Conference attendees will have the opportunity to select one workshop in each of the following three sessions, for a total of three workshops.
Workshop A - Friday at 2:00pm
Workshop B - Friday at 4:00pm
Workshop C - Saturday at 3:00pm
Workshop Speakers
BRENDA ANDERSON
She teaches at Luther College at The University of Regina in Women’s and Gender Studies and Religious Studies, with classes focusing mainly on women’s experiences in religion, the impact of colonialism globally and nationally and including courses such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Her most recent publication is a co-authored open source book, Global Femicide: Voices of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Torn From Our Midst, found at https://opentextbooks.uregina.ca/femicide/. Brenda humbly joins in as a co-conspirator and ally whenever asked to support and assist with efforts towards decolonization and reconciliation, including work on Luther College’s annual offering of Project of Heart, an arts based, activist, community-engaged series of workshops designed to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together to learn and unlearn and be in good relationships. One of the most life-giving experiences in her life has been to work closely with Luther College’s Elder in Residence, Elder Lorna. Brenda is grateful for being raised by her adoptive parents in The United Church of Canada and is a member of Eastside United Church in Regina. |
Susan Beaudin
Susan is a Cree/Anishinabe
woman from the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan. She is a 3rd generation
Indian Residential School survivor. She has researched childhood trauma and how
trauma experienced in residential schools has affected the lives of survivors,
their children, grandchildren and First Nations’ communities. She has worked in
education for over 40 years. She has a Bachelor of Education, Post Graduate
Diploma in Educational Administration, and a Master of Education. Her
experience includes primary teacher, superintendent, director, assistant
professor, treaty education consultant, and curriculum writer. She worked for
the Saskatchewan Office of the Treaty Commissioner and developed the K – 6 and
7 – 12 treaty education learning resources and the renewed K – 9 treaty
education resources. She also volunteers as a member of the Truth and
Reconciliation Committee at the Archdiocese of Regina. She is a mother of two,
a grandmother of 5 and a great grandmother of 5. She feels that she has had many
blessings in her life despite the many challenges she has faced in her personal
life.
Rev. Dennis Hendricksen
Dennis is a prairie person, living all of his life in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. He attended Camrose Lutheran College, the University of Alberta, and Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon. He has served as a pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Regina for 38 years. For the past 5 years Dennis has been working on a Doctor of Worship Studies degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. Dennis has a deep interest in creative expression, especially music, photography and written word. Dennis has composed a variety of music, and has released a number of recordings ranging in style from ambient to jazz.
Adrian Jacobs
Adrian Jacobs is Ganosono,
Turtle Clan, Cayuga Nation, Six Nations Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Grand River
Country in Southern Ontario, Turtle Island. He is a single father of five and
grandfather of four. An artist, writer, indigenous advocate, entrepreneur, and
public speaker he founded an Indigenous church on his home reserve. For 45
years he trained Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in spiritual and social
service in various venues throughout the United States and Canada. His personal
and professional studies include Indigenous worldviews, cultures, and health,
through a culturally affirming approach. He serves NAIITS An Indigenous
Learning Community as Elder Liaison for the NAIITS Elders Circle. Currently he
is Senior Leader for Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation for the Christian
Reformed Church in North America in Canada.
Rev. Dr. Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero
The Rev. Dr. Kyle K.
Schiefelbein-Guerrero (PhD) is the Grace Professor of Leadership and Director
of Contextual Formation at Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon. Previously,
he served as the Steck-Miller Assistant Professor of Worship and Liturgy at
United Lutheran Seminary in Pennsylvania. A frequent contributor to Sundays
& Seasons and WorkingPreacher, he recently edited the book Church After the
Corona Pandemic: Consequences for Worship and Theology (Springer, 2023).
Elder Lorna Standingready
Lorna Standingready is a
direct descendant of the legendary negotiator Ka-na-hah-cha-pay-o (Skillful
Archer) from Treaty 4 Territory and great niece of Chief Peepeekisis, son of
Ka-na-hahcha-pay-o. As a ten-year Indian Residential School Survivor who attended
schools in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, she embodies strength and resilience.
Elder Lorna has dedicated herself to serving her community, and has been
recognized by those communities with many awards, including the Saskatchewan
Jubilee Award and Queen Elizabeth 11 Jubilee Award, the Queen Elizabeth
Platinum Award and other awards and Scholarships. Elder Lorna graduated with a
Business Administration Degree from the University of Regina in 2000 and is a
life- long learner. Elder Lorna brings her years of knowledge, culture and
tradition as the Elder in Residence at Luther College, Elder for Caring Hearts,
and Elder for the Treaty Four Education Alliance. Elder Lorna also does Sharing
Circles for Ranch Erhlo and shares her traditional knowledge about life’s challenges
to those wanting to speak to an Elder. Elder Lorna is also a National Elder for
the United Church of Canada and was Past Leading Elder of the All Native Circle
Conference of the United Church of Canada. Lorna was part of the United Church
of Canada Delegation to travel to Australia to immerse herself with the
culture, reconciliation process and similarities of the Stolen Generation in
Australia and the Indian Residential Schools in Canada
Dr. A Blair Stonechild
Alexander Blair Stonechild is Professor of Indigenous Studies at the First Nations University of Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Muscowpetung First Nation, attended Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School and Campion Collegiate, obtained his Bachelor’s degree from McGill, and Master’s and Doctorate degrees from University of Regina. In 1976 Blair became the first faculty member at First Nations University, and has been Dean of Academics and Executive Director of Development. Major publications include Loyal Till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion (1997); The New Buffalo: Aboriginal Post-secondary Policy in Canada (2006); Buffy Sainte-Marie: It’s My Way (2012); The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality (2016), Loss of Indigenous Eden and the Fall of Spirituality (2020) and Challenge to Civilization: Indigenous Wisdom and the Future (2024).
Very Rev. Peter Wall
Peter is the Assistant to the
National Bishop, Worship of the ELCIC. A semi-retired Anglican Priest, Peter
served for many years as Dean of the Diocese of Niagara and Rector of Christ’s
Church Cathedral, Hamilton, ON. He just completed an interim assignment as Dean
of St. James Cathedral in Toronto. He has been very active in matters
liturgical over his career: development of new liturgical rites and forms of
prayer, involvement in the introduction of ELW, and working with the Joint
Anglican Lutheran Commission on our full communion relationship.
Dr. Becca Whitla
Becca Whitla is the professor of practical ministry and the Dr. Lydia E. Gruchy Chair in Pastoral Theology at St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where she teaches worship and liturgy, preaching, religious education, and practical theology. Her book Liberation, (De)Coloniality, and Liturgical Practices: Flipping the Song Bird was released in December, 2020 (Palgrave McMillan). From her White Euro-Canadian settler perspective, she examines ways to decolonize liturgical practices, especially community singing. She worked in Toronto for many years as a music director in both Anglican and United Churches (Church of the Holy Trinity, and Trinity St Paul’s United Church). She also co-directed Echo, a 70 voice women’s choir, and worked in the trade union movement developing leadership through choral singing.
