On August 29, 2021, the congregation adopted the Resolution Regarding Acknowledgement, Apology and Reparation for the wrongful closure of the Memorial Presbyterian Church in 1963. One of the reparations adopted in that Resolution was to rename the church to include a Tlingit name and an English name to honor the Alaska Native people on whose traditional lands the church stands, the members and families who experienced pain and loss as a result of the historic and institutional racism in our denominations, and the vibrant ministry and faith of the Memorial Presbyterian Church. The Council invited the Native Ministries Committee (NMC) to recommend a Tlingit name to the Council. This Fall, the NMC held two workshops to get input from the congregation as part of the process for the Tlingit name.
At the December 13, 2021, meeting of the Council, Barbara Searls and Lillian Petershoare presented the suggested name from the Native Ministries Committee. The NMC worked with language advisers Paul Marks and Paul Marks II. The name that is recommended unanimously by the NMC is Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church. The Tlingit components of the name refer to people (Ḵu), salvation or healing (néix̱) and house (Hídi), interpreted as “the peoples’ healing house” or “the place where people gather together to be healed.” After discussion, the NMC felt that keeping the name Northern Light United reflected the history as a united church and did not recommend including the word Memorial in the name. Click on the website http://nluchurch.org/news/ to hear the name pronounced by Paul Marks.
The Council is requesting all congregation members and friends to consider and comment on the proposed name as recommended by the Native Ministries Committee. We have scheduled two meetings by Zoom to provide an opportunity for people to provide comments or ask questions.
- January 30 following the worship service (use the same Zoom link as the church service)
- Wednesday, February 2, at 5:30 PM via Zoom (https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84745978572)
You may also send your comments by email to office@nluchurch.org no later than February 3. Council will consider the input from the congregation at our February 10th meeting and plans to adopt the name at that meeting.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful consideration and input.
Sincerely,
Marianne Mills, Moderator