Church of Our Ancestors is a 508(c)(1)(a) not-for-profit organization founded by P. Linda Ierna Reed and John Reed in 2022 to preserve and facilitate indigenous wisdom and cultural practices.
We were first founded as the Indigenous Cultural Education Center in 2008. Since that time, we have been recognized and known nationally and internationally as ceremony ground and sacred space, where integrity and safety are the primary focus. We are now continuing our work as Church of Our Ancestors in order to honor all people’s traditions of aligning themselves with Spirit.
OUR ROOTS
We are all indigenous to this planet, with tribal roots from the highlands of Scotland, the steppes of Russia and Asia, the mountains and plains of Africa, the grasslands and forests of the Americas, the mountains of Tibet, and the ice flows of the Arctic. Yet, many of us, individually and collectively, have lost touch with our origins over the centuries.
COOA’s programs heighten our individual awareness so that each of us can better serve the community as a whole. These ways, passed down over thousands of years, teach us that our similarities, our relationships to one another and to the earth, involve responsibility, care, and compassion.
OUR PURPOSE
Indigenous wisdom preserved within traditional cultures has much to offer in this time of change. For millennia, this understanding has maintained a profound connection between human beings, the planet we live on, and the divine. Its basic tenet is that we are caretakers of the Earth and, by extension, caretakers for each other, creating a more harmonious perspective through which we experience the world, individually and collectively.
COOA works to preserve traditional wisdom and highlight the contributions of all indigenous peoples of this planet. We support those seeking to rediscover their roots and develop a personal spiritual practice, providing space and opportunity to experience who we are through changing our perception.
OUR OFFERINGS
Since 2008, we have offered interactive, experiential workshops, seminars and prayer ceremonies, and wisdom practices that reflect our commonality and connectedness with Mother Earth.
Our community is strong and growing. It is made up of people from all walks of life, all different ages and cultural backgrounds. The people that make up this community are rich with a creative spirit, have the will of warriors, and have the hearts of truly humble servants of life. We invite you to walk this path of integrity with us by following your own path of growth and healing. We provide a space for anyone who is looking to continue this honorable journey.
