Jan Bruick of Seward, NE was the program for the weekly Seward Rotary Club meeting at the auditorium of the Jones Bank and Trust in Seward. A luncheon, fellowship and brief business meeting preceded the program. Rotarian Melanie Ayres introduced Jan Bruick-- the Servant Event Coordinator for Alaska Mission for Christ. She and her husband, Pastor Scott Bruick of Seward’s St. John Lutheran Church, have been involved with the Alaska Mission for Christ for many years. Her Alaska Mission for Christ job is full-time, serving in Alaska with time split between Alaska and Seward, Nebraska-living in Alaska full time from Memorial Day to the first part of August. She presented a detailed talk on the Alaska Mission for Christ, complimented with a power point presentation.
Jan Bruick of Seward, NE was the program for the weekly Seward Rotary Club meeting at the auditorium of the Jones Bank and Trust in Seward. A luncheon, fellowship and brief business meeting preceded the program. Rotarian Melanie Ayres introduced Jan Bruick-- the Servant Event Coordinator for Alaska Mission for Christ. She and her husband, Pastor Scott Bruick of Seward’s St. John Lutheran Church, have been involved with the Alaska Mission for Christ for many years. Her Alaska Mission for Christ job is full-time, serving in Alaska with time split between Alaska and Seward, Nebraska-living in Alaska full time from Memorial Day to the first part of August. She presented a detailed talk on the Alaska Mission for Christ, complimented with a power point presentation.
She shared there are 13 Lutheran Churches affiliated with the Missouri Synod (LCMS) and they proclaim the mission of facilitating a bold witness for Christ in every community in Alaska. She pointed out that God uses people to share the love of Jesus person to person through short-term volunteer experiences, long-term volunteer experiences and full time staff.
Last year there were 39 teams, with over 400 volunteers serving in 35 communities in Alaska. This year there are 50 teams scheduled to be part of the servant event for Alaska Mission for Christ. The program started in 1999 and first team visited Bethel, Alaska in 2000. The teams range from four to thirty, with the thirty being broken down to three teams of three.
She pointed out that St. John Lutheran Church in Seward sends a mission team each year and all of her family have attended as many as five trips for Alaska Mission. The team leaders for St. John are Bill and Pam Peters, and a dedicated group of individuals who want to serve and share the news of Jesus with the Alaskans. Servant events you can get involved with in short term (ten day) servant events include vacation Bible schools, Christian athletic events, youth nights, pre-school camps, art camps, healthy living camps, hammer and nail projects and more. The Alaska Mission for Christ is looking for people to commit long-term (one year to a lifetime) to Alaska.
Jan pointed out the issues in so many communities is poverty and all of the problems associated with poverty-homelessness, alcoholism, drugs and a high suicide rate are key issues facing many in these small Alaskan communities. For example, in Alaska, every 44 hours, a suicide happens and it is the top issues affecting many in Alaska.
The approximate cost of one team member depends on their mission, but she point out is ranges from $1200 to $1500 per team member, with each member or their congregation responsible for their own funding. She too must raise the money for her own funding as well!
Questions were asked at the conclusion of the presentation. For more information on Alaska Mission for Christ, contact Alaska Mission for Christ, 8100 Arctic Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99518 or email tellmemore@amclcms.org or contact Jan Bruick through St. John Lutheran Church in Seward.