Wyandotte Mission
The original Wyandotte Mission, which has been restored, sits on land that will be returned to the Wyandotte Nation by The United Methodist Church in September. (Photo Courtesy of Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference)
Global Ministries' founding 200 years ago was inspired by the work of John Stewart, a self-appointed African-American missionary to the Wyandotte/Wynadott/Wyandot Native Americans in Ohio. Stewart's work led to the conversion of Chief Mononcue, Chief Between-the-Logs, and many other Wyandotte, leading to the formal establishment of the Wyandotte Church and Mission.
When the Wyandotte were expelled from their land in 1843, they negotiated with the US federal government for the Methodist Episcopal Church to receive the land on which the church building sat, and Global Ministries has held that land in trust ever since.
On September 21 of this year, Global Ministries will return that land to the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma in a public ceremony in Upper Sandusky, OH.
More information about the land return can be found through a Global Ministries press release and an article from the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference.
To register to attend the land return, visit this Global Ministries page.
UM & Global blogmaster Dr. David W. Scott serves as Director of Mission Theology at the General Board of Global Ministries. The opinions and analysis expressed here are Dr. Scott's own and do not reflect in any way the official position of Global Ministries. This post is republished with permission from UM & Global, the collaborative blog of United Methodist Professors of Mission.