EDUCATION
FRIendship
ACTION
Walk As We is a Christian ecumenical and relational urban ministry committed to supporting local Indigenous initiatives and fostering healing relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Rooted in friendship and guided by a diverse Christian Steering Committee, we believe education, long-term relationship-building, and meaningful action are essential steps toward reconciliation. Walk As We encourages learning about the history of this land, creates spaces for friendship and community through the Good Ways Networking Circle, and actively supports Indigenous-led initiatives through advocacy and grant funding. Born from genuine relationship and sustained by trust, Walk As We is playing the long game - walking together toward justice, healing, and shared hope for our land.
Born of friendships, Walk As We started during Covid, when the SoberCrew led by Robbie Daniels (Chiniki First Nation) asked the Lantern CRC if they could host a drum circle in the Church basement. There, Robbie, Aphonse Nepoose (Samson Cree Nation) and Willy Anderson (Cross Lake First Nation) met Rev. Layne Kilbreath and the friendships quickly turned into brotherhoods. Since then, Rev. Laurie McKay and the Indigenous Relations team at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church have become partners and are hosting the weekly Neechi-Mart, a no-barriers food Market led by Willy Anderson. Fast forward to today, Walk As We is led by three Indigenous elders on a steering committee plus Rev. Laurie McKay; and operationally by Willy and Layne. Alphonse is an elder to the Jesus-Centred Sacred Sharing Circle, The Good Ways Networking Circle (GWNC) and co-facilitates Hearts Exchanged with Layne. Robbie continues to do much work that helps his people and Calgarians. The GWNC is 25 Churches seeking to take their next steps in reconciliation. Anglican, Catholic, Independent, Lutheran, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Reformed independent, and United Churches are part of or interested in partnering with the network. Walk As We is praying that the Creator will help us lead ecumenical reconciliACTION efforts in this area, as well as for the Presbyterian Church in Canada Presbytery of Calgary-Macleod. Rev. Layne is now working toward reception as a Minister of the Word in the PCC and hopes to be received this spring (pending educational requirements). WAW is very excited to join what God is doing here on Treaty 7 and wants to do our part to help us all know and love Indigenous people, and to support Indigenous initiatives!
