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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedSeptember 14, 2026Miami-Dade County

Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes Dispute Church Presence on Wind River Reservation After Pastor Criticizes Tribal Ceremonies

Photo: WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

The Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes want the Foundations for Nations Church removed from the Wind River Reservation after Pastor Sarah Lucas posted a sermon condemning the tribe's sundance ceremony as idol worship. In response to the controversy, the tribal councils passed ordinances requiring religious groups to seek approval before operating, which has suspended the church's youth programming. While tribal leaders assert their governance, Pastor Lucas maintains she owns the private land beneath her church and refuses to leave.

Indigenous RightsReligious FreedomTribal SovereigntyLand JurisdictionCultural Preservation
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

Why It Matters

The standoff tests the legal boundaries of and jurisdiction over privately owned land within reservation boundaries, affecting community relations and local religious services.

Key Facts

  • Pastor Sarah Lucas preached a sermon condemning the Northern Arapaho sundance ceremony as idol worship, sparking local protests and a demand for her church's removal.
  • The Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribal councils passed ordinances in July requiring religious groups to seek tribal approval before operating on the Wind River Reservation.
  • Pastor Lucas owns the private land underneath the Foundations for Nations Church and asserts that property ownership shields her from banishment.
  • The tribal council acknowledged in an August 31 memo that jurisdictional limits likely prevent the tribe from regulating church activity on private land.
  • Foundations for Nations has suspended its youth programming, which included picking up and dropping off children on the reservation.
  • Sunday church attendance at Foundations for Nations has dropped by half, down to around 75 from previous levels of 150, with protests sometimes rivaling church attendance.
  • The church previously built local relationships by offering free after-school camps, summer day camps, a food bank, clothing giveaways, and assistance with vehicle fuel and roof repairs.

Who's Mentioned

OrganizationAmerican Indian Movement“Activists participating in protests”PersonTearany Black“Arapaho congregant”OrganizationFoundations for Nations Church“Christian church on the Wind River Reservation”PersonDJ Gardner“Former church congregant”PersonBig Wind Carpenter“Protest participant”locationWind River Reservation“Reservation in Wyoming shared by the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribe”OrganizationCarleton College“Institution where Michael McNally is a professor”OrganizationUniversity of Nebraska College of Law“Institution where Jessica Shoemaker is a professor”locationMinnesota“State where Carleton College is located”PersonJessica Shoemaker“Professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law”PersonMichael McNally“Professor of religious studies at Carleton College”OrganizationLiberty Counsel“Conservative Christian legal organization representing Pastor Lucas”PersonKeenan Groesbeck“Arapaho Chairman”PersonMary Rose Goggles“Former church attendee”PersonJenea Mandan“Arapaho traditionalist”locationArapahoe“Town in Wyoming”PersonSarah Lucas“Pastor of Foundations for Nations Church”