SOUTH DAKOTA: Pine Ridge church closings spark controversy
Episcopal News Service. October 9, 2008 [100908-03]
Joe Bjordal
The first Sunday in Advent, November 30, will be a historic day on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, but not an occasion for celebration by local residents. On that day, nine Episcopal churches will be officially closed, among them St. John's, Oglala, which, in its original location, served as a makeshift hospital following the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890.
The decision has sparked controversy and a tide of ill-will among residents of the reservation, some of them third and fourth-generation Episcopalians.
Even as Bishop Creighton Robertson, diocesan bishop of South Dakota, was officially reporting the action to the diocesan convention, October 3-4, lay leaders in the affected congregations were preparing to file lawsuits in tribal court to stop the closings or, at least, retain ownership rights to the church properties.
A plan to protest the closings in person at the convention by lay leaders from the Church of the Inestimable Gift in Allen was abandoned when, the group said, they could not raise gas money for the trip.
Cited years of decline
The closings were officially announced by Robertson in a certified letter, dated August 6, 2008, sent to the four Episcopal clergy serving the Pine Ridge Mission: the Very Rev. Craig West, the Rev. Agnes Tyon, the Rev. Cordelia Red Owl and the Rev. Rhoda Mesteth.
"I've decided that some things need to change, particularly concerning the number of churches on the Pine Ridge Episcopal Mission, and that some need to be closed, some moved to mission status, and some to remain open as active worship centers," said Robertson in the letter.
He also noted that the process of trying to discern the shape of ministry on the Pine Ridge Reservation has involved "discussions with many folks" and a review of reports concerning attendance and finances over past years.
Robertson said that the process also involved "most importantly, a significant amount of time spent in prayer and discernment."
In the letter, Robertson announced that, effective November 30, 2008 the following actions will be implemented:
The churches of Holy Cross, Pine Ridge; Mediator, Kyle; St. Michael's, Batesland; Gethsemane, Wanblee; and St. Katherine's, Martin will remain open and be the major centers for worship.
The churches of Advent, Calico and St. Julia's, Porcupine will be moved to station status, which means that occasional Sunday services of Holy Eucharist, led by clergy, will alternate with Morning Prayer led by a lay person.
The churches of Christ, Red Shirt Table; St. John's, Oglala; Epiphany, Wolf Creek; St. Andrew's, Wakpamni Lake; St. Thomas, Manderson; St. Barnabas, Kyle; St. Timothy's, Potato Creek; St. Alban's, Porcupine; and Inestimable Gift, Allen, will be closed "and property disposed of according to diocesan policy."
In a subsequent memorandum to West, widely circulated to lay church leaders on the reservation, Robertson said discussions about ministry on the reservation began shortly after his consecration as bishop in 1994. He recalled a weekend-long discussion out of which came the concept of "having four, possibly five 'mother' churches on the mission where people could attend church together."
Robertson also noted that money, in terms of church pledges, has dropped for all the churches and that attendance has also declined over the past 20 years.
"There was also a belief that if only someone would come and take care of us, things would be as they were in the early days," he said. "We gained a reputation as a target for outside groups who were coming into South Dakota to help the Indians."
Robertson also reported that some church property had been converted to personal use without paying rent to the churches, some even claiming ownership of the property.
"Yet, when something was needed -- money, housing, propane, electricity -- the diocese was reminded that it was our property and that we needed to take care of it -- pay for propane, electricity, provide money and upkeep of the buildings."
Neither Robertson nor West would comment further about the closings when contacted by Episcopal News Service. Red Owl said that she and the other clergy on the Pine Ridge Mission were told "not to speak to anyone."
Challenges to a bishop
The strongest public challenge to the closings to date has come from members of Christ Church, Red Shirt Table, who sent a six-page letter to Robertson dated September 10. Copies were also sent to members of South Dakota's Standing Committee, as well as national church officials. The letter was also circulated to local media.
In the letter, members of Christ Church said they were given a copy of Robertson's August 6 letter on September 5 and raised several "questions and concerns." Among them are:
- A claim that Robertson "has not once crossed the threshold of Christ Episcopal Church, Red Shirt" for a visitation since he became bishop;
- A question regarding the closing of "these particular churches when it is a reality that financial hardship and low attendance are real and the same for all the churches on all the reservations";
- A question as to whether other churches on other reservations will be closed;
- A question as to "timing," wondering why the action is being taken just as a search is beginning for a new bishop; and
- A suggestion that criterion used to judge church attendance across the Episcopal Church may not be "an accurate measure of success in Indian ministry."
"Indian ministry in the Episcopal Church is a uniquely rich and challenging arena understood by a very few in the Episcopal Church, clergy and laity combined," stated the members of Christ Church. "Abandoning the challenge at this point would only result in deepened pain and suffering. It will be experienced by our people as yet another act of racism and sin."
The letter also notes that Robertson is "our first Native American diocesan bishop" and solicits his thoughts on "why our people are not coming to church on a regular basis."
Christ Church leaders also said that "the expectation that members can or will drive 50 miles roundtrip for communion is ludicrous and is a poorly thought plan given the high cost of gas.
"Today we stand with our other Lakota Episcopal brothers and sisters and say enough is enough. Something has to be done and we all need to be in conversation about it."
The letter also includes a detailed history of Christ Church, Red Shirt Table, suggesting it is still a viable center of a living faith community.
"With all due respect to your office, you would know all of this past and current history if you had found the time to be with us. We would meet and converse while breaking bread together. Sadly and inexplicably, this has not yet occurred."
When asked to comment on the letter, South Dakota Diocesan Administrator Randy Barnhardt said the bishop's office had not received a copy.
Lorri Ann Two Bulls, a member of Christ Church, reported that the certified letter sent to Robertson "was returned and had been refused by the bishop's office."
Barnhardt subsequently confirmed that the diocese had refused to receive the letter.
Fighting to 'save our churches'
A meeting at St. Barnabas Church, Kyle, brought together lay representatives of all the churches in the Pine Ridge Mission on September 20.
"There were two or three people from every church, even the ones that are going to stay open," said Lydia Bear Killer, president of the vestry at the Church of the Inestimable Gift.
"We all agreed we need to fight to save our churches," she said.
The nine congregations slated for closure have jointly hired Marwin Smith, a lay legal advocate who is licensed to practice law on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Smith is currently preparing to file separate motions on behalf of each congregation in tribal court, which takes the place of state and federal courts on reservation lands for tribe members.
He says they will seek permanent injunctions to stop the Diocese of South Dakota from selling or disposing of the land on which the churches, and in many cases, cemeteries, are situated. He also said that temporary injunctions will be sought to stop the church closings.
"Then a group of us will go out and try to negotiate a settlement," he said. "No one really wants to go to court."
Smith says the land involved is "tribal trust land" and the Episcopal Church was never given ownership. When asked if the Diocese of South Dakota was under the jurisdiction of the tribal court, Smith replied affirmatively "because they have chosen to do business on the reservation."
The next step in the group's legal efforts will be a meeting on October 25 when legal filing fees and petitions will be collected.
"People have started saving money for the fees already," said Smith.
Bear Killer said that even if the churches are officially closed by the Diocese of South Dakota they will fight to retain ownership of the buildings and cemeteries.
The Rev. Charles Montileaux, an Episcopal priest and associate judge of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Court said he expects that services will go on in some of the churches even if the Episcopal Church officially pulls out.
"There will be worship and it will be Episcopalian, because that's who we are," he said. "We are Episcopalians and nothing can change that."