Fabric of friendship strong after theft of quilts

St. John's Episcopal Church in Minneapolis is a congregation where social activism and cultural bridging aren't just ideas --they're imperatives. It's a church that builds Habitat for Humanity homes in Alabama and supports Nets for Life, a malaria-fighting effort in Africa. It's a place where a Haitian partnership existed years before the earthquake and where a sign reads, "Do The Right Thing."

That's why it's so hard for the Rev. Mariann Budde to get her head around what happened March 2, as the congregation still glowed from a deepening friendship with members of four Episcopal churches on the White Earth reservation.

Sometime that afternoon, one or more people entered the parish hall where two stunning American Indian star quilts hung on each side of three stained-glass panels. One quilt, in blue, was a gift from White Earth. The other, in gold, was offered to St. John's by the All Saints Indian Mission in Minneapolis. The quilts were ripped from the wall, leaving gashes, the brackets that once held them left strewn on the ground.

"It's our family room," said Budde, the church's soft-spoken spiritual leader for 17 years. She waited until the next morning before filing a police report, hoping the phone would ring and a voice would say, "Oh, here they are." As of Sunday, that call hadn't come.

The Rev. Lisa White Smith, of White Earth, shared Budde's sadness: "News is spreading. People are wondering: Was this a statement of some sort or just somebody seeing something of value to take? I guess we'll never know."

A delicate friendship between the two groups began almost 20 years ago. In the early 1990s, members of All Saints Mission dreamed of building a food program in their basement. St. John's offered architectural and financial help and the First Nations Kitchen began, and it's still serving Sunday dinners of indigenous, organic food.

In gratitude, the mission gave St. John's a star quilt, whose pattern represents the Morning Star. Budde was humbled by the significance of the quilt, commonly used in life-cycle events such as births and deaths.

Two years ago, Budde traveled to White Earth to learn more about the band's history, their connection to the land "and the sometimes helpful, but also hurtful connection between us and the tribe. I thought, 'We need to establish a friendship.' White Earth was saying the same thing."

Last summer, 13 St. John's members traveled to White Earth, staying at a guest house, and attending a powwow and worship service. They were given the blue quilt and were "treated like family," Budde said. "We were all blown away by that, given the history."

Over President's Day weekend, more than 50 children, parents, grandparents, Rev. Smith and White Earth tribal chairwoman Erma Vizenor arrived in Minneapolis at the invitation of St. John's, bringing shoes to donate to Haiti. They volunteered at Feed My Starving Children and enjoyed dinner in the St. John's social hall, where the quilts were a shining focal point. On Sunday morning, the groups sang hymns together and engaged in a myth-busting discussion led by St. John's member Michael McNally, a professor of religion at Carleton College and author of two books on Ojibwe history and culture.

"It astounds me how little people know about and appreciate the native history and this incredible knowledge and cultural diversity in our state," McNally said.

He was particularly pleased to see White Earth members in their volunteer role, "not on the receiving end, but being recognized for the work they've always done. Churches at White Earth exist for outreach. They are ministries to take care of the community."

During that weekend, said St. John's member Deborah Randolph, "our church became what a church should be. Kids played hide-and-seek, teenagers gathered in the Sunday school rooms."

There was music and a Sunday night pizza party before the White Earth members departed Monday.

Ten days later, members setting up for a choir dinner noticed gaping holes in the walls. A day later, Budde e-mailed Smith and the Rev. Canon Robert Two Bulls, vicar of All Saint's Mission, telling them of the thefts. She then sent a note to her congregation, under the heading, "Sacred Gifts Lost." It began, "I am heartbroken to report ... "

"A part of me is searching for an explanation, a way to account for the loss, or better yet, to have the quilts return as mysteriously as they were taken away," Budde wrote. "We have submitted a police report and searched outside the church for clues. The friendship and generosity the quilts symbolize cannot be stolen, and for that we can give thanks to God."

Smith concurred. "The quilts are replaceable," she said. "Our relationships are solid."

Gail Rosenblum • 612-673-7350 • gail.rosenblum@startribune.com