Rev. John Friesen quietly retired after serving Morley for 30 years.
“We silently slipped away, we didn’t want to make a big hullabaloo about us leaving,” Friesen said.
“But no one knows how to say goodbye like Stoney people,”
At 80-years-old, Friesen said he knew it was time to slow down after serving Morley as a Pastor for the past three decades, while also working as a professor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary for more than 40 years.
“When I was in Morley, I juggled between teaching, hospital visits and funerals,” Friesen reflected.
“There is no pressure being retired.”
The reverend started helping at the Morley Church in 1986 when his “dear friend” late Chief John Snow asked Friesen to help on the reservation after the community ran “out of luck” with ministers.
“When I started only 15 people came to church, by the time I left we had 50 to 60 people showing up every Sunday,” Friesen said.
Friesen laughed as he reflected on his years at the church, noting that by the time he left, the official church service was typically able to start 15 minutes after the scheduled start time – one of the lessons he took from the Stoney people.
“In my years as a professor, I was only late four times in 40 years but in Morley sometimes weddings could start two hours late – I learned to relax and flow with it,” Friesen said with a laugh.
“I always thought the Stoney people were very receptive to us as outsiders, it was never us versus them. I was always treated with respect,” Friesen said.
In three decades on the reservation, Friesen said he made a lot of friends while performing funerals, weddings and “thousands of baptisms.”
Some funerals the reverend performed ended up being some of Friesen’s “dear friends” including late Chief Snow’s.
“After John Snow passed away, I had a dream that I was sitting in a council meeting and I was asked to speak and Snow was there, and I told him I couldn’t speak because I didn’t have any notes and Snow said to me, ‘to tell what is in your heart,’” Friesen recalled.
“It was one of the most spiritual experiences I ever had.”
While Reverend was the title Friesen was best known for in Stoney Nakoda First Nation, he also holds his PhD from the University of Kansas, a doctor of ministry from Christian Bible College and a doctor of religious studies from Trinity Theological Seminary. Friesen is also an ordained minister with the All Native Circle Conference of the United Church of Canada.
Friesen was also a recipient of three Eagle feathers during his work and advocacy for native studies and education, a course he started at the University of Calgary with only 10 students initially enrolled – now a required course for post-secondary students in Education. In First Nation culture, eagle feathers are known as one of the most sacred and honoured gifts.
The last feather Friesen received was in 1995, presented by The First Nations Student Association and The Native Centre of the University of Calgary. The feather was presented along with the Rev. Dr. John Snow Sr. Award “to recognize and honour academic instruction and support to Aboriginal students at the University of Calgary.”
Now in his retirement, Friesen said he is looking forward to relaxing and spending more time with his family.
Before getting off the phone, Friesen said, “Well I think that’s enough for today” and jokingly sang, “It’s my time, I’m going home.”
