Nearly 158 years ago on Nov. 29, 1864, the Cheyenne and Arapaho awoke at Sand Creek, a dry riverbed in the southeast area of the Colorado Territory. The encampment turned into a scene of mass murder committed by U.S. soldiers, led by a Methodist clergyman-turned-soldier who ordered the murder of over 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho people. This is an uncomfortable history. The General Agencies of The United Methodist Church are calling upon annual conferences, districts, and local churches to join in solidarity with the descendants of Sand Creek as we journey in a contemplative healing activity. We are going to cumulatively run, walk, or bike 173 miles.
Our Next Date will be announced soon.
The General Commission on Archives and History has created a series of videos to educate United Methodists and others about the horrific tragedy of the Sand Creek Massacre. The series of five videos explains the denomination's long and complex history with Indigenous Nations, dominated by a legacy of intense harm and tragedy.
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