Ephesians 4:16

From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

April 2015

Extra Edition: 2015 ECCAK Annual Meeting Report

After a year-long process of prayerful deliberation and visioning among ECCAK leaders and churches, the annual meeting gathering of delegates voted af-firmatively to become a regional conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). The change will become official at the ECC annual meeting in Kansas City in June. The delegation also approved Curtis Ivanoff to serve another 4-year term in leadership of the conference. His title will be changed from “Field Director” to “Superintendent” pending an affirmative vote at the Kansas City meeting. President Gary Walter addressed the assembly at Elim Covenant Church by phone prior to the vote. He expressed affirmation of our leadership to carry us forward into this new chapter of the work in Alaska. "This is a sign of God's work among us and a sign of the advancement of the kingdom of God, which we trust will be more strongly evident in the days ahead," Walters expressed. “There was a spirit of peace and unity as we made the vote. I felt people were reflective as it was a mo-mentous time,” Cutis said. “We realized that we were making a big decision, one that marks a new chapter

for the work of the Covenant churches in Alaska and there was a sense of God's goodness as the assembly was in one accord.” Along with the change in organizational designation, what has been known as “ECCAK” since 1972, will become known as “the Alaska Conference” of the ECC once the change becomes official. Also present at the meeting were the previous two field directors, Rodney Sawyer and Paul Wilson. Har-vey Fiskeaux, chair of the General Council and mod-erator of the annual meeting, invited Paul, Rodney, and Byron Bruckner, on behalf of Hank Pearson, who served as field director prior to Paul Wilson, to share a word of reflection. Aune Carlson was the ECC representative at the meeting., and shared a let-ter from Dick Lucco, Executive Director of Ministry Development who was not able to attend in person. More than eighty people traveled from out of town and joined with the congregation of Elim over the five-day conference. Messages given by former field directors, local pastor Bob Curtis, Field Director Cur-tis Ivanoff, and General Council Chair Harvey Fiskeaux centered on the theme “Living Stones.”

Annual Meeting Votes Affirmative for Becoming Regional Conference Curtis Ivanoff Approved for Second Term as Field Director

"Living Stones" was the conference theme, coming from I Peter 2:5. In the same way that Joshua was instructed to build a pile of stones when the Israelites crossed the Jordan, stones were

gathered that delegates and pastors brought from their own communities to commemorate God’s work among us at the

meeting, especially the vote to become a conference. What

became clear was that, while this would remind us of the important decisions that were made, what

is most important is that we would know that the "hand of the

Lord is powerful, so that you might always fear the

Lord your God."

Three General Council Members Elected The general council meets three times a year and is vested with the administration of

ECCAK. Its members are elected by and responsible to the official meetings of ECCAK.

The General Council consists of nine elected members as well as the ECCAK Field Di-

rector and the ECC Executive Director of Ministry. Upon becoming a conference, the

governing body will be called the Alaska Conference Executive Board. Due to the self-

governing status of a regional conference, the Executive Director of Ministry will not

hold an official seat, but may serve in an advisory role during the transition.

Lay Ministry Award Honors

Lydia Weston, Ethel Adams

Road System 3-year term: Sam Trotzke, Fairbanks

Sam Trotzke has been a resi-dent of the Fairbanks area for 25 years and a member of the Fairbanks Community Covenant Church for 17 years. He is married to Shauna, and together they have two daughters. He

served for three years on the board of directors of the Alaska Society of CPAs, is currently the Board Secretary of Hope Counseling Center and is the Fairbanks Community Covenant Church Council Treasurer. Sam is a co-managing partner at RJG, Certified Public Accountants. YK Delta 3 year-term: Jason Stromstad, Scammon Bay

