Christ Lutheran Church 1798 Iniakuk Ave. Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 (907)479-4947 clc@mosquitonet.com
©2010 Christ Lutheran Church of Fairbanks Alaska; backgrounds from Backgrounds Archive
This page updated 2/22/10
Pastor |
Susan Granata |
Kim Carlson |
Intern Pastor |
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President Mike Swenson |
Vice President Mark Butcher |
Secretary Karen Johnson |
Financial Secretary John Coady |
Treasurer Tom Benjamin |
Glenn Aasland |
Sharon Brand |
Todd Henze-Nelson |
Jeannie James |
Jim Johnsen |
Hilary Kjera |
Susi Doyle Larson |
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Bill Smyth |
Arvid Weflen |
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Admin. Assistant |
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Mike & Roberta Wheat |
Custodial Staff |
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The significance of worship can hardly be overstated. It is at the heart of what we’re about as Christians. And as Lutherans, how we worship is incredibly important. We have a rich heritage of quality liturgical worship. Each and every part of our liturgy is packed with meaning and laden with history. That is why when any element of our worship is modified it needs to be done thoughtfully, with purpose and care.
At Christ Lutheran Church we use a variety of worship styles and settings. Some are historical, familiar to people with a long tradition in the Church. Others are contemporary with musical styles and words that speak to many in the cadences and language they hear every day.
Whenever we modify worship, there is a predictable response. Some people are delighted and others are disturbed. This is a testimony to the importance of worship and that is a good thing.
The challenge we face as a community of faith is to graciously manage our differing preferences when it comes to worship. This is particularly important at this point in history when our whole church is experiencing major shifts in worship practices and music styles. Gone are the days when one liturgy is used exclusively for years on end to everyone’s satisfaction.
While we want to preserve our marvelous musical and liturgical heritage, we also want our worship to reflect and be accessible to today’s culture. This is a faithful witness to our tradition as Lutherans for it was Luther himself who insisted that the liturgy be done in the vernacular (rather than Latin) and introduced the folk beer-drinking tunes (A Mighty Fortress is Our God!) into the Mass so that the people could sing the catchy music of their day.
In the spirit of Martin Luther, our vision for worship is to incorporate both traditional and contemporary elements all services. The goal is to build up a repertoire of liturgies and music with which we will all be familiar.
Worship is for all but no one worship style can meet the needs of all in today’s world. We strive to be generous in acknowledging a variety of needs as we worship together. It’s not a matter of trying to be all things to all people. That will never happen. It is a matter of being a faithful witness to the whole body of Christ, both preserving our heritage and responding to our times. And most of all, it is a matter of our commitment to being a community of grace for Jesus’ sake.
Children and Communion
“Let the children come to me and do not hinder them for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:16
When I was growing up the church’s practice was to require that a person be confirmed before they could receive communion. Some time in the 70’s the age for 1st communion was moved back to 10. In the 90’s it was moved back again to age 7. In many Lutheran congregations, very young children and even infants are communed. On the other hand, adult Christians are not permitted to commune in some churches with out permission of the pastor.
What’s going on with all these different and changing rules about who is permitted to receive communion?Based on Paul’s admonition in 1Corinthians, the church has long been concerned about people communing “unworthily” and so bringing condemnation on themselves (1Cor. 11:27-34). The conventional wisdom has been that a person needs to understand what the Lord’s Supper is all about before they commune or that they must be in agreement with the doctrines of the denomination.
As a pastor, this has always troubled me. How worthy are any of us? How much do any of us understand? What are we supposed to do with mentally challenged people or people suffering from dementia? How is it that a person receives the grace of God at baptism with no understanding but the same isn’t true of Holy Communion?
But what troubles me most as a pastor, is what I see too often at the altar rail with small children who wish to receive communion but are denied. The Lord’s Table becomes not a place of love and inclusion but a place tears and rejection or even fights with parents. For this reason and because I can find no theological justification for denying children communion, with the Council’s concurrence we now commune children at whatever age their parents desire.
At the communion table, we live out Christ Lutheran’s slogan: “All are welcome…no exceptions.”
