Covenant Youth of Alaska Volume 17 | Issue 6 December 2021
“Snow on Snow”
There are many different seasons in life By Dr Kaye Zwiacher
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One of my favorite Christmas carols begins: we cannot be with them always, we can help them begin to move forward, and Christ will sustain them and bring others In the bleak mid-winter, frosty wind made moan; to continue to help. Many signed up to receive adult pen pals Earth stood hard as iron, water like stone; to pray for them and remind them they are not alone in their Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, struggles. In the bleak mid-winter, long ago. The elders spoke with Christina Perrigo and Jean Mute of Most of us have known seasons like this when everything concerns that the solutions discussed years ago during a seems frozen and hard, unavailable for our comfort, and the previous suicide episode had either not been instituted or weight of the “snow on snow” becomes almost smothering. had been abandoned. The COVID pandemic exacerbated the The darkness of the winter adds to the struggle to see clearly, isolation and loss for everyone, and they seek a connection to find a way to survive, let alone thrive. that will sustain the community, especially in the church. The people of Elim have been facing a long winter of grief The workgroup, led by Lloyd Perrigo and Grant Gardner, and loss. Three suicides - two by early teen-aged girls continued the interior work on the parsonage. The MARC occurred within a three-month period over the summer. pilots were integral to the mission, assisting the workgroup They have faced tragedies before, as individuals and as in the parsonage, and helping families with repairs to their a community, but this steady “snow on snow” became homes, both planned overwhelming. A request from the elders for and emergent. They also CYAK to help the village youth was met with a “It has always impressed me joined in youth activities. team dispatched within days of the third suicide. that CYAK meets Alaska youth It has always impressed The long process of acknowledging and dealing me that CYAK meets with the losses began. where they are, walking with Alaska youth where they In October, a second-team arrived in Elim, are, walking with them in them in their faith journey.” tasked with focusing on the middle school and their faith journey. They high school youth, to continue processing the come alongside the youth loss of their friends. A smaller group met with humbly and with great respect for the individual’s humanity, elders in the community for support. A workgroup had bringing the light of God into daily life as well as into the arrived several days prior, to continue interior work on the jarring tragedies. This is the story f Christmas lived, love parsonage for the church. made human! The youth team, led by James Ventress, provided structure, The carol continues: listening ears, opportunities to process, education in stressreducing activities, reminders of their heritage as a strong and Our God, Heaven cannot hold him nor earth sustain, resilient native people, and (always important for adolescents) Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign. food. As with most grief, the expression came in spurts for In the bleak mid-winter, a stable-place sufficed some and gushes for others, as they became comfortable The Lord God Almighty - Jesus Christ. that we were there with them, and for them. A few of the middle school students stayed outside the church the entire To learn more about CYAK, visit: time we met with the high schoolers each day, hoping to www.cyak.org/ keep the connection they felt during their group activities. CYAK Board Chair Or to partner fanincially, visit: The stories the young people told, the hurts and worries they shared, were heart-rending. We reminded them that, while https://www.cyak.org/give.html
Dr.Kaye
12 Months of Ministry
Care Packages
Thank you for y our Parntership this year!
Scammon Bay
Bethel
YAR Retreat
Unalakleet
COVENANT YOUTH OF ALASKA
Check Point, Nome
$10,000 Year End Matching Gift Opportunity!
PO Box 203356 Anchorage, AK 99520
Thanks to our board members, every dollar that comes into CYAK to fund the mission by the end of December will be matched up to $10,000. Thank you so much for partnering with us to reach kids in Alaska for Christ!
To read more, visit: www.cyak.org/ministry-updates
YES! I would love to give a gift to help!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. --Romans 15:13
Youth Rafting Trip
Elim
Please mail to CYAK PO Box 203356 Anchorage, AK 99520 or Donate online at https://www.cyak.org/donate.html (Mission Fund, Matching)
Aarigaa Workshop
Aarigaa House
A relational outreach, discipleship and leadership ministry for Alaska youth and young adults A ministry of the Alaska Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church
YAR Fall Retreat
Staff Retreat Website www.cyak.org Email info@cyak.org Phone 907-222-1432