“No More Stolen Sisters”: ELCA Toolkit Guides May 5 MMIW Observance

Download the toolkit

May 5: Wear Red and Raise Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 marks the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWGR)—a day the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is calling all congregations and leaders to observe through prayer, advocacy, and visible witness.

At the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, a memorial was adopted encouraging congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization to observe May 5 annually and promote the wearing of red as a sign of awareness and solidarity. This year, the ELCA’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Sub-Task Force has developed a comprehensive toolkit to help communities participate meaningfully.

Why This Matters

The crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives is ongoing. Indigenous communities continue to experience disproportionately high rates of violence, disappearance, and loss. As a church, we are called not only to awareness, but to repentance, accompaniment, and justice.

The ELCA’s commitment—rooted in its Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native People—calls us into solidarity with Tribal nations, families, and advocates who continue searching for loved ones.

How to Participate on May 5

Congregations and individuals across the Grand Canyon Synod are invited to:

  • Wear red on May 5 as a visible sign of remembrance and advocacy

  • Share social media posts and graphics from the ELCA toolkit

  • Engage in conversation, prayer, and learning within your community

  • Attend a virtual vigil hosted by Women of the ELCA at 7:00 p.m.

  • Explore resources and stories to deepen understanding and response

Wearing red is more than symbolic—it represents both remembrance and the voices that are still unheard.

Beyond One Day

May 5 is a beginning, not an endpoint. The toolkit encourages ongoing engagement through:

  • Following Indigenous-led organizations working for justice

  • Hosting book studies, film discussions, or community conversations

  • Advocating for policies that protect Indigenous women and communities

  • Participating in vigils and prayer gatherings throughout the year

As Lutherans, we understand justice as part of our call to love our neighbor. This work reflects our shared commitment to walk alongside those who suffer, speak truth about systems of harm, and participate in God’s healing work in the world.

A Call to the Synod

We encourage every congregation, ministry partner, and leader in the Grand Canyon Synod to share this toolkit, lift up this awareness day, and participate in ways that are meaningful in your context.

Let us be a church that does not look away—but instead remembers, honors, and acts.

For more information, resources, and social media graphics, access the ELCA toolkit and share it widely. If you have questions, you may also reach out to the MMIW Sub-Task Force or Chair Brenda Blackhawk.

On May 5, wear red. Pray boldly. Speak clearly. Stand together.

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardELCA Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations, MMIW, Church and SocietyComment