As great as the distances in Alaska are, so also are the needs. How does The Alaska Mission for Christ go about doing ministry in the Great Land of the North? To answer that question we need to start with the beginnings of the AMC during the 1980’s.
 
Chris Reinke, then pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Anchorage, planned a ministry to go into communities that are too small to support traditional churches and pastors, gather people for ministry, and recruit and train lay leaders. Throughout Alaska there have been over 60 lay ministers who are trained for Word and Sacrament ministry. Some continued their education and became ordained pastors.
 
In 1993 a four-wheel drive truck and fifth-wheel trailer were purchased through an LWML grant. Pastor Ken Schauer was called as the first circuit rider/missionary pastor. He and his wife, Sandi, ministered on the road system. Early in their ministry it became apparent that children’s ministry was a good in-road into a community. In 1995 Sandi Schauer became the first servant events’ coordinator.  Some of the annual 100 plus servant events have included Vacation Bible Schools, Christian athletic camps, and hammer and nail projects.
 
In 1998 Corbie and Nancy Cross were called as full time missionaries to southwest Alaska. During the summer of 1999, and for two more consecutive summers, they lived on a houseboat on the Kuskokwim River. However, their village contacts moved quickly beyond the river and the houseboat was no longer a useful tool for their type of ministry. It was then sold and the Cross’s have continued their ministry via transportation on small bush planes.

Ken and Sandi retired at the end of 2006. Ruth Zellar took on the responsibility of Servant Events Coordinator for the Road Ministry. Ruth and her husband, Gerry, have lived in Alaska for over 35 years and have served in lay ministry with The Alaska Mission for Christ since its beginning, and also in helping to coordinate summer servant events in the northern interior of Alaska. Her love for Alaska and past experience with the ministry has been a great benefit to the AMC staff.
 
Todd and Kim Roeske, former missionaries to the Philippines, arrived in 2006 and took over the ministry of the Copper River Basin, which included the mission church at Copper Center. The following year they were instrumental in the establishment of Mt. Drum Lutheran Church. In 2008 Todd assumed the duties for the Highway Ministry and for the lay ministry training
 
Other team members include Bruce and Dawn Grossmann who have also been long time residents of Alaska on the eastern side of the state. They have been ministering in their hometown of Delta Junction, as well as in the villages of Tanacross, Healy Lake and Dot Lake.
 
Also in 2008 Michael and Justine Borg moved their family to Hoonah, in southeast Alaska, where the Holy Spirit is leading them to begin our ministry efforts for that area.

To read a more detailed history of the Alaska Mission for Christ up through 2003, please click here.