Friday, August 26 - Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Mountain Home Fellowship - Work Team

Wick and Candy Sunderland have provided ministry support for LightShine Ministries for the past 10 years with their property and facilities and personal involvement.  We consider their place "our" ministry base until God provides our own. They keep and watch over all of our tools, van and trailers and are fully committed to building the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in Alaska.

The ranch has always been a place of rich fellowship and great growth in the Lord.  He promises abundantly more (Ephesians 2:20) Their goal is to be home working, ministering and welcoming those the Lord sends.

This August we will be sending a talented team of skilled craftsmen to help them upgrade their kitchen facilities so they can service teams better in the future. 

You will be flying out of Philadelphia and arriving in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday, August 26.  Once you are in Anchorage you will be driving 40 miles to Palmer to Mountain Home Fellowship.

Sunday, the 28th (after going to church at Northgate Alaska) will be a day of rest and relaxation getting ready for a week of work.  Monday through Friday the team will working hard at Mountain Home Fellowship.  Team members should expect to work at least 40 hours.

On Saturday, September 3rd, the team will be driving north to Copper Center.  Along the way we will be stopping several times and driving through an amazing mountain range.  This will give you some spectacular views of God's creation if the weather is good.  We will stay overnight in Copper Center and hopefully make some plans to follow up construction of the church (that our May Team started) next year.  Sunday, you will  be going to church at Copper Center Community Chapel on Sunday, the 4th.  This is a native Alaskan church where we have been working for the past 15 years.  After church we will be driving out to Strelna Lake Wilderness Bible Camp and staying over night.  The camp is a rustic wilderness camp that has no running water or electricity.  There will be a  2 mile hike out to the camp which will require you to carry your belongings in a backpack.  This will give you a truly "grassroots" Alaskan experience showing you where the kids from Copper Center Church go to camp.  You can email Tom Denlinger for more information (concerns or questions) on this - lightshinealaska@comcast.net   At the camp we will be doing some basic cleanup and helping to drag in some more firewood.  We will most likely be catching and eating some rather large rainbow trout for dinner.  Monday, the 5th (Labor Day) we will be going back to Palmer and Mountain Home Fellowship and staying one more evening.  On Tuesday, the 6th we will be driving back to Anchorage, hitting some touristy gift shops and eating a good meal before catching a late flight home to Pennsylvania.  Your flight will arrive sometime in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the 7th (to be determined when we purchase airline tickets).

What does this trip cost?

The cost of this trip is $1650.  This is includes everything you will need.  All meals and lodging will be provided.   We encourage you to raise short term missionary support through your local church and we will help you by sending you a .pdf file so you can make copies and give it to your family and friends.  Some previous team members have chosen to pay for their trip themselves.  Either way is fine.  All funds donated to LightShine Ministries are tax deductible. 

What will be our sleeping arrangements?

You will be sleeping in your sleeping bag on a foam mattress.  Think "camping" and expect less so you can be surprised at some good food and comfortable place to lay your bag.  This is how everyone at the camp lives.

I think I want to be on this team.  What is the next step?

Download our registration form, fill it out and return it with our $40 processing fee.  In addition to our administrative costs, you will be receiving a team shirt from this fee.

What happens next?

Once your registration form is processed, we will send you a .pdf file so you can make copies and begin handing them out to family and friends.  HERE is an example of a support letter from a previous team member.  Your goal is to raise short term missionary support and make it clear to people that you will be working for a week in Alaska at Mountain Home Fellowship.  This is not a vacation.   You will receive occasional financial updates from our bookkeeper so you can see the progress of support that comes in to your account.  It is very important that you begin this process as soon as possible. 

Financial Deadlines

In order for us to purchase airline tickets for this team, we are setting a deadline for raising the first half of your trip cost ($825) which is June 15th, 2011.  Once this money is received, we will purchase your airline ticket.   This "locks you in" as a team member and you will be accountable to raise the other half by the final deadline which is July 15th, 2011.  If you do not raise the entire amount by July 15th, we will have to re-schedule you for a future team and fees will apply.  We ask that you review our policies if you have any questions.  You can also contact us by email lightshinealaska@comcast.net.  You will be told when all monies are received.  Any monies raised over the amount needed will be used for other team members.  Please help us get past this step as quickly as possible.  Once all your financial support is in, the burden will be lifted and we can begin focusing on the work that God has for us.  It will be an awesome experience!

We ask that you pray about whether or not you want to be a part of this team and then mark the dates on your calendar.  Send us your completed registration form and start raising your financial support as soon as possible.  If you start now, you will not feel the stress of raising support near the deadlines.

Send us an email at lightshinealaska@comcast.net if you have any questions!