By Dr. Keith Hamilton, President, Alaska Christian College

What a great year 2019 was for ACC! We enrolled our largest class, graduated our largest fall class and anticipate the largest spring class as well, became a certified Best Christian Workplace (our staff/faculty, when surveyed, chose us a great place to work), became an accredited member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), and of course, saw many lives changed through the Good News of Jesus Christ. We know of more than 30 students who made commitments this fall to the Lord and witnessed 14 baptisms. We experienced unprecedented growth and blessings at ACC in 2019!

For 2020, we are inviting you to give UBER generously as these programs and blessings bring additional costs to campus. We are lacking the necessary funds to expand and continue growing our campus and mission.

I invite you to prayerfully be generous this winter to fulfill our mission.

In this newsletter, VISION 2020 is being introduced to you! Please know that this campaign is also part of growing our future and we need EVERYONE to participate at some level. Know that giving to VISION 2020 is above and beyond your giving to the general fund which covers all the costs of providing for the mission.

Will you grab a hold of what is happening in Soldotna and across Alaska with a gift today?

God’s best to you in 2020,

Update from Keith as of 3/20/2020:

We are closed. Virus has taken us distance delivery. 100% of students are safely somewhere…mostly village homes…whew. It was a movement of a mountain to get them all home. God is good. This is going to be a financial deficit big time for ACC as we had to refund over $150,000 we don’t have for room and board. Thanks for your help.

Keith Hamilton

Bright Beginnings

December Graduates

This December, we celebrated seven new graduates who have earned their AA degrees and are off to a great start! Planning to continue on to pursue careers in education, counseling, ministry, nonprofit management, and veterinary medicine, these students have proven themselves capable of the hard work and determination it takes to fulfill their dreams. We are excited to send them off on their next adventure.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

ACC celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day with its first festival of dancing, games, food, and reflection. In observance of this state holiday, and in joining with native communities throughout the country, ACC students and staff shared in a celebration of native culture. Samplings of native food were prepared by students from both Alaska and Arizona, including fry bread, akutaq (affectionately known as “Eskimo ice cream”), and many varieties and preparations of fish. Students also sang, danced and created a community art project, encouraging reflection and celebration of what it means to be native.

In addition to being a fun-filled day, this observance also highlighted one of ACC’s Guiding Values, a commitment to “value Alaska Native culture and tradition.”

Capital Campaign Quiet Phase is a Huge Success

ACC’s Vision 2020 Capital Campaign raises $3.75 million during Quiet “Leadership” Phase. The classroom addition is nearly completed and this fall, a groundbreaking ceremony began work on the new athletic center.\

This post was adapted from ACC’s Winter Newsletter.

[Click Here] to download the full version in PDF format.

[Click Here] to visit ACC’s Web Page

[Click Here] to support ACC with a financial gift

By Michael White, Lead Pastor, Harbor Covenant Church

What do you do when a huge ministry opportunity comes along and the opportunity is bigger than what you think you can do?  What if the opportunity isn’t anything you have ever done before?  What if, in spite of feeling completely inadequate, you have the distinct impression this opportunity is the call of God?!

Harbor Covenant should not be a multi-site church.  (We’ve read all the literature.  It told us so!)  But, we still felt like God was calling us to step waaaay outside our comfort zone and our experience.  The story starts with deciding that we wanted to be serious about reaching our community for Christ.  We knew that might require us to do some crazy things beyond putting up an “All are welcome” sign on our property.

Several years ago, Gig Harbor, our community, began to experience explosive growth.  We got wind that forests would be cut down and thousands of homes planted in their place.  When we explored the developer’s plans, we noticed that there were plans for shops, restaurants, gyms, and bars in the new neighborhoods, but no room for churches.  We began to wonder and pray:  “If we have thousands of new people moving to our neighborhood, who is going to attempt to reach them for the kingdom of God?”  Nobody else seemed to have a good answer to that question. We began to think, “Why not us?”

At that point, we realized that we were either faith-filled or delusional.  We continued to pray.  We formed a team to explore possibilities.  We engaged our congregation with a prayer walk through the area.  We found the more we talked about the need and the opportunity we had, the more people got excited.  Even though all the literature said we were too small, we kept sensing God was saying “This is what I have for you.”

There were many times we could have been discouraged.  We were beginning to learn that when God gives a vision, it doesn’t necessarily mean everything will go smoothly.  Sometimes the path is long and the spiritual gifts required are patience and perseverance.  One of the biggest challenges was figuring out where we would meet.  Rent in the area was high.  There were very few store fronts or other suitable properties available.  The best deal we could find was about $65,000 per year for rent for a space that wasn’t even very good.  We just kept praying and believing that if this was from God he would have some plan.  (Full disclosure:  I believed this more fully during daylight hours.  At night, I spent a lot of time tossing and turning.)

