Fall 2015
Vitality Workshop Competes with Berries and Fish; Inspires Harvest of Revitalization in Nome Church by Nora Nagaruk, Nome Covenant Church
On a mid-August weekend in Nome, approximately 35 Nome Covenant With glimmering eyes and a smile, Tula Huffman, an elder originally from Church berry-pickers and salmon fishers sacrificed most of their weekend White Mountain, expressed, “I want to see more life. The Holy Spirit is life to forego the harvest and meet together to consider what it means to be a and brings life to us. I want to see vitality in our church.” healthy, missional church. John Wenrich, director of Congregational Vitality The weekend workshop called Veritas (rhymes with ‘berry-toss.’) is a Latin for the Evangelical Covenant Church, and Debbie Bogart, Eagle River word meaning “truth.” Jesus said, “…you shall know the truth and the truth Community Covenant Vitality Team Leader, led discussions with the group shall set you free.” (John 8:32) about the Holy Spirit, church vitality, “In the work of church vitality,” John and where Nome Covenant Church shared, “There is no vitality--being set “In the work of church vitality, there is no vitality-finds themselves with respect to both. free, filled with life, becoming a healthy, being set free, filled with life, becoming a healthy, Harvey Fiskeaux, pastor of Nome missional church--without reality, meanCovenant for 20 years, invited John to missional church--without reality; meaning to become ing to become aware and accepting the present a workshop after hearing him aware and accepting the truth of where one really is.” truth of where one really is.” share at a Midwinter Conference. —John Wenrich It’s not easy for a church or individual “The heart of his message included to be evaluated, even with a simple, gutthe role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church,” he recalled. reaction type of evaluation. One key exercise in the Veritas workshop did Pastor Fiskeaux has maintained a passion for prayer and values the work just that. Four types of churches were written on the corners of a big piece of the Holy Spirit. All weekend, Wenrich and Bogart clearly and repeatedly of paper: Healthy Missional, Stable, Critical Moment, and At-Risk. By the emphasized that the Holy Spirit and prayer must be relied upon throughout end of the exercise each participant had placed an “X” on the page closest the entire pathway of becoming a healthy, missional church. “Prayer needs to the type of church he or she felt Nome Covenant is and an arrow toward to mark every step,” Wenrich encouraged. Bogart added, “If you are going the type of church Nome Covenant may become should nothing change. to do it without the Holy Spirit, it won’t be done.” Per exercise rules, Pastor Fiskeaux had to place his marks lastly, watching Attendees, ranging from teenagers to elders, had compelling reasons for vulnerably as the participants placed their “X’s” and arrows on the page. attending. Sam Cross, 17, explained, “I felt that it was important to come After all made their marks, a rich discussion ensued. because change is an important thing in life. Changing the church for the Dawyn Sawyer, an active member of the church community, explained, “I good is important.” (Continued on page 6)
From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16