Anchorage and Palmer

Anchorage Lutheran Church

Anchorage Lutheran began as a mission in 1927.  From 1927 to 1932 it served the town, but in 1932 the mission was suspended due to the Depression.  In 1935 the mission resumed serving both Anchorage and Palmer.  In 1945 the first Anchorage Lutheran Church was dedicated.  It was located on the corner of 8th and E.   Anchorage Lutheran is our 'home' congregation.  Jahna was baptized there in 1968.  Jahna and Joe were confirmed there in 1982.  Karen was confirmed there in 1984.  Jahna and Joe were married there in 1994.  Pastor Fritz officiated at each of these special events with the exception of Jahna's baptism.  Pastor Birner is the one who encouraged me to enroll in the Lay Ministry program which was the beginning of the road that I am on today.

Arlene and her husband Carroll were some of the first people we met at Anchorage Lutheran.  We always like it when we see Arlene at Funny River Lutheran when she is at her place on the Kenai.  She and Carroll gave me a job at Family Market when we came back to Alaska in 1974.

We went to Palmer this evening for the installation service for David Grosz, the new missionary to Southwest Alaska for Alaska Mission for Christ.  The women of St. John prepared a wonderful meal that was served prior to the service.

This is the original St. John Lutheran Church building.  It is a log church built as a part of the original colony and now relocated to the State Fair grounds in Palmer.  Among the first colonists resettled in Alaska as part of a federal project were a number of Lutheran families.  Their church was one of the first buildings erected, a house of worship for the Alaska pioneers. (1935?)



Pastor Rockey is in Florida visiting his mother who is very ill.  His wife, Kathy, said "Of course I'll have my picture taken with you".  We did miss you this evening, Jonathan.



The bell tower and cross from the 'old days' now out front at the new St. John Church with the Chugach Mountains in the background.