The Table We Didn't Build

In 2018, a progressive congregation in Portland decided to partner with a local Indigenous community on a land acknowledgment project. The church leaders arrived at the first meeting with a polished proposal, complete with timelines, budgets, and a beautifully designed plaque for their lobby. They had done the research. They were ready to lead. The Indigenous elders listened politely, then asked a single question: "Who told you what we needed?"…