Who we are

Native American Church

Getting to Know the Church People
     Chris (Comeswithclouds) White is the Native American Church of Virginia CEO, and René White (Feather) is the church President. Both are full-time volunteers for Sanctuary on the Trail.™
       Both are retired, and involved in a variety of community efforts: outreach, education, and spiritual mentoring. Their efforts help leaders, military veterans, artists of all ages, and senior citizens.
      Chris is autodidact in engineering and architectural design. René is a retired military veteran and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, with 22 years active-duty military service and has worked in 15 countries.
     They are both of Native American ancestry. René is a Lumbee Indian, and Chris’s heritage traces back to the Cherokee Nation.

Together they serve on the board of directors for the International Oklevueha Native American Church, representing the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide.
Chris is also the Commander of the Commandery of Virginia for the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. This is a philanthropy and charitable non-government organization bringing together a new generation of knights & dames dedicated to creating a better future for all.

The Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is a chivalric organization pursuing humanitarian and philanthropic activities worldwide.

The meaning of Oklevueha derives from a river in North America that will flow,
around, under or through anything
to reach its destination.

About Chris
      Between 2008-2009 Chris received a prophetic dream of one tribe of people coming together that pleased Great Spirit and reached backward and forward in generations.

"One Tribe, One People"
The first of these people would be Native Americans in spirit, but include people from every race, religion and background.
     The premise is that these people would come to an understanding of the "Native Way" of life: love and revere the Creator; which includes respecting creation, i.e., “Mother Earth;” and the revelation of "Yeshua," "Messiah," "Jesus Christ," "The Great Mystery," "Father," "Creator God;" and Love “Human-hood,” i.e. love your neighbor as if it were yourself.
     Chris’s dream told him to tell three native spiritual elders about this short story that he was given.
     Then Chris learned of Quanah Parker Comanche Chief, who, when was seriously wounded, had a vision of Jesus Christ who instructed him to make peace.
     After making peace, Quanah Parker later founded the Native American Church, which the foundation is Native American spirituality and Christianity.
     What is Native American spirituality: creation, nature, the Great Spirit in all things.
     What is Christianity: belief that Jesus Christ the Son of God, thorough which all things created were created.
     This led Chris to James Warren (Flaming Eagle) Mooney Seminole Elder, Medicine Man and co-founder of Oklevueha Native American Church who is the Priory of the Indigenous People Under the Grand Priory of the United States of America for the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.
     Through sacred ceremony with Mooney, Mooney blessed Chris with the first independent branch of Oklevueha Native American Church of Virginia in 2009.
     Chris stated he was taken back when elder Mooney prophesied that millions of people would be reached through the church in Virginia.
     The medicine Chris carries is from Great Spirit and not of his own. One word to describe Chris is "deliberate." His spiritual charge is, “Keeper of the Word.”

"The wind blows where it wishes. You can hear the sound of it. But cannot tell where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the spirit," – John 3:8

Chris (Comeswithclouds) White being named “Commander of the Commandery of Virginia,” a non-profit non-government organization (NGO) with the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem during his investiture ceremony, held inside the Benedict Castle in Riverside, Calif. on Sept. 21, 2013. René is standing by Chris's side.

About René
      René is an avid volunteer in her community: she helps the elderly; helps people seek better jobs for them and their families; helps give mom’s a break; helps care for the afflicted; encourages and offers resources to those who are seeking; and helps other non-profits, like the community center Barns of Rose Hill, Clarke County Memorial VFW Post 9760 and Shenandoah Area on Aging.
    She uses her medicine to create something good for others, and she hopes in some small way, helps eliminate suffering in people and in her community. One word to describe René is, "resourceful."

Art in Nature ™
     René is a also teacher of fine arts in nature and Vice President of the Virginia Lovers Gourd Society. Her Art in Nature™ classes are a fine art ministry with the Native American Church and are held outdoors at the Sanctuary on the Trail™.
     Classes are inspired by nature and Great Spirit, God, Heavenly Father, Creator of All. Classes are for ages 1-120. Professional. Amateur. Novice. She also offers private lessons and mentoring in painting, printing, sculpting, carving, photography etc.

"It is neither your title nor your name that defines you, but what is written on your heart,"
– René White (Feather)

Chris and René are followers of Jesus Christ as they walk the Red Road in a good way.

René teaching the spiritual and physical aspects of seven elements of art, including Native American stories outside in nature.