Then one day I got a phone call that was an “Only in the economy of God” moment.  A few years previously, a guy in our congregation was looking for a place to serve.  I was able to get him connected to the Northwest Furniture Bank where he helped assemble furniture to give away.  Fast forward to the present and this same guy hears that a preschool needs some help putting some furniture together.  He helps them put their furniture together. He has a conversation with the owners and tells them that his church is looking for a place to meet.  (Oh, did I mention that the preschool was located in our target area?)  The owners said, “You can meet here!”  And that’s how we found our meeting place!

The preschool building had a few logistical challenges.  In the middle of the main area there was a large “meadow” with two feet tall mushrooms and a ten-foot-tall tree anchored to the floor.  It was hard to work around, but wow, did it say “family friendly”!  It was also walking distance for many of the new neighborhoods.

On faith, we hired a campus pastor with gifts in evangelism and discipleship to launch the multi-site.  We brought him on our staff for about six months to make sure that he understood Harbor Covenant’s DNA.  We decided that we would go with a video venue with the sermons on a one week delay. We figured that while each campus would have a distinct flavor, that the sermon should be one of the unifying factors.  Having a video venue also freed up the campus pastor to invest all of his time in getting into the neighborhood, meeting people and developing relationships. 

We had a campus pastor and he needed a team. We asked our people to consider a one year commitment to help us launch this multi-site.  Approximately 50 people answered the call.  This might sound like a large number.  But, most of the literature we read told about how churches sent more like 500 people to start a multi-site!  We were small, but we were determined!  Interestingly, after the year was up, the vast majority of the people stayed at our new campus.

As a church, our first organizing principle is:  We reach people for Christ.  We knew that our new campus would be on the cutting edge of reaching the new neighborhoods for Christ.  We were praying for people who were far away from God to hear the good news of the gospel and respond.  We weren’t asking for transfer growth (although it came and we welcomed it.).  We weren’t asking for disgruntled members of other churches (although they came…).  We wanted to reach people for Christ.  And praise the Lord, we have.  One of the things we had hoped and prayed about was that our Central Campus would also be impacted by new people coming to Christ.  Honestly, it was kind of “Wow, if new people can come to Christ at North Campus, why can’t they come to Christ at Central Campus?!”  The North Campus multi-site breathed new life into our whole church.  It helped us to further clarify what is important.  It helped us to let go of some things that were actually hindering us from reaching new people at Central Campus. 

Now, (because we are undeterred by being told that we don’t have the resources to do something!) we are launching two new multi-sites that are completely different from anything we have done to date.  They are dinner churches, designed to gather neighbors around a table to share a meal and have a spiritual discussion.  We launched our Tacoma Tables of Grace in October.  We expect to launch our Bremerton Tables of Grace in April.  In Tacoma we have been joined by volunteers from Praise Covenant.  And in Bremerton, we were invited by Grace Covenant.  We are excited to work together with our sisters and brothers to help reach two other areas for Christ through a unique ministry.

We continue to punch way above our weight class.  But, the excitement of our people, the focus of our ministry and glory for the kingdom of God keep us asking, “What’s next?”

[Click Here] to visit Harbor Covenant’s web site

By Rob Bryceson, Lead Pastor, Gathering House

Two years ago, The Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge Massachusetts set out to do a national study on civic discourse and political engagement done well and wisely in America. Academy leaders fanned out across The United States to hold focus groups for informative discussions, to collect data, and to search out innovative places to champion.

The Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent research center which convenes leaders from across disciplines, professions, and perspectives to address significant challenges. It was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1780, during the American Revolution, by John Adams, John Hancock, and 60 other scholar-patriots who understood that a new republic would require institutions able to gather knowledge and advance learning in service to the public good. For 240 years the institution has flourished as a significant source for discovery, thought, and ideas in American society.

Of the hundreds of people and organizations they spoke with across America, eight were invited to come and give five-minute inspirational spark talks at the Democratic Citizenship Convening held on Feb 7^th. The spark talks were given between the keynote panel discussion sessions as they prepared to release the study.  Rob Bryceson, pastor of The Gathering House, a Covenant Church in Spokane, WA. was invited as one of the eight.

