Dear South Dakota Synod,
Each year on December 29, we pause to remember the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890—a day of profound grief, injustice, and loss for the Lakota people and for all who seek truth and reconciliation. As a church committed to walking humbly, telling the truth, and pursuing healing, remembrance is a holy and necessary practice.
I invite you to watch the brief video that is linked to in this post, which offers space to remember those who were killed at Wounded Knee and to reflect on the enduring impact of this history. This remembrance is not only about the past; it calls us to examine how history continues to shape our present relationships, especially with Indigenous communities, and how God is calling us forward in hope.
May this video be received as an invitation—to listen, to learn, to lament, and to recommit ourselves to the work of healing, grounded in Christ’s promise that truth leads to freedom.
Please hold our Lakota relatives and all Indigenous nations in your prayers today.
Journeying Together in Christ,
Bishop Constanze Hagmaier
South Dakota Synod, ELCA
Bishop Hagmaier’s message is available to watch and share on YouTube or Vimeo (with Closed Captions).
