ECCAK
May/June 2013
theSinew 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 NIV)
“True North Award” Given to First Recipients Richard “Dick” Nelson of First Covenant Church, Rockford, IL, was surprised at an April ACC fundraiser when Keith Hamilton, ACC president, awarded him ECCAK’s True North Award. This award, that was established at the January 2012 ECCAK General Council meeting, to recognize those who have invested heavily in Alaska, though do not reside in Alaska. “The intent of the award is to thank, honor and recognize those who have had lengthy and faithful contribution to the work of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Alaska through their skills of construction, church ministry or mission trips,” explained Curtis Ivanoff, ECCAK field director. Dick, age 85, has spent half of his life serving as a volunteer in Alaska. His first trip to Alaska was to Nome in 1972 and he has rarely, if ever, missed a year serving with his project management and construction experience. Rosie, his wife of 60 years, has also served alongside Dick in Alaska and supports him with prayers when she stays behind. Keith Hamilton, who originally proposed such an award to the General Council, said, “He has been involved in projects all across ECCAK, most recently at Alaska Christian College where he was the project manager for the women's dormitory and Peninsula Conference Center, among dozens of remodeling projects on the campus.” Nominations for the award can be made by members of Alaska Covenant churches or ECCAK ministries and are submitted to the ECCAK Field Director, to whom has also been granted liberty to identify worthy recipients.
Jim Ramsey of Arvada Covenant Church was awarded the True North Award posthumously in March during his memorial service for his many years of service as a volunteer electrician at ACC and in numerous Covenant village churches and parsonages. Jim died at age 76 from heart failure in Nome where he had been serving Pastor Harvey and Nancy Fiskeaux in the electrical work on their home. “Jim was soft, sweet and genuinely devout in his faith and love for the Lord,” Harvey said. “We wept and cried out to God when he was struggling in the ER room in Nome on a Saturday evening after Jim had worked hard all day. Little did any one but God know that this mission assignment in Alaska was to be his last. We join the heavenly chorus: ‘Well done good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of our Lord.’ ”