Saturday, September 22, 2007

Commemorative "Trail of Tears" Walk,

"Where We Walked and Where We Cried"

The Third Annual Commemorative "Trail of Tears" Walk will begin 8:00AM at Harvest Chapel on Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet, TN. Ending with a memorial service at Cook's United Methodist Church.

Breakfast provided for the walkers and guest after service. You are invited to come, walk one mile in memorial and commemoration

"Where We Walked and Where We Cried". Directions: go east on I-40 to Hwy. 109, exit, go north and turn left at the intersection of Lebanon Road, go toward Mt. Juliet, Harvest Chapel is on the left, one mile to Cook's UMC, on the right.

This commemorative walk "recognizes the hardships suffered by the Five Tribe of the Southeast who walked, the "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma Indian Territory. "Where We Walked and Where we Cried" commemorates the many peoples from the Cherokee, Muscogee "Creek", Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole who were removed by the U.S. Government from their ancient homelands in the east, to lands west of the Mississippi River. Sponsored by Cook's UMC, Native American Gatherers' Fellowship, and Middle Tennessee POW WOW. For information on the Commemorative "Trail of Tears"
 Walk call Melba Checote-Eads (615) 754-5303

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Middle Tennessee POW WOW and 26-year Celebration of Don Yahola's legacy in Tennessee. Saturday, September 22. Gate opens at 10 AM. Charlie Daniel's Park, Mt. Juliet, TN., from I-40, exit 226B, Turn on to Mt. Juliet Rd. toward town, follow direction to park about 4 miles turn right at Sonic Drive-
In the park is on the left.

Native American Gatherers' Fellowship

"Following Jesus in our Native American Heritage"
Dear Fellow Members of God's Church on Earth,

I am writing this letter to invite you to become partners in ministry in the Third Annual Commemorative "Trail of Tears Walk" on September 22. This one-mile walk was an inspired vision given to a member of Cook's United Methodist Church. God put this on his heart with awareness about the trail that is the road in front of his own church. He began to feel like something needed to happen as he drove on that road every Sunday. These feelings became a reality as he began to search out Native Americans in the area to talk to them about this old trail on Lebanon Road. He knew there was a Pow Wow in the fall and hoped that good and new relationships could be made with the Native American brothers and sisters. As these talks came about a memorial walk and a service developed. I personally have been blessed over these three years of coordinating this Commemorative "Trail of Tears" Walk.

 My own family was removed from Fort Mitchell, Alabama to Oklahoma Indian Territory. This small walk has become to me one step closer to the "Healing of the Land" which God has placed in the hearts of many. Although the past can never be undone, the suffering of those Five tribes, the Cherokee, Muscogee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and the Seminole, who were forced to make the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma, the spirit lives on in the places they once lived. This walk can be a healing and renewal for both our peoples.

We will walk this trail once again and recall in memorial the past. It is our sincere hope that you will be able to come to this event and seek the heart of God for the people. Reconciliation is not a free thing; it comes with a price and an act of apologia. For those of us who are descendants of those who were forced by Indian removal, we walk in memorial and memory. For those who are not of our heritage, you may be walking to reconcile the past and give of yourself in this one act of repentance from your heart and the heart of God. There is much more understanding that is needed between our peoples, but this little walk has been a blessing and has been actively working toward the understanding and forgiveness between our peoples.

We will be coming together on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM starting August 28, at Cook's United Methodist church in Mt. Juliet, TN. to talk about "Healing the Land".

For more information call:
Melba Checote-Eads at (615) 754-5303