Any person who opens their hands to receive Christ’s body will be communed.Pastor Susan
| 1970's ~ 1980's ~ 1990's ~ 2000's ~ 2005 ~ 2007 ~ 2008 ~ 2009 | |
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Pastor Thomas L. Auer is called by the DVM to organize a mission congregation of the LCA in Fairbanks. |
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February 1, 1976 |
First Worship Service held at University Park Elementary. |
March 21, 1976 |
First Sunday School classes conducted. |
May 16, 1976 |
Congregational Charter opened for signatures. |
May 30,1976 |
First Summer Worship Service held at Alaskaland. |
December 5, 1976 |
Congregation of Christ Lutheran Church was formally organized and affiliation established in the Lutheran Church of America. First Church Council Elected. |
August 1977 |
Site purchased for our new church building. |
1977-1978 |
Winter services and Sunday School held at University Park Elementary School. Summer Services held at Alaskaland. |
July 1979 |
Ground breaking ceremony held at our new church site at 7.6 mile Farmers Loop Road and Moose Way. |
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December 23, 1979 | Building completed. First worship service conducted. |
Dedication ceremony for our new church building. |
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October 1981
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Pastor Auer accepts call to congregation in Valdez. Rev Glen Sachs serves as interim Pastor. |
February 14, 1982 |
Reverend Thomas Ledbetter installed as Pastor. |
November 20, 1983 |
Building fund drive for expanding educational facility. |
August 1984 |
Ground breaking ceremony for new expansion. |
January 1985 |
Began construction of educational wing. |
October 22, 1985 |
Dedication of educational wing. |
November 29, 1986 |
Celebrated 10th Anniversary of Christ Lutheran Church. |
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January 1, 1988 | Christ Lutheran becomes a member congregation of the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the Alaska Synod. |
Wednesday evening Family Night activities begin (confirmation, Hand Bells, Choir, etc. |
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March 1993 |
Pastor Ledbetter accepts call to Soap Lake, Washington. Call committee formed. Pastor Ed Balterzen serves as Interim Pastor. |
November 1993 |
Pastor Larry Stappler accepts call to C.L.C. Wife, Charmaine, with sons, Jacob and Luke move to Fairbanks to join in the ministry. |
Summer 1994 |
First Annual CLC picnic, camp out, and worship service held at Harding Lake. |
March 1997 |
Kitchen remodel project completed. New kitchen dedicated. |
Autumn 1997 |
Mission Possible: Free to Grow Campaign pledges $300,000 to debt reduction. |
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Autumn 1999 | Christ Lutheran installs a new lighted sign. |
Creation of Millennium Edition Christ Lutheran Cookbook! |
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July 15, 2001 |
25th Anniversary Celebration at the Chena River Convention Center |
September 2001 |
Pastor Stappler accepts call to Kalispel, MT. Call committee formed. Pastor Lee Boleman and his wife Ricky serve as Interim. |
February 2002 |
Christ Lutheran along with Fairbanks Lutheran and Lord of Life Lutheran begin sponsoring Lutheran Vespers on local radio station KJNP every week. |
April 2002 |
Our new Organ is fully funded but construction on it began late so we are getting a free upgrade! Anticipated arrival is late May. |
August 2002 |
Our New Organ has Arrived! We expect to have it installed and ready to play at the 9:30am worship on August 18! |
September 2002 |
"Faith Buddies" our mentoring program is started. |
July 2003 |
Pastor Susan Granata accepts call to C.L.C. |
September 7, 2003 |
Pastor Susan Granata is Installed |
January 2004 |
New Confirmation program from Faith Inkubators is started |
March 2004 |
We begin a monthly Praise Service led by our Youth! |
August 2004 |
C.L.C. Newsletter received a facelift. Front page is now in color! |
September 2004 |
1st C.L.C. Program Brochure is printed and distributed |
| September 11, 2004 | 1st Animal Blessing service held on the deck |
Fall 2004 |
C.L.C. purchases electronic piano for Praise Services and new sound system to include providing hearing assistance. Large print bulletin is made available every week. |
C.L.C. begins partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters Amachi Alaska Program |
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February 2005 |
Pastor Susan buys a cabin and moves out of the Parsonage. Preparations begin to sell the Parsonage. |
May 2005 |
Our first Intern is assigned! Meredith McGrath is expected to arrive in early September. Preparations for her arrival begin. |
September 4, 2005 |
Intern Pastor Meredith McGrath is Installed! She moves to Fairbanks with her two cats for a year of Internship. |
May 2006 |
Our new intern has been assigned! Sarah Pennewell is expecting to arrive in late August. |
July 2006 |
We make the decision to have our parking lot improved while we paint the Sunday School wing and have new carpet installed! |
August 6, 2006 |
We say goodbye to Intern Pastor Meredith McGrath as she returns to finish her studies. We wish her well in her future ministry. |
August 13, 2006 |
We host a concert by Dave & Barb Anderson on the 13th Anniversary of their miraculous rescue from the Bering Sea! |
September 3, 2006 |
