach out for an initial conversation about how Healing at the Wounding Place might catalyze the work of healing in your context. We work with faith-based groups across Western Canada.

02 | Education and Preparation

We are frequently asked: How do we begin? Do we have the right posture and resources for the work ahead? Our ministry works with non-Indigenous groups to consider how trust-building, respect for differing cultural modes, and operating in trauma-informed ways are essential to the work of truth and reconciliation. Sometimes, churches need to dwell here for a while before taking next steps.

03 | Building Partnerships

Any proposals for action that arise from previous steps are brought to local Indigenous leaders for consideration. No action is taken without the welcome of the Indigenous community. Our ministry serves as a bridge between non-indigenous and Indigenous groups, with the intention of facilitating healthy partnerships.

04 | Consultation

The work is carried out through relationships formed between Settler groups and First Peoples. Healing at the Wounding Place can continue to serve as a resource or consultant as the process unfolds.

Our Field Staff

Jodi Spargur
Lead Facilitator , Red Clover

Jodi Spargur is a settler of Nordic/German heritage living and working on the unceded territory of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples. She is a farmer, furniture-mover, pastor, speaker, teacher, consultant, and the founder of Red Clover.

Red Clover utilizes a wide network of relationships with Indigenous leaders to partner locally on the ground wherever possible at every level of our work.

Jodi has been an invaluable resource for me as a pastor and for our Church community. She has led us through weekend workshops, helping us to connect with our local Indigenous neighbours, showing us how to respect them, learn from them and chart a course toward reconciliation together. The Kairos blanket exercise is an important learning tool we will use again and again. Our deep gratitude goes out to Jodi, who has helped us begin this long journey well.

Rev. Randy Hamm First Baptist Vernon

Jodi and her team have taught with collaborative exercise(s) and thought provoking stories to assist each one of the UGM staff on their own journey of Truth and Reconciliation. I recommend her instructions to any organization which is seriously considering the first few steps of becoming a student and to grow with awareness of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. If you are serious about the calls to actions via the Truth and Reconciliation Report – this is a good place to begin.

Rev. Candice Harper -Manager Union Gospel Mission Women and Families Centre

Donate Today

The work of truth and reconciliation is a commitment that requires time, energy, and resources.

As a non-profit, Red Clover is sustained through a combination of fees for services and donations. Our operational costs include staff salary, resource creation and maintenance, and fair compensation of Indigenous advisors and speakers.

Your donations help us extend our work to groups with limited financial resources.