Ways to Serve
We believe that we serve others as a way of living out our lives in Christ. By serving others, we recognize the humanity of strangers, and in a small way, we participate in the grace of God.
Service Opportunities:
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- Caring Ministers
- Christian Education
- Drop In Center
- Farmers market
- AFACT
- Worship Servants
- Acolytes
- Ushers
- Lectors
- Altar Guild
- Greeters
- Special Music
- Communion Assistants
- Children's Message
- Offering Counters
- Committees
- Worship
- Youth
- Property
- Fellowship
- Finance
- Education
- Stewardship
- Endowment
- Clare House
- Beans Cafe
- Adopt-A-Road
Central members care for each other. Caring Ministers are available for hospital visits, home visits, check-in phone calls and other support for those dealing with illness, grief or loss. This group also supports a prayer shawl ministry. Members pray regularly for those in need. The Caring Ministers meet every fourth Friday at the home of Dahna Graham.
Worship Servants
Offering Counters serve one hour, one Sunday a month, by collecting the offering plate proceeds and preparing the bank deposit. Counters work in pairs for safety and security.
Altar Guild members meet monthly to maintain, clean, and prepare our worship space, including communion supplies, banners, and paraments. Members volunteer at one or more services each month to set out or clean up the communion elements and vessels.
Lectors read old and new testament lessons during a worship service
Lead Children's Sermon prepare and lead the children's message during a service
Chancel Choir Our choir rehearses on Wednesdays during the school year, and sings one or more anthems each Sunday. Works performed range from simple to challenging, classic to modern to worldy, and may be a capella or accompanied by pianist, flutist, trumpet, African drums, or even full orchestra. We alternate services by month, performing at the 8:15 am service in January, March, May, September, and November, and at the 11 am service during February, April, October, and December. We may sing at additional services on special occasions. We are blessed to work with director David Hagen.
Bell Choir Our bell choir rehearses on Wednesday during the school year, and performs sacred music at worship approximately six times each year, especially on Easter and Christmas Eve. New members are welcome and do not need bell choir experience. We are blessed to work with bell choir director Debbie Pankow.
Special Music Members and friends are invited to perform music during our services, especially for holidays. Musicians may perform vocal, instrumental or mixed pieces, solo or in groups. Our organist / pianist may be available to accompany performers. If you are interested in sharing your gifts, please contact the pastors, choir director, or organist.
Assisting Ministers lead portions of sung liturgy and / or prayers during service
Greeters greet members & visitors before services - a great way to meet new people!
Ushers distribute bulletins, collect offertory & direct congregation to communion during services.
Acolytes light the altar candles (and advent wreath candles), accept the offerings, may serve communion, and extinguish the candles. We actively invite our 5th through 8th grade students to participate as acolytes.
Communion Assistants distribute wine & grape juice or bread / wafers during worship services.
back to topWe're always looking for volunteers to help with Sunday School, youth group, and Vacation Bible School. Please contact the church office to see how you can serve!
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Central Lutheran Drop In Center is called to support, serve and enjoy the gifts of children in our neighborhood by providing a safe and loving environment where they can learn and play after school and during the summer. Special programming is offered during Christmas and Spring Breaks. We do not offer religious instruction as a part of this program. Our services are provided at no cost, and rely on volunteers and donations from our church and the community.
The Middle & High School Drop In Center program is Wednesdays, 3 - 5 pm during the school year or 1 - 3 pm during the summer. We offer homework and tutoring, reading challenges, sports - disc golf, hiking, volleyball, football, soccer, and sledding, arts and crafts, cooking, billiards and foosball, board games, and field trips to include book stores, museums, bowling, and more! Many of our DIC youth participate in and later lead programs in our Vacation Bible School and Lutheran Summer Camps.
Please contact our youth director to find out how you can help with this important ministry
The Elementary School Program is now run by Camp Fire USA. West Fairview neighborhood kids who attend Denali Elementary are invited to join us Monday - Friday, 3:30 - 6:30 pm, at no cost. Please contact the Camp Fire offices to volunteer.
back to topCentral Lutheran provides the parking lot space for the Anchorage Farmer's Market - the only non-profit market in the area. Each Saturday, May through October, local farmers bring their bounty of locally grown and organic produce, seedlings, and even honey and oysters. This partnership between Central Lutheran and the market began in 2007 and has been a great blessing to all.
Additionally, Central staffs a hospitality and informational booth at the market. Please contact the church office if you'd like to help!
back to topCentral is a member of AFACT (Anchorage Faith and Action - Congregations Together), a faith-based community organizing member. Our congregation's local organizing ministry group meets monthly. We have 1-1 conversations with members and those in our Fairview community. We surface issues that matter to our families. We research those issues with public officials. We host public meetings (actions) with those officials to ask them to follow through on issues that matter to our families. An AFACT action in 2006 led to the establishment of a Campfire (USA) after-school center in our church building. The center is free to neighborhood families and funded in part through the Anchorage municipality. Our AFACT group is currently focusing on the issues of homelessness and public inebriates in the West Fairview area.
Please contact the church office to connect with AFACT.
Lutheran Social Services of Alaska
We partner with Lutheran Social Services by collecting donations of funds and foods for the LSSA food bank, foods and volunteers for LSSA programs like the Anchorage Thanksgiving Blessing and Neighborhood GIFT programs, and participating in other special events like the annual Charity Walk. Learn more at the LSSA website.
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Central's Church Council works hard to take care of the day-to-day business of being a church. Additionally, the council organizes ministries and helps envision the future of the church.
Our 2010 Council: President Ed Mjolsnes, Vice President Judith Moore, 2nd Vice President Carol Norquist, Secretary Diane Preziosi, Carl Lautenberger, Scott Strand, Ashley Powell, Steve Lambert, Andy Neslund, Judith Muller, Wes Tonkins, Dustin Solberg, and Allen Griswold. Read our most recent Council meeting minutes.
Please contact the church office for more information.
Central members and friends provide meals to women and children staying at Clare House, an Anchorage shelter. Volunteers prepare food for about 45 people and deliver it by 3 pm on the fourth Thursday of each month for the evening meal. If you'd like to help, please contact coordinator Paula Zawodny.
Central members and friends serve lunch at Beans Cafe the fourth Sunday of each month. No cooking, experience or dishwashing involved! Volunteers arrive around 11:30 and serve food from 12-1. Contact coordinator Anna Bryant.
Central has adopted a section of 15th Avenue from E Street to Gambell, which travels right past our property. Members and friends gather twice each year to pick up litter and keep our neighborhood looking great. To volunteer, contact coordinator Anna Bryant.