Every week, a group gathers at the Lantern CRC Church to offer a light lunch, coffee, peppermint tea, and meaningful conversation. Every other week, through Cree Nation and Iksook, this hospitality expands to include the distribution of between 40-60 hampers to individuals and families navigating a variety of challenges. Beyond these gatherings, Cree Nation and Iksook operate a 24/7 food bank out of two garages rented by Willy, one of the Indigenous leaders, ensuring that food security is always within reach for those in need.
The Lantern is located in the vibrant community of Inglewood near downtown Calgary. A pilot program, titled Walk As We, began in September 2024. The genesis of this actually began during Covid in 2024, when a friend challenged every Canadian to take the free on-line Indigenous Canada course through the University of Alberta. That journey led to more learning through Hearts Exchanged - we’re hoping both of these can be offered as part of Walk As We in the future. The real key though was Jesus answering the prayer to bring Indigenous friends into my life.
Like many things in life, Walk As We has evolved differently than planned. Initially envisioned as a round table of seven leaders—both Indigenous and non-Indigenous—the leadership team now consists of three and Walk as We has kind of taken a back seat to the program of two Indigenous friends who lead a weekly gathering that feeds people and provides support to the community.
I’m very excited to see how Jesus will continue to lead us through these friendships.
What is really being offered is a place to laugh, cry, eat, and get to know each other. The depth and quality of the relationships will determine what we will do together. I believe that this deep focus on relationships has become a key element of the ministry's sustainability and impact. Everything that has been sustainable in the work with Indigenous people over the past four years at the Lantern, has been born of friendship. Friendships that are not based on triangles of hierarchy, but tables of equality and consensus in decision-making. I’m very excited to see how Jesus will continue to lead us through these friendships.
The heart of this lies in the leadership of Willy, of Cree Nation, and Kate, of Iksook. Together with their extraordinarily committed volunteers, Willy and Kate love the community through generosity, care, and hospitality. While their language may differ from traditional church expressions, their actions reflect the essence of Jesus love for neighbor.
All this aligns beautifully with Jesus’ mission in Luke 4:18-19: to bring “good news to the poor” and “freedom to the oppressed;” and Matthew 25 where Jesus says, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” Through relationships, shared meals, and practical support, this ministry fosters truth and reconciliation and builds a strong, connected community.
I’m excited to see where Jesus leads us next through the bonds of trust and care.
The Reformed family is a diverse family with a diverse range of opinions. Not all perspectives expressed on the blog represent the official positions of the Christian Reformed Church. Learn more about this blog, Reformed doctrines, and our diversity policy on our About page.
In order to steward ministry shares well, commenting isn’t available on Do Justice itself because we engage with comments and dialogue in other spaces. To comment on this post, please visit the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue’s Facebook page (for Canada-specific articles) or the Office of Social Justice’s Facebook page. Alternatively, please email us. We want to hear from you!
Read more about our comment policy.