Mending Wings Native American Youth Group Visits Charlotte

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WHAT:  On Sunday, March 6, 2022 at 10 AM at Avondale Presbyterian Church, youth of the Yakama Nation will share the service, “Dancing Our Prayers” in the Family Life Center at 2821 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209. (To watch this service on our YouTube channel, click here.)

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“Dancing Our Prayers” is shared with us by a team of Native teens who travel locally, regionally, and nationally sharing their culture, spirituality, and way of life. Youth and staff of the DOP program of Mending Wings will drum and dance in full regalia, perform drama, give testimony, and speak on conciliation issues between Native and non-Native America.

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The greater community is invited to attend, bringing an open heart and mind, to experience this spiritual time of learning.

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ATTEND: If you would like to come to the worship service, RSVP using this link 

or click the box on this page. This will help with ensuring we have enough seating and proper spacing measures for current health protocols. An RSVP is not required to attend, but is greatly appreciated.

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PREPARE: To prepare us for their time here, won’t you join in reading and discussing one of two books? “One Church, Many Tribes” by Richard Twiss and/or “Unsettling Truths” by Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah. Avondalers and friends are meeting to discuss these books on March 2 at 5:30 PM, go here for more details.

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Even if you can’t read the book by then, you are welcome to join the conversation. And if you can’t join the conversation, but can read one of the books, you will be blessed by insight and awareness from our Native brothers’ perspective.

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A MEAL: To fellowship with our honored visitors and guests, Avondale is hosting a Congregational Meal following the "Dancing Our Prayers" service on March 6. You're invited to attend to enjoy a fried chicken meal with sides and dessert. To help us with food planning, please RSVP to attend.

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BACK STORY:  Our Avondale Youth Group visited Washington state in the summer of 2021. Part of the journey was time spent with Mending Wings, a nonprofit, Native American youth organization located on the Yakama Reservation. The youth and leaders of Mending Wings went above and beyond with welcoming our group and providing a week of service, education, worship, field trips and cultural immersion for our youth and adult leaders.

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MORE:  An Avondale planning group was formed to plan ways we can make Mending Wing's time in Charlotte more meaningful.   

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Mending Wings offers cross-cultural service and learning trips for youth groups, college-age groups, and families, all within an indigenous paradigm. Our desire is to see students come as learners to our culture and with a servant’s heart. 

The Mending Wings program, S.L.A.M. Trips, offers summer youth service, cross-cultural, and learning weeks on our reservation. The Yakama Reservation lies along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range and the Yakima River in south-central Washington. There are fourteen tribes and bands that make up the Yakama Nation.