Elona Street-Stewart, executive of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, invited attendees of the Native American Presbyterian Women's event to reflect on kinship and collective power. Photo by Michael Martin
Elona Street-Stewart Addresses Native American Presbyterian Women’s Gathering
By Kristena Morse
Elona Street-Stewart, executive of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, delivered the keynote address during the Native American Presbyterian Women’s Gathering in Minneapolis, June 17 and 18. Just prior to the start of PW’s 2015 Gathering, approximately 30 Native American Presbyterian women met to explore the theme “One Body, One Spirit, One Sisterhood.”
Elona’s message to attendees focused on the idea of kindom, and the importance of understanding and embracing the richness of Native American sisterhood in the kindom of God. She said, “Our sisterhood isn’t so much about biology, as it is about the closeness and the sense of care that we have for one another as Native Americans and sisters in our faith.” She invited the attendees to consider the ways in which these deep ties can help make a positive impact across the church and throughout communities.
“There are kinship relations that sometimes—and often unbeknownst to us— supersede, the basic logic that we have about who we are, but they are also so instrumental to our identities. We are surrounded by and immersed in layers and layers of relationships. We embed our values and our traditions into the descriptions of people that we’re related to, and bit by bit we are interpreting the value of that relationship,” said Elona.
She added, “In order to increase the ways we strengthen our communities and our cultural connections through these relationships, we have to increase our awareness that it is a process, that it is developmental and that it requires attention to these relationships over time.”
“At the center of many of our beliefs as Native Americans is the belief that we are all related.” With that, Elona noted the importance of all children being aware of and having access to resources that meet their individual and community needs. She specifically mentioned access to resources and programs to promote education, healthy eating habits and an end to violence against women and children. She asked participants, “What ideas do you have for the children in your community? Where do you see the greatest needs? Think about how we—as a sisterhood, as a kindom—can help.”
Building on the biblical reference of Mark 1:29–31, Elona asked conference attendees how their individual and collective work relates to the kindom. She invited women to consider three questions:
- Why do we do the work that we do, and why have we gathered here today?
- What will we do—in our families, congregations and communities—after we leave here?
- What will we change through our actions?
“Our greatest ability is our availability. We must remember that and continue to work to make a difference. We have to show up. We have to make our presence in the church and in our communities known. We need to be there to pull one another up, to support one another, for us to continue to make an impact.”
Elona Street-Stewart was installed as the executive of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies in April 2015, becoming the first Native American to serve in that capacity in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She is a ruling elder and longtime staff member with the synod, having served most recently as the associate for racial ethnic ministries and community empowerment.
Learn more about the Native American Presbyterian Women's Gathering.
