A Reflection from the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR)

Today marks the anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre (November 29, 1864), the deadliest day in Colorado’s history. At sunrise, the U.S. Army attacked a peaceful encampment of Cheyenne and Arapaho people along Big Sandy Creek, killing more than 230, most of them women, children, and elders.

The attack was led by a Methodist pastor and ordered by a Methodist governor. For more than a century, the Church failed to acknowledge its role in this tragedy.

As part of our ongoing work toward confession, repair, and reconciliation, the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) and the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) have partnered to host the traveling Sand Creek Massacre Exhibit in the United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C.

In this short video, General Secretaries Rev. Dr. Giovanni Arroyo (GCORR) and Bishop  Julius C. Trimble (GBCS) reflect on why remembering matters, and how this shared witness can lead the Church toward healing and justice.

As people of faith, we are called to face our history with courage and humility, to tell the truth about the harm done in the name of the Church, and to participate in the sacred work of reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

May this anniversary be not only a moment of remembrance but also a renewed commitment to justice, equity, and right relationship.