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During Thanksgiving week, many churches focus on gratitude and blessings. However, Billings First Congregational Church in Montana has chosen a different approach by holding a “Thanks-taking” service. This event centers on the experiences of Indigenous people and reflects on what was taken from them, rather than traditional themes of thankfulness.
“It is a time where we denounce traditional Thanksgiving,” said Rev. Lisa Harmon, senior pastor at Billings First Congregational Church. The service was established before Harmon’s arrival but remains significant for the congregation. Native voices are featured throughout the worship hour, including readings from the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Bible Translation of the New Testament and hymns such as Wakantanka Taku Nitawa (Many and Great, O God, Are Your Works). Indigenous community members also deliver the sermon.
“We have to remember the context we are in here in Billings, and we have to remember we need to repent,” Harmon said.
The church continues this reflection year-round through regular land acknowledgements during Sunday services and ongoing calls for reparations. Billings is located near both the Crow Reservation—the largest in Montana—and the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. According to Harmon, these neighboring communities have experienced longstanding harm and distrust that persists today. “There is still deep work to do around reparations,” she added.
Billings First Congregational Church hosts several Native-led ministries on its campus as part of its mission to support Indigenous neighbors. One such ministry is White Eagle Talking Circle, founded by Josiah Hugs of the Crow Nation for those struggling with addiction. Hugs also co-hosts Unspoken Words, a Native podcast recorded at the church.
The church also houses Billings Elite Amateur Boxing, led by Stewart Strever. The program offers local youth opportunities for personal development and athletic achievement; some participants have become national champions.
Mental health is another priority for Billings First Congregational Church as a WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, Engaged) congregation. Studies indicate that suicide rates among Indigenous youth in Montana are more than five times higher than those of their peers statewide.
To address mental health concerns and promote hope among youth, three years ago the church collaborated with a neighboring Midas shop to create a mural featuring a buffalo—a symbol of strength and unity in Indigenous culture—on an outside wall bordering its courtyard. The project involved local youth painting the mural after members prepared the wall and projected an image onto it. The effort was supported by a partnership with the Native American Development Corporation.
Native-led ministries at Billings First Congregational provide support not only to community members but also to their leaders. Lita Pepion of the Blackfeet Nation shared her experience: “You couldn’t get me in a church...but something about Billings First changed that anger in me to love.” Pepion leads Warrior Women for Justice (WW4J), which advocates for missing and murdered Indigenous people from its base at the church.
In 2023, Indigenous people made up 30.6% of missing persons cases in Montana despite representing about 6.7% of the state’s population; they account for 26% of missing person reports overall.
According to Harmon: “The work Lita is doing is activating the public, getting the message out that if they see something, say something.”
Pepion expressed appreciation for support from Billings First Congregational—from fiscal sponsorship when seeking grants for WW4J to practical help during vigils at Yellowstone County Courthouse across from the church: “They are the most loving solutions people I have ever met.”
She added that she now feels seen and supported at Billings First Congregational: “I found lasting love at Billings First Congregational — a place where I and so many others feel seen, heard, loved and supported.”
Harmon concluded: “Trauma is still fresh in this community...yet we are all in this together.”
