The sweet sound of gospel music was heard at the Alaska Native Medical Center in October 2016 and will continue as long as God’s dedicated people are there each Sabbath afternoon. That's thanks to the music ministry of the Northside Church of Anchorage, Alaska.
This vision for ministry began when Alice Moncher observed that other church denominations and Alaska Native dance groups were represented and visible at the center, but the Adventist Church was absent. She wondered how to get a ministry started. The answer was to apply for a date and time, so Northside members answered the call and now have a music ministry every Sabbath afternoon, 4:30–6 p.m. Each week, about 15 members come together to sing and pray with patients and visitors at the hospital. Sister churches are welcome to participate, and Paul Forde from the Eagle River Church has faithfully hosted each Sabbath to lead song and prayer.
To begin the ministry, the group needed songbooks. Because this was a volunteer effort with no funding in place, members wondered where the songbooks would come from. God is so good! Jim Jensen, Alaska Conference vice president of finance, knew of the ministry’s need and was able to locate songbooks at the conference office for the group to use. But because the ministry had grown over several months, more songbooks were needed. Moncher was disappointed to find that the book they used was no longer published. Again, God supplied their needs. More songbooks were located at the conference office.
The Northside Church believes its "Singspiration" ministry was divinely appointed as God arranged the time to be available on Sabbaths, songbooks were provided, participants are faithful, and the group is growing. The beauty of this ministry is that it can continue indefinitely as long as people come to join together to sing, pray and renew the Sabbath time slot with the hospital. As requested, participants cannot preach or hand out materials, but they can raise their voices in song and testify of the goodness of our Lord. Please make it a part of your Sabbath afternoon to join and make a joyful noise.
(From left) William Lula, Aloha Poulivaati, Kisione Lula and Enimoa Poulivaati participate in the Singspiration ministry.
Anchorage Northside members enjoy an afternoon of music.
