American Indian prayer leader Delvin Rogers reverently packed the tobacco into his sacred peace pipe, and then methodically set about offering prayers to each of the four directions, as well as above and below himself.
The small but intensely focused crowd watched in silence as Delvin explained each of his actions and the deeply sacred symbolism in all of the elements of the ceremony: the pipe, the tobacco, the directions, the sun, the earth and the native prayers to the Spirit.
Rogers, who’s become a good friend over the past year and a half as we’ve explored faith practices together and also discovered how much we have in common as middle-aged fathers of young adult children finding their own ways in the world, invited me to attend his presentation that served as the kickoff to Native American Heritage Month at our local state university.
To be fair, Delvin invites me to a lot of his ceremonies, sweat lodges and others alike, because he’s gracious and knows that I have a great interest in his indigenous faith practices. It just happened to be that I was able to attend this one, and I am so grateful for our ongoing exchanges about faith.
Delvin -- whose spiritual name is RedHawk -- is an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes - Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, which calls central North Dakota home. And his journey to becoming an indigenous spiritual helper is as fascinating as he is.
In his early 20s, Delvin recognized his chaotic life was taking him down a bad path in a quick hurry, and in October 1996 he chose a life of sobriety.
Since then, the great Spirit has been beckoning him to answer his call as a spiritual man, and hence he’s earned the rites to operate a sweat lodge and fasting camp, as well as being a pipe carrier and Sun Dancer with chest, back and arm piercings.
And if you’re not exactly familiar with what all of that means, that’s OK. I wasn’t at first either. But Delvin has patiently been teaching me for the past 18 months.
On this occasion in early November, when I was privileged to witness Delvin’s pipe ceremony, I was struck by how the ritual elements were so familiar to me. In our Lutheran tradition, we have two sacraments: communion and baptism. And Delvin’s beautiful indigenous pipe ritual and accompanying prayer seemed as sacramental as anything I’ve ever performed as an ordained pastor.
I am so grateful for Delvin’s continued welcoming spirit as I learn more about his spiritual ways. And I pray that you too find yourself filled with the curiosity of learning more about others’ faith practices. I am confident it makes us more faithful people ourselves. Amen.
Devlyn Brooks is the interim CEO of Churches United in Moorhead, MN, and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, MN. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at [email protected].
Devlyn Brooks is the interim CEO of Churches United in Moorhead, Minn., and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at [email protected].