Sand Creek Massacre

On November 29, 1864, Methodists led a massacre on peacefully gathered Cheyenne and Arapaho, murdering over two hundred Indigenous women, children, and peace chiefs. Pieces of their bodies were then marched 173 miles to Denver to display in victory. It is time we name this harm, hold ourselves accountable, and begin the long journey of repentance.

The General Agencies of The United Methodist Church are calling upon annual conferences, districts, and local churches to join us in solidarity with the descendants of Sand Creek  as we journey in a contemplative healing run. We challenge you all to gather churches together and cumulatively run, walk, or bike 173 miles.

The work of healing is work we cannot and should not do alone. It requires intention, accountability, and most of all, community. Join us. Learn with us. Heal with us.

Dr, Ashley Boggan hosts a video series about the Sand Creek Massacre, offering a historical perspective on the complex relationship between the denomination and Indigenous Peoples that dates back to John Wesley.

The General Commission on Archives and History has created a series of five videos to educate United Methodists and others about the horrific tragedy of the Sand Creek Massacre.

In this file photos from 2014, some 650 members of the Rocky Mountain Annual (regional) Conference (now Mountain Sky AC) and their guests tour the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, near Eads, Colo., on Friday, June 20, 2014. A Methodist clergyman-turned-soldier ordered the 1864 attack against a Cheyenne and Arapaho village, and descendants of the survivors joined in the June 20 pilgrimage. Photo by Sam Hodges, UMNS

We challenge United Methodists across the connection to join in solidarity with the descendants of Sand Creek as we journey in a contemplative run. Check out a few resources that you can listen to as you run/walk on this healing journey.

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