Sunday, August 19, 2012
Fire Destroys First CME Church in Anchorage, Alaska
Dear Connectional Members and Friends,
We are saddened to report that the First Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Anchorage, Alaska, under the leadership of Pastor Jerry Webb, was destroyed by fire the morning of Friday, August 17, 2012.
The local newspaper Anchorage Daily News reported that, “A fire that authorities say started early Friday morning ripped the roof off of the church, in its third location since its founding in 1959, leaving the sanctuary a charred and gutted mess of soggy insulation, overturned pews and ash.”
First Christian Methodist Episcopal Church has faced catastrophe on many occasions. Its original location was destroyed by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. The church’s later location was purchased by the City of Alaska to build the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.
In August 1985, under the leadership of then pastor Rev. Claude Johnson, First CME Church broke ground on its current location. The building and land cost approximately $1.2 million. The church was built from the ground up and was a beautiful architectural structure, the first of its kind in Anchorage.
First CME Church, a diverse congregation, has been a blessing to its members and the local Anchorage community, providing key ministries and services. Once a quadrennium, First CME Church hosts the Annual Conference of the Alaska-Pacific Region and it is a tradition to invite our connectional leaders, members and friends to visit us in the Land of the Midnight Sun. This past May, the Alaska-Pacific Region's Annual Conference was held and attended by many of our connectional leaders.
In the days ahead, First CME Church will begin to develop a planning strategy to relocate and rebuild the sanctuary.
You can help us rebuild by keeping the First CME Church family in your prayers and making a contribution to the rebuilding effort. You can make donations at any Wells Fargo branch in the country to the First Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Fire Donation Account. For additional information, please contact Pastor Webb at 1-907-563-7044 or e-mail jamm42@msn.com.
In His Service,
Bishop James B. Walker
Presiding Prelate, 9th Episcopal District
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1 comment:
I couldn't believe the news of the church burning. I have a lot of memories from being a part of First CME. I grew up in CME, from the children’s ministry to young adult’s ministry, and beyond. I served on the usher board, and played on the church basketball and softball teams. First CME and Alaska will always be my home; my roots, even though I am now far away in Ohio.
I just learned that there is a building/donation fund in place, but it was put on my heart when I first learned about the fire to do something (I actually sent this message out via facebook to a couple of people to spread the word, as I don't really use fb). That day I made a commitment and pledged to the building fund from my online business, 20% of the retail profits originating from Alaskan shoppers from now through the month of December. However, I am extending the offer to include any shopper in the connection or supporters, who are taking care of their temple; through health and wellness.
1 Corinthians 6:19,
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?
Through my pledge supporters can maintain their temple with top quality products and at the same time contribute to the building fund.
Here is an example of how the products compare; my omega-3 compared to a leading brand, mine -1 serving gives 1000 mg of EPH/DHA while the other brand gives only 600 mg. EPH and DHA are for your heart, brain and eye health, wouldn’t you want the best and the amount that is going to be most beneficial?
There are over 70 products available; thus it is easy to find the products normally purchased, and thus start contributing to the church building fund. Simply switch to my brand, order it online at www.energyaplenty.com and it will be shipped directly to your door. If you would like to send a student in college a healthy care package that too is available.
The company’s distribution center will generate a bi-monthly report of all the shoppers, giving you the option to follow up with them with a personal thank you. Together we can make a difference even in this economic time if we all do a part.
FYI the company I am affiliated with on a much larger scale contributes to “Operation Homefront” and it is based on 10 guiding principles number 1 being to “Honor God through our faith, family and friends”
Grace and blessings,
Sheryl Bailey Johnson
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