First Walk with Jesus takes place in Steinbach

Steinbach’s first Walk with Jesus event took place Sept. 19, with organizers saying they were pleased with the result.

“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out, walked with us, prayed with us, shared testimonies, served, donated, volunteered and helped make this day possible,” organizers said in a Facebook post following the event. “We came together with one purpose; to lift up the name of Jesus and declare together Jesus is Lord.”

The event was intended to bring people together for an afternoon of worship, prayer, testimonies and fellowship at K.R. Barkman Park.

A walk through Steinbach was one of the activities of the event that also included invocations by Provencher MP Ted Falk and Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk.

Donations of winter essentials were collected for Steinbach Community Outreach.

Falk told the crowd that Scripture has been embedded in the Parliament buildings 25 times, something he hopes is preserved through the centre block renovation project.

“We really believe that the success of Canada, the freedom, the peace, that we enjoy here, the blessings that we have, are the results of our Judeo-Christian bedrock,” he said.

Mayor Earl Funk told the crowd that he is happy when people tell him they are praying for him.

“That is what is so great about our community,” he said. “We wear our faith on our outside, that it goes everywhere we go.”

He told those gathered that while he was running for mayor in 2018 and councillor 10 years prior it was faith inspired.

“I really felt God called me to run,” he said.

However, he admitted not knowing if God wanted him to win or learn something through losing.

He said Habakkuk 1:5 became important to him. This verse follows the prophet Habakkuk’s lamentation to God about waiting. God tells him to look to the nations and see what He has done.

Funk said it’s God who gets the credit for many of the city’s accomplishments.

“It was God that raised people up to come forward to give money to get projects done,” he said. “It’s been incredible how God has grown my faith through this.”

One of the core group of organizers, April Penner shared some texts from the Bible, summing up her message with advice.

“Love big, pray big, hug big,” she said. “Let’s rise up for Jesus and pray for all unity with churches and Christians. Let us be Jesus’ eyes, Jesus’ ears, Jesus’ feet. Be there for one another.”

Prior to the walk, organizer Marianne Curtis said the event was about crossing denominational lines and backgrounds to celebrate a shared faith in Jesus, while serving the community in a practical way.

“We hope this will be a day of encouragement, unity, compassion, and hope for everyone who attends,” she said.