The Gathering House is a former First Covenant Church that set out six years ago to create a new style of ministry impacting their city. They created a separate non-profit charity called Street Wise and opened a job training coffee shop and café that specialized in hiring people coming out of addiction, homelessness, or incarceration. The goal was to use the church space to give opportunity and assistance for marginalized people while at the same time to keep the doors open wide to the community around them. Because of the nature of their coffee shop and the location and focus of their ministry, The Gathering House continued to grow in reputation and influence in the City of Spokane.

In his talk at the Academy, Pastor Bryceson spoke of how the church wanted to build something more community related that allowed use of the building seven days a week but also allowed them to hold church services on Sundays. They simply had no idea what a significant impact they would have on the city of Spokane as a location for discussion, dialogue, and exchanging of ideas.

Bryceson mention how the space became a hub for community development and social action. The Spokane Homeless Coalition moved their meetings to The Gathering House. So did the local Business Development District. The North Hill Neighborhood council, part of the city’s governmental structure moved their monthly meetings to the church. The mayor booked the church for an educational symposium with top business leaders encouraging them to hire former felons. The city council president held workshops to discuss serious social problems. Several other city council members, and state representatives, used the church location and cafe to hold informational meetings with their constituency. He mentioned that when the current, newly elected mayor, launched her campaign by gathering 100 of the top women business and community leaders – the event was held in the café.

A group of felons known as “I did the time” met weekly in the coffee shop for support and became friends with Pastor Rob and his wife Tonia who ran the Street Wise Café. When one of these felons was elected President of the NAACP, they began to hold meetings at the church. The Racial Justice Equity Council moved their monthly meetings to The Gathering House and when a meeting was convened with the county sheriff to discuss the impact of a new jail on the racial minority population of the county – that meeting was held at the church.

The Gathering House is not a huge church. They are a simple church of about 100. But they find themselves significantly impacting their society for causes that benefit the entire community. The reputation of the church is such that civic leaders want to participate with them in holding meetings and raising up the community at large.

Leaders at the Academy pondered how the church and café could host such diverse groups and still get along well with everyone. “We built a reputation with the city and with numerous other agencies in Spokane that gave us credibility.” Pastor Rob informed them. “We didn’t begin with the powerful or elite. We began by working with the homeless street people who surrounded our old downtown church location. We loved the lowest rung of American society and that lifted us up to the highest levels of civic influence.”

See Rob’s full presentation below

As Pastor Shaun Marshall stepped on stage to preach at Midwinter he first took time to show a video highlighting Portland Covenant Church, located in Northeast Portland. The video shared the story of the congregation intentionally making its way towards health in the midst of adversity. Under the leadership of Pastor Stephen Bjorlin, Portland Covenant will officially be ending it’s three-year revitalization agreement with the denomination this summer as it moves into a season of health and sustainability. Watch the video below to hear more about their transformational story.

[Click Here] to visit Portland Covenant Church’s website

[Click Here] to see the video in the context of the full Midwinter service

By Tim Anderson, Youth Pastor, Cascade Covenant Church

Mud 2020 was an incredible and inspiring weekend. Over 300 students from the PacNWC from their churches came together to worship God, to have fun, and to be together. Students descended on camp where they heard engaging, real-life messages from Tara Hollingsworth. Students were encouraged to see God at work in their lives, to experience God’s healing and restoration, and to see their lives through Jesus’ perspective.

The weekend was full of the engaging activities: paintball, horseback riding, zip lining, ultimate frisbee, a college seminar, and so much more – all  offered by the camp staff and other leaders at our world class Cascades Camp in Yelm. A huge part of the weekend’s success, kids were invited to just “be kids” and have fun. Huge games of tug-o-war, slimy steal the bacon, and mud balloon football filled out our large group games, and in free time I had a blast playing over an hour of volleyball in nothing but pure mud with students from North Bend, Mount Vernon, Yakima, and Seattle.

The worship band from Seattle Pacific University led us in worship, and it wasn’t just in English! We sang songs in a variety of languages. The team was energetic and vibrant, and helped us connect with God in ways both new and familiar. What a joy it was to see students stand up and sing songs in the languages of their families and people for all of camp!

Many people made this weekend special, but I certainly have to stop and say thank you to Phil Lewis from Quest Church, Erik Cave from the conference, and Jessica Palmer from Cascades Camp. With their help our team worked to make MUD 2020 flow; working with them was a joy as we planned the weekend’s activities. Matt Knapp made our video, Helen Salley lead upfront games, and all of our Pacific Northwest youth pastors, leaders, and volunteers made the weekend fun and engaging for all of the students.

I’m always encouraged at these retreats to see people come together and worship God as one body. We were joined by Covenant Churches and churches and groups from outside of our denomination as well. But when we came together we found ourselves gathered in the presence of one Spirit, one God, and one Lord and Savior. This was truly a special weekend.