We installed Sarah Pennewell as our Intern Pastor for 2006-2007. She comes to Fairbanks with her Husband, Boyd and their dog & cat. |
October 2, 2006 |
Our new parking lot is paved and well lit! Big thanks to David Soderlund who oversaw the project and did the lights and plug ins! |
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January 28 - March 4, 2007 | We conducted "Gather Us IN..." a pledge drive to raise $150,000 to pay for this fantastic parking lot over the next 3 years. We succeeded and will be landscaping this spring! |
March 31, 2007 |
We met with Bishop Keys for a 1 day workshop and began work on a Mission Statement for CLC! |
May 2007 |
Our new Intern has been assigned! Holly Phillips is expected to arrive the first week of August! |
June 30, 2007 |
Our first Youth Mission Team (9 youth and 2 adults) departed Fairbanks International Airport for San Diego California! They are working through a mission planning organization called Youth Works and will be gone 1 week. |
Summer 2007 |
We are participating in a Habitat for Humanity Apostle Build Project! We are helping to fund and build a home for a local family. |
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August 12, 2007 | Intern Pastor Holly Phillips is installed! |
November 2007 |
A new grand piano arrives! It is played for the first time at the All Saints Remembrance Service November 4th. Thank you to the Bergeson family and others who donated toward this piano |
| Voted on a Mission Statement to guide our ministry | |
March 16, 2008 |
We dedicated the new grand piano in memory of Will Bergeson with the help of visiting pianist Bob Leon. Bob is the composer of the "Call Us Home" liturgy. |
May 2008 |
Our new Intern has been assigned! Matthew Kamprath will be arriving the first week of August! |
June 2008 |
The landscaping is under way in earnest! We can't wait until it's all done! |
July 22, 2008 |
We bid farewell to Intern Holly Slater and her husband Nick. Nick is to do his internship in Texas! |
August 10, 2008 |
We installed Intern Pastor Matthew Kamprath! |
October 19, 2008 |
We dedicated our organ with the help of visiting organist John Bodinger. Today was the American Guild of Organists "Organ Spectacular" an International Organ Celebration! |
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April 2009 |
There were 3 baby girls born to first time parents who are members of our congregation all in the first week of April! How often does that happen? Congratulations to them all! |
April 26, 2009
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Our Intern for the year 2009-2010 was announced. Kim Carlson will be our new Intern and is expected to arrive in early August. |
July 26, 2009 |
We said goodbye to Intern Matt. He returns to Chicago to finish his last semester at seminary. |
| August, 2009 | We welcomed Intern Kim Carlson for her year with us. She arrived with her cat and is settling in. |
Music Coordinators: Edie Husby & Roberta Wheat
Special Music Coordinator: Kim Iceman
Choir Director: Theresa Reed
Organists: Rod Combellick & Ed Husted
Pianists: Greg Robbe & Barbara Quaile
Music is a critical part of our worship. At CLC we use a broad range of musical styles: from traditional hymns to contemporary praise songs, from classical organ to electronic keyboard, from 18th Century chorales to African-American spirituals. No one Sunday will fit everyone’s musical tastes but over a month of Sundays, most everyone will find their musical tastes represented.
Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm
Our Choir Director is Theresa Reed. We practice every Wednesday Evening beginning at 7:30pm. We sing a variety of music to enhance our worship services and sing at least once a month at both our 8am and 10:30am services. All adults and high school youth are welcome to join us.
Special Music Schedule |
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Date |
Who |
What? |
2/21/10 8 & 10:30am |
Choir |
TBA |
Songs and Hymns |
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Our current liturgy setting is Setting 4 from With One Voice (the blue book) We begin using the "Call Us Home" Setting in Lent. |
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Date |
Accompanist |
Songs & Hymns |
2/7 |
Barbara Quaile |
ELW 580 “How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord”, ELW 798 “Will You Come and Follow Me”, ELW 491 “Come, Let Us Eat”, ELW 814 “Take, Oh, Take Me As I Am”, ELW 676 “Lord, Speak to Us, That We May Speak”, ELW 674 “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ” |
2/14 |
Rod Combellick |
ELW 318 “Alleluia, Song of Gladness”, ELW 838 “Beautiful Savior”, ELW 715 “Christ, Be Our Light”, ELW 815 “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”, ELW 315 “How Good, Lord, to Be Here!”, ELW 671 “Shine, Jesus, Shine” |
2/17 |
Barbara Quaile |
ELW 615 “In All Our Grief”, ELW 605 “Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive”, ELW 801 “Change My Heart, O God” |
2/21 |
Greg Robbe |
ELW 878 “Deo Gloria”, ELW 319 “Lord, throughout These Forty Days”, ELW 843 “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”, ELW 575 “In Christ Called to Baptize”, ELW 810 “O Jesus, I Have Promised”, ELW 787 “On Eagle's Wings” |
2/28 |
Ed Husted |
ELW 327 “Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow”, ELW 325 “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”, ELW 336 “Lamb of God”, ELW 611 “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say”, ELW 331 “As the Deer Runs to the River”, ELW 334 “Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery” |
Laura Lease