Christ Lutheran Church 1798 Iniakuk Ave. Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 (907)479-4947 clc@mosquitonet.com
©2011 Christ Lutheran Church of Fairbanks Alaska; backgrounds from Backgrounds Archive
Pastor Kristi is a 1987 graduate of Concordia College, Morehead MN. In 1988 she studied secondary education at Arizona State University. Before entering seminary in 1994 Pastor Kristi served as youth director at Trinity Lutheran in Phoenix, Arizona and Parrish Assistant for All Saints Lutheran in Novato, California. She graduated from Luther Seminary, MN in 1998. She served in Davenport, Iowa and Geneseo, Illinois before being called to the Upper Musselshell Lutheran Parish in Montana in 2001. She began doing intentional interim work for the Montana Synod in 2003.
This page updated 1/30/12
February FROM PASTOR KRISTI
February signals that we have made it through the first month of the year and winter is half way done. It is also the month that holds one of my favorite holidays, Valentine’s Day. Many people think February 14th is only for the people who have a significant other in their lives and that it is purely romantic. I beg to differ. First of all growing up in a Scandinavian house hold in the middle of a desert my mother always had hearts somewhere, kitchen curtains, dishes on her dresser, even the sheets. Secondly this holiday coincided with school celebrations in Phoenix as Arizona statehood day: that’s right February 14, 1912 Arizona was admitted into the United States as its 48th state.
In our home it was a holiday that was celebrated by all. We made cookies and signed valentines for everyone in our classes. My mother made a special dinner and we all received a gift. Valentine’s Day was not about silly romantic love, rather about showing the love you had for people in your life. I could never pull off the Christmas card thing, but I do try to do valentines to people near and far in my life that have made a difference. I have rolled and cut out more heart cookies than I can count to pass out to those around me. Even when I was in South Africa I made a point to pass out Valentines to people I came in contact with as I brought them from home. They were surprised, to say least, but it helped for international relations.
The best valentine we have been given is the gift of God’s love through Jesus. I think we need remember and celebrate, especially before we start our Lenten journeys. It helps to center us, and focus us on the gift of that love. I have never done Lent in the middle of a snowy winter, usually for me it is in the mud of spring and warmer temperatures. It will be interesting to journey with you in the white.