Some students at this retreat acknowledged Jesus as their Savior for the first time. Some re-committed their lives to Jesus. Others helped their friends process the real things happening in their lives. Kids discussed wanting to see their community reshaped and drawing closer to God. They shared their hearts for their schools, families and for one another.

I just want to say that I am so thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity to witness all of this from a front row seat! Being a youth pastor is one of the great joys of my life, and I’m so thankful for all of the students and leaders I’ve gotten to know over the past five years in the Pacific Northwest Conference.

We are not in this alone, but we are in this together. We trust in Christ to set our direction and set our steps, but we also trust we are with him, not in isolation, but unified together as one body. MUD demonstrates that we have each other‘s back, that we’re following Christ together, and that the Spirit is still moving amongst our churches. What a gift to serve together – thank you for this opportunity! I truly look forward to MUD 2021.

By Sammi McCubbins, Crescendo Coach and Brielle “Lava” Cosgrove, Program Assistant, Cascades Camp and Conference Center

Sammi’s Reflection:

The first Sixties + Retreat was a great success for a multitude of reasons.  Community was established the first evening among those attending with the warm and friendly “get to know each other” mingling.  From that first moment on the folks were engaged in every aspect of the retreat: worshiping together, eating together, attending workshops together, enjoying daytrips together, playing games together, working puzzles together, meeting new friends and learning together.  The whole week-end was about mutual participation, transparency, unity and relationships, just like the early Christians in Acts. 

The accommodations, meals and attention to every detail was meticulously carried out by the wonderful staff and volunteers at the camp.  For me personally the highlight was meeting so many wonderful people beginning or in the midst of navigating their lives through the second half of life.  I loved sharing how the kingdom-focused CRESCENDO ministry can be helpful to those transitioning from one exciting season of life to another. 

As a result of the information gained, CRESCENDO workshops will be happening throughout our conference this year as some churches begin to implement the SPICES framework to vital living with their older adults ministries. 

I believe in the future, Sixties + Retreats at the camp will be bustling with more older adult “campers” seeking a renewed vitality for living life to the fullest… spiritually, physically, intellectually, socially (community), emotionally and in service.  If you missed this one, plan to be at a future Sixties + Retreat. 

Brielle’s Reflection:

Greetings again from Cascades!

Things are typically pretty quiet at camp in January, but this year we’ve added a brand new event that we just wrapped up last week: our first annual Sixties+ Retreat! This event was a collaboration between Cascades and Crescendo, a Covenant ministry “focused on equipping pastors, staff, and church leaders to unleash the potential of boomers and beyond to engage in the work of God’s kingdom.” Together, we came up with an engaging and relaxing program, hoping to provide inspiring activities, point to God’s great love, and foster meaningful connections to last for many years to come.

We were blessed to be able to welcome approximately 50 participants – an encouraging number for a brand new event! Covenant churches from across the Northwest helped us spread the word about the retreat, bringing in a wonderful group of adults from a variety of backgrounds. Whether brand new to Cascades or seasoned campers, attending with a spouse or ready to make new friends, it was clear that all were excited to experience a refreshing time together with each other and the Lord.

The retreat’s worship sessions included inspiring messages by several gifted speakers, including: Alan Forsman, Debbie Blue, and Evelyn Johnson from the Covenant Crescendo team, as well as Mark Novak and Dawn Taloyo. Their words challenged us to ponder matters of trust and vulnerability, staying fresh in our faith, sharing our testimonies, and being a living sacrament for the Lord.

We were also excited to offer several engaging workshops on a variety of topics, including relevant themes like discipleship and mentoring, a presentation on Japanese bonsai and tea gardens, and more, provided by Clyde Ohta, Nancy Carlson, Sammi McCubbins, and the Crescendo team. During these workshops, attendees got the chance to learn, share, and connect with smaller groups of peers.

Beyond formal presentations, participants also got the opportunity to experience Cascades in its fullest as they explored the grounds and participated in activities. Zip lining (congratulations to the 5 brave souls who tried it out!), guided walks, boating, a history tour of Cascades via hay ride, disc golf, and more gave everyone the opportunity to get out in God’s creation, make memories, and form connections with each other.

For those who preferred to experience our first snow of the season from the comfort of the indoors instead, there were puzzles and games, chances to cozy up with a good book, 1-on-1 sessions with spiritual directors, about 30 total gallons of coffee consumed, and countless great conversations around the fireplace and beyond.

Overall, it was an abundantly life-giving weekend for all, filled with laughter, genuine connection, and praising God together – we already can’t wait until next year!