Three years ago, First Church held a special recognition day to honor the Ho-Chunk Indigenous People who lived on the land where our church building now stands. People from our Church, our Community, and the Ho-Chunk Nation attended the ceremony. It began in the Sanctuary with traditional Ho-Chunk drumming and ended outside where the red Wisconsin granite stone imbedded with the Ho-Chunk Nation flag and the inscription “Ho-Chunk Ancestral Homeland” resides (pictured to the right with the hands of Hee-Soo Jun, Resident Bishop of Wisconsin and Marlon WhiteEagle, president of the Ho-Chunk Nation). As part of the program at First Church, we committed to “. . . becoming stewards of the land on which the church stands. . .” and also established an endowed Indigenous Peoples Scholarship at Madison Area Technical College. Recently we received statements from four students who received this scholarship saying “I am deeply honored to receive this Indigenous scholarship. Your generosity supports not only my education but also my journey of carrying my culture, community, and voice into the work I do.”; “Thank you for investing in my future and helping me stay connected to my heritage as I continue my education.”; ” I just want to say thank you and I appreciate you selecting me for this scholarship. I’m excited to start my school journey in the fall 2025, I so much appreciate this opportunity!”; and “As a tribal member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, I am deeply committed to the continuous healing of our people from the historic trauma caused throughout generations. There is a commitment to honoring support by excelling in studies and becoming a positive force for change in the world, particularly in our Native communities.”
Please embrace the joy and path of these young people we have been able to help in their journeys. If you would like to give to the Indigenous Peoples Scholarship please visit https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z2N3/campaign/C-12PBP.