Jason Stromstad is in his fifth year as pastor of Scam-mon Bay Covenant Church. He answered the call to serve there after re-ceiving a year of e hospital chaplain residency at Bron-

son Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated from North Park Seminary in 2008. He is originally from Roseau, Minne-sota where he served as a youth lead-er, Sunday School teacher, missions com-mittee member, deacon, and helped with Covenant Women events. He got his first taste of ministry in Alaska as a volunteer at KICY from 1985-88. Norton Sound 3 year-term: Harvey Fiskeaux, Nome

Harvey is serving his sec-ond term on the general council. He is a deeply de-voted lover of the Lord Jesus Christ with a con-suming passion for the lost people of the world. His life is governed and led by

the Holy Spirit's direction and the Word of God. He offers compassion, leadership discernment and wisdom to those around him. He is currently serving as pastor of the Nome Covenant Church where he has served for almost 20 years.

The Daniel Savetilik, Sr. Lay Ministry Award was, for the first time, given to two recipients this year. The intent of this award is to annually recognize local Cove-nant lay persons who have made significant contribu-tion to ministry in Alaska over many years of faithful service. The award is named after Daniel Savetilik, Sr., a faithful leader and servant for many years in the Shak-toolik Covenant Church. Lydia Weston was awarded the lay ministry award for her more than 50 years of faithful service in the Mekoryuk Covenant Church. She has served as a Sunday school teacher, beginning in her teenage years. She also sung in the choir, served on the church council and is currently the vice-chair. Her nomination read, “After careful and lengthy thought, I could not think of anyone else who has served more faithfully, humbly and willingly—serving our Lord in our local church.” Prudy Olrun of Mekoryuk accepted the award on Lydia’s behalf as she was unable to attend the conference. Ethel Adams is the first recipient to receive the hon-or posthumously, as she passed away in a house fire in December. Ethel served on the Koyuk Covenant Church board for many years. She was a choir lead-er, loyal church member and faithful follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Her nomination read: “Ethel set an example to her brothers in sisters in Christ, to family, and to the community of how we are to walk with the Lord. Even though she was not feeling well, having pain and short of breath, she still attended church. Her lega-cy will be carried and passed on to the body of Christ. She also taught us how to ‘watch and pray’—that we need to be ready. Ethel was faithful unto death. (Revelation 2:10).” Ethel’s daughter, Beda Prentice, accepted the award on behalf of her family.

Other General Council Members currently serving include: Adam London, Unalakleet;

Sandra King, Mekoryuk; Jane Atuk, Anchorage; Curt Lindner, Eagle River; Betty

Jackson, Shaktoolik; Lanette Forbes, Bethel.

General Council Commissions History Book Project

Prudy Olrun accepts

Lydia’s award.

Beda Prentice accepts

Ethel’s award.

The General Council is commissioning Adam London, currently serving as youth pas-

tor in Unalakleet, to lead a commemorative project to write a book that will compile the

history of the Covenant Church in Alaska, including capturing the oral history of EC-

CAK. The board feels that the writing of this book is timely with ECCAK’s transition

to becoming a conference. This book is also necessary now so that that the stories of

God’s faithfulness and provision to ECCAK are not lost as those present since the last

major publication, Covenant Missionaries in Alaska by L. Arden Almquist (1962), are near-

ing the end of their life.

This book will be a living testament to the power of God through Jesus Christ and the

stories of the people who started and sustained the church. The General Council also

hopes to introduce a whole new generation of Covenanters to its story and the mission.

“Reading and writing about Alaska Church History has been a hobby of mine for many

years,” explained Adam. “I have been hungrily pouring through Alaska Church History

books, researching both written and oral histories, and I have been struck by the vast

amount of Alaska Covenant history that is scattered in many forms.”

Adam will be seeking grant funding for the project and is planning to take a writing

sabbatical to focus on the project. He will including oral and written histories gathered

from local churches as well. Be praying for this exciting endeavor.

Adam London, Kaylin Kopp, Leiscia Chadwick, and youth

from Unalakleet Covenant Church led sessions with the

children during the conference meetings.