Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Looking North
by Rev. Dave Sternbeck (Nuu-chah-nulth)
It was Wednesday afternoon as my flight was touching down in Anchorage. I am always excited when I have the opportunity to head north again. Everywhere you go, everywhere you look, Alaska just has a unique beauty.
The plane touched down Wednesday afternoon. I would spend the night in Anchorage before heading to Palmer the next morning. I have become friends with the manager of the hotel where I stay when I am in Anchorage. Mike 
works for one of the Native Alaskan corporations and truly has a heart and concern for the Indigenous group he works for. We stay in touch by email and try to get together when I am in town. I always love to talk with people about cultures and faith.
The next day I was off to Palmer, Alaska. I had been invited to an Indigenous mission conference as one of its speakers. The facility is a mission training center located on Broken Mountain. One hundred sixty acres with several buildings and homes, it is an absolutely beautiful place. I would spend the next three days listening and speaking to future Alaskan Native leaders from every corner of the state. It was very exciting to see the hearts of these people for the Gospel and the longing to serve their people. One of the reoccurring themes in the last couple of years has been the need for distance education programs that would lead to pastoral formation. After my discussion with this group they voted unanimously to use LCMS curriculum for the theological formation of Indigenous pastors and missionaries. It was a time of building relationships and developing strategies for the future of missions in Alaska — very exciting stuff!
I also got to spend some time with Pastor Jonathan Rockey and his family. He is the pastor of Saint Johns Lutheran Church in Palmer. We ate fish and fish eggs, looked at his gardens, talked about life and family, ministry in Alaska and my future here in this state.
The next day I was off to Kenai to see another dear friend, the Reverend Corbie Cross. He asked me to come and preach Sunday at their church, The Star of the North Lutheran Church. I get to preach at his church about once a year. This congregation has become very dear to me.
Sunday afternoon I was driving back to Anchorage where Monday morning I would catch a flight to Fairbanks. I couldn’t wait to see my friends at Zion Lutheran Church. To see my Indigenous friends from Fairbanks; it feels like going home. I would be preaching Sunday, something I love to do. Rosemary would be joining me in a couple of days. We would spend time with Dan Treakle and his family, Pastor Joe and Pastor Jonathan and the rest of the church family who has welcomed us with open arms; they would all be there.
The next two weeks Rosemary and I spent our time looking for housing. Our hope is to move to Alaska by next August. It is an exciting time as we watch the Gospel of God’s Kingdom drawing near to the people we serve.
There is much work to be done. I would like to thank you for your prayers, devotion and commitment to the work that is taking place in Alaska. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and hearts.
As I was leaving to come home I thought to myself, “Keep looking north.” And I said a little prayer, “Oh Lord, bless us and cause us to be a blessing to this people.”