This list of events is provided to give Alaskans some concrete ways to celebrate their faith, assist neighbors in need and work for Alaska’s common good. To add an event to this list, please send us an email at editor@alaskawatchman.com.
LIVE OUTDOOR NATIVITY IN ANCHORAGE
Christian Church of Anchorage is putting on its “Live Nativity” Dec. 20-23 in Anchorage. The outdoor nativity display begins Dec. 20-23 from 6-8 p.m. Saturday’s nativity (Dec. 21) will be 2-5 p.m. Visitors are welcome to take photos and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. The church is located at 10800 Lake Otis Parkway in Anchorage.
‘CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR’ CELEBRATES REASON FOR THE SEASON
A three-day Christmas celebration will take place with a live nativity, live reindeer, Christmas light shows, sleigh rides, hot cocoa, an elf village, cookies and photos with Santa during the Christmas Spectacular at Anchorage Baptist Temple. The family event takes place Dec. 20-22 beginning at 5 p.m. Click here for more information.
DONATIONS NEEDED FOR HOMELESS MOMS WITH KIDS
Clare House, an outreach for homeless mothers with children in Anchorage, needs the following donated items: twin sheets, blankets, pillowcases and towels. Donations can be dropped off at the shelter located at 4110 Spenard Road. The shelter also needs volunteers to serve on meal teams that provide food for the approximately 60 participants at Clare House. Teams have specific dates each month when they provide the dinner meal and drop it off at Clare House around 4 p.m. For more information, email Cindy Lentine: clentine@cssalaska.org or call 907-222-7309 or the main office 907-222-7300.
LIVING OUT FAITH IN A SEX-SATURATED CULTURE
An upcoming speaker panel will explore how Christians can live out their faith in a sex-saturated culture. A notice for the event states, “Navigating a world in a sexual free fall is something every parent, kid, grandparent, teacher, and pastor must learn. We are positioned to lose the next generation by ignoring the truth. On the other hand, if we raise up the next generation with the skills and awareness to navigate with faith in such a world, the culture can change.” The presentation is at ChangePoint Church in Anchorage on Jan. 23 starting at 6:30 p.m. Click here for more information.
FAIRBANKS TO PROTEST ROE v WADE
Pro-life residents in Fairbanks are planning a rally to protest the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decisions legalizing abortion across the nation. The rally takes place on Jan. 24, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Cushman St. Bridge. The event aims to show the larger community that human life is valuable from conception to natural death.
POLAR PLUNGE TO BENEFIT SPECIAL OLYMPICS
The 11th Annual Special Olympics Alaska Polar Plunge is expected to draw thousands of people to Anchorage’s Goose Lake on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There participants will plunge into icy water to support sports training and competition for Special Olympics Alaska athletes statewide.
“We are very thankful for the sponsors, pledgers and participants that make this event possible every year and continue to support Special Olympics Alaska athletes statewide,” said Patrick Reinhart, Special Olympics Alaska Interim President/CEO. “We are hoping to have more than 800 plungers to help us reach our goal of $350,000.”
Registration is open for individuals, organizations and businesses to team up and take the plunge. The public is encouraged to come and watch plungers. Participants will be plunging non-stop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to raise needed dollars for Special Olympics. To register, donate or for more information, visit specialolympicsalaska.org.
ONE-DAY MAT-SU EVENT FOR HOMELESS
Project Homeless Connect is a one-day, one-stop resource for those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. During the Jan. 29 event Alaskans may access essential services including fellowship, personal hygiene and comfort items, housing help, public health and resources, a hot meal and gently used clothing, among other things.
Approximately 275 guests attended last year’s Project Homeless Connect which is offered In partnership with the Mat-Su Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, Frontline Mission, Big Lake Community Clothing Closet, Valley Charities & turn-a-leaf, Mat-Su Public Health, United Way of Mat-Su and many others.
This year’s event is scheduled for Jan. 29, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Menard Sports Complex in Wasilla. Volunteers are always welcome and needed. For more information, contact the Mat-Su Coalition on Housing and Homelessness at (907) 745-5827.
FOSTERING ‘REASONABLE FAITH’
Reasonable Faith Anchorage is a group that wishes to interact with, challenge, and grow together in the knowledge of God and defend the Christian worldview. Inspired by the idea that all Christians should be ready to give an intelligent reason for their faith, the group seeks to study the Christian faith, and at times other worldviews, through the lenses of science, philosophy, biology and history. Reasonable Faith meets in Anchorage on the second Thursday of each month, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm., at Coffee and Communitas (12100 Old Seward Highway). All who seek out the truth, specifically the truth of Christianity, are invited to join in the collegial and cordial academic discussions. This includes Christians, agnostics, atheists, and those of other religions. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook Page or send an email to chris.gonzales@reasonablefaith.org.
ABORTION OUTREACH OFFERS HEALING
Project Rachel is a confidential support group for post-abortive women and others who have been impacted by abortion. This ministry of the Archdiocese of Anchorage is open to all faith backgrounds and is free and open to the public. For more information, call the group’s confidential phone line at 297-7781 or toll-free (866) 434-3344.
WOMEN CONFRONT PAIN OF LOSING A CHILD
Anchored in Hope is a peer-led ministry intended to solidify healthy reliance upon God’s promises rather than isolation, shame or silence that so often follows infant loss and pregnancies ending in miscarriage. A local group of Alaskan women launched the outreach at Anchorage Baptist Temple. Women at any stage of the grief process can join. The meetings, which occur from 7-9 p.m. on Thursdays, are open to all women, and a strong referral network is already in place for anyone who desires formal counseling. Click here for more information, or email alevesque@abt.church.
WATCHDOG EXPOSES BUSINESSES THAT BACK LIBERAL ACTIVISM
Launched in 2013 2ndVote.com is an international conservative watchdog that exposes corporations and organizations that fund liberal advocacy. By putting big business on watch through its extensive research on the most important issues of the day, 2ndVote’s mission is to expose the corporate influence on matters of culture and policy and turn the tide on the attacks on conservative values and principles. The idea behind 2ndVote is that Americans vote twice – once at the ballot box and then again by the companies and organizations they choose to support financially. To learn more about how to align conservative values with everyday financial spending decisions and other contributions, go to 2ndVote.com.
