Letter of Apology Between PAOC Leadership & Aboriginal Leaders

Letter of Apology, Forgiveness and Reconciliation between The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and its Aboriginal leadership
General Conference 2012 – Wednesday, May 9, 2012

We as the leadership of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) have a deep desire to be in right relationship with our Aboriginal ministries leadership and Aboriginal community serving the Lord together with mutual love and respect. We do recognize the many brothers and sisters both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal who have gone before us and served the Lord and one another with integrity and esteem.

However we in the PAOC must recognize that we have not always as a fellowship been a true representation of the unified body of Christ marked by grace and respect. We acknowledge that there have been times when we were insensitive to the pain and suffering of the Aboriginal community. We are sorry and regret this insensitivity.

For the purpose of reconciliation and to strengthen our mutual relationship PAOC leadership apologizes and asks forgiveness of our Aboriginal leadership:

For attitudes and actions that have demonstrated discrimination and insensitivity
For not entrusting with responsibility when appropriate
For derogatory words that have been spoken
For sins of silence and omission when our voice should have been raised and ministry and healing offered
For our failure to address the hurt and harmful practices within residential schools

Our desire as Pentecostal leadership is to be in right relationship with our Aboriginal community and demonstrate a mutual commitment:

To prepare a next generation of leaders who will fulfill the Great Command, the Great Requirement and Great Commission together
To honour our diversity
To share in vision and ministry development together
To promote equality in our relationship as we move forward

Aboriginal Response to PAOC Leadership:

We as the Aboriginal Ministries Guiding Group of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) also share a deep desire with the leadership of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada to be a true representation of the unified body of Christ.

For the purpose of reconciliation and a healthy unified relationship the Aboriginal Ministries Guiding Group of the PAOC accepts the apology and extends forgiveness:

For attitudes and actions that have demonstrated discrimination and insensitivity
For not entrusting with responsibility when appropriate
For derogatory words that have been spoken
For sins of silence and omission in offering ministry and healing
For failure to address the hurt and harmful practices within residential schools

We also recognize that at times we have fallen short and apologize and ask forgiveness:

For attitudes and actions that have demonstrated discrimination and insensitivity
For derogatory words that have been spoken
For avoiding our responsibility in sharing our voice

Our desire for a healthy unified relationship with the PAOC and Aboriginal Community is demonstrated by a commitment:

To bring healing to the Aboriginal community through the Gospel of Jesus Christ
To prepare a next generation of leaders who will fulfill the Great Command, the Great Requirement and Great Commission together
To honour our diversity
To share in vision and ministry development together
To promote equality in our relationship as we move forward

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18,19

For God’s glory we mutually make these commitments to one another,

PAOC General Superintendent
PAOC Aboriginal Guiding Group Representative