WHO
WE ARE
Our Purpose Statement
We are a Community of Faith, called to
… glorify God
… grow in faith and love, and
… go into the world with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
Our Guiding Principles
Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord.
We humbly welcome, accept and value everyone.
We are strengthened in worship through Word and Sacrament.
We value faith as an ongoing journey of renewal and growth.
We recognize and respond to the needs in our community and the world.
We bring God's message of hope to the world.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
River of Life is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a part of the Alaska Synod.
Lutherans hold to the basic principles of Martin Luther’s theological teachings, such as grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone:
- We are saved by the grace of God alone – not by anything we do;
- Our salvation is through faith alone – a confident trust in God, who in Christ promises us forgiveness, life and salvation; and
- The Bible is the norm for faith and life – the true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.
Our faith is built around a strong belief in God as made known to us in Jesus Christ. Through worship, study, and service, we practice our faith, grow our relationship with God and others, and experience God’s grace in our lives.
We are part of God’s unfolding plan. When we gather for worship, we connect with believers everywhere. When we study the Bible or hear God’s Word in worship, we are drawn more deeply into God’s own saving story.
Basic Beliefs of the ELCA
- We confess the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.
- We accept the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.
- We accept the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church.
- We confess the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God’s mission in the world.
God’s Work. Our Hands.
- See more at: http://www.elca.org/Faith/ELCA-Teaching
OUR HISTORY
- In October 1982, the seeds were planted for a preaching point to be established in Peters Creek. It would take 9 years before the organizing and hard work of a few dedicated people would approve the Peters Creek Lutheran Mission.
- February 2, 1992 a call was extended and accepted by Rev. Joseph Alutius as a part-time developer. Under his leadership the congregation grew and held regular worship services and Sunday School at the “lady bug rock” strip mall in Peters Creek.
- April 24, 1994, Peters Creek Lutheran Mission was officially organized as Saint Luke Lutheran Church. Membership grew to an average worship attendance of 55 by 1996, and in 1997 the congregation began to look for land to purchase and to build a permanent worship facility.
- Pastor Joe retired in 1999 and Interim Pastor Jan Richardson provided faithful leadership until the call of Rev. Carol George in December of 2001. Under Pastor Carol’s leadership the congregation changed it’s name to River of Life Lutheran Church in the summer of 2002, and moved the worship site to Mirror Lake Middle School in Fall.
- In the spring of 2005 the congregation broke ground for the present day facility, and with the help of volunteers, had their first service on Christmas Eve 2005.
- Pastor Carol resigned in May of 2011, and Pastor Bill Ottum became interim pastor in August. In June 2014, Pastor Bill accepted the call as part-time pastor, and continues to serve.
Our Purpose Statement
We are a Community of Faith, called to
… glorify God
… grow in faith and love, and
… go into the world with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
Our Guiding Principles
Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord.
We humbly welcome, accept and value everyone.
We are strengthened in worship through Word and Sacrament.
We value faith as an ongoing journey of renewal and growth.
We recognize and respond to the needs in our community and the world.
We bring God's message of hope to the world.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
River of Life is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and a part of the Alaska Synod.
Lutherans hold to the basic principles of Martin Luther’s theological teachings, such as grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone:
- We are saved by the grace of God alone – not by anything we do;
- Our salvation is through faith alone – a confident trust in God, who in Christ promises us forgiveness, life and salvation; and
- The Bible is the norm for faith and life – the true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.
Our faith is built around a strong belief in God as made known to us in Jesus Christ. Through worship, study, and service, we practice our faith, grow our relationship with God and others, and experience God’s grace in our lives.
We are part of God’s unfolding plan. When we gather for worship, we connect with believers everywhere. When we study the Bible or hear God’s Word in worship, we are drawn more deeply into God’s own saving story.
Basic Beliefs of the ELCA
- We confess the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.
- We accept the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.
- We accept the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church.
- We confess the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God’s mission in the world.
God’s Work. Our Hands.
- See more at: http://www.elca.org/Faith/ELCA-Teaching
OUR HISTORY
- In October 1982, the seeds were planted for a preaching point to be established in Peters Creek. It would take 9 years before the organizing and hard work of a few dedicated people would approve the Peters Creek Lutheran Mission.
- February 2, 1992 a call was extended and accepted by Rev. Joseph Alutius as a part-time developer. Under his leadership the congregation grew and held regular worship services and Sunday School at the “lady bug rock” strip mall in Peters Creek.
- April 24, 1994, Peters Creek Lutheran Mission was officially organized as Saint Luke Lutheran Church. Membership grew to an average worship attendance of 55 by 1996, and in 1997 the congregation began to look for land to purchase and to build a permanent worship facility.
- Pastor Joe retired in 1999 and Interim Pastor Jan Richardson provided faithful leadership until the call of Rev. Carol George in December of 2001. Under Pastor Carol’s leadership the congregation changed it’s name to River of Life Lutheran Church in the summer of 2002, and moved the worship site to Mirror Lake Middle School in Fall.
- In the spring of 2005 the congregation broke ground for the present day facility, and with the help of volunteers, had their first service on Christmas Eve 2005.
- Pastor Carol resigned in May of 2011, and Pastor Bill Ottum became interim pastor in August. In June 2014, Pastor Bill accepted the call as part-time pastor, and continues to serve.
We are a proud supporter of Thrivent - https://www.thrivent.com/
