St. John’s Episcopal Mission in Eagle Butte hosts historic Niobrara Convocation

EAGLE BUTTE – The Cheyenne River Episcopal Mission at St. Johns, Eagle Butte, hosted the 2025 Niobrara Convocation, at the Cheyenne River Cultural Center on June 26 – 29. The annual gathering of Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota Episcopalians first convened in October, 1870.

According to Kurt Huber, co-superintending presbyter of St. John’s Mission along with his spouse Ellen, an estimated 90 people attended the Convocation, including babies, pre-teens, teens, elders and all ages in between. He described the gathering as a worship event that at the same time is a “big family and fellowship event, like to a family reunion.” People attended this year’s gathering from Iowa, Nebraska, and all over South Dakota.

Huber expressed great appreciation to Dave West and the Lakota Cultural Center in Eagle Butte for providing the space for the meeting. The Convocation was originally planned to be held in the parish hall of St. John’s mission, which was significantly damaged recently by storms and is still being repaired.

Hospitality and meals for the attendees were generously provided by area congregations, including St. James Church, Mobridge; St. John’s Church, Eagle Butte; St. Mary’s, Promise; Paige Bowker, and Black Horse Ranch (home of Kurt and Ellen Huber), Eagle Butte. Convocation attendees stayed at the local hotel, in RVs at the local campground, in friends’ homes, and at the dormitory at the high school.

Rev. Lauren Stanley, Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Church in South Dakota, attended the Convocation. Mother Lauren, greatly beloved by Lakota in the area, served for 8.5 years as the Supervising Presbyter of the Rose Bud Episcopal Church Mission West before being promoted to the position where she now serves.

A highlight for the weekend was a Saturday morning Eucharistic service completely conducted in the Lakota language using resources developed by Father Paul Sneve, a Lakota Episcopal priest from Rosebud. Huber said that this was the first time in several years that the Convocation had conducted a complete Eucharistic service in the Lakota language. Deacon Iva Traversie of Eagle Butte read the gospel in Lakota and assisted with the Prayers of the People.

On Saturday afternoon, two guests from the Pine Ridge reservation, brought to the Convocation a conversation about suicide awareness. Both guests have been touched by deaths by suicide. Huber said the presentation was well received and very helpful. The Convocation gifted the two guests with star quilts to show appreciation.

On Saturday evening, the Convocation moved to the Black Horse Ranch, the home of the Hubers, for bar-b-que, music, dancing, karaoke, and compline (evening prayer service). Mercy Hobbs, Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pierre SD, posted on Facebook, “Delightful to be at Kurt and Ellen’s ranch! Hamburger and hotdogs and opportunity to try the best bbq sauce in South Dakota which came all the way from west Texas. Wonderful fellowship…” Iva Traversie posted, “It was a great event, glad to enjoy the food, music and dance.”

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Lakota from the Rosebud reservation, the daughter of an Episcopal priest, and an esteemed historian and writer wrote (in her book That They May Have Life, The Episcopal Church in South Dakota 1850-1976, published in 1977), “The annual summer meeting in South Dakota known as the Niobrara Convocation is one of the most important events of our missionary work with the Episcopal Church in the United States.

“The Dakota Indians managed in their own fashion to fit the values of their old traditions and rituals into Christianity. The Niobrara Convocation served the same social function as the old Sun Dance, when friends and relatives came together in the summer from all directions. The convocation custom of the Indians from the different reservations camping together was not unlike the traditional spots held in the camp circle by the various tribes.”

She also documented the following, “The first (Niobrara) Convocation was held on October 5-6,1870, at Santee, Nebraska. Bishop Clarkson of Nebraska and Dakota issued a call to the clergy of the Dakota field for a meeting to be held for the purpose of organizing an Indian Missionary Convocation. Each chapel was to be represented by two lay delegates.

“The Niobrara Convocation grew to be a loved and much looked forward to annual event in South Dakota. Non-Indian Episcopalians and persons from other denominations, as well as government officials and even President Calvin Coolidge visited. The gathering was frequently honored by visitations of numerous Presiding Bishops.”

The Convocation takes its name from the Niobrara River in north-central Nebraska.

In its 155-year history, the Convocation has been cancelled only 5 times, most recently in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID epidemic. The first time the convocation was hosted by the Cheyenne River Lakota was in 1887. The 2026 convocation will be held at the Pine Ridge Mission and the 2027 convocation will be held at the Rosebud mission.

(Contact Grace Terry at grace@agelsabide.com)

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