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History Presbytery of Yukon
(Presbyterian Church U.S.A.) |
The Day the Church at Nuiqsut Organized
Question: Now that I am retired, I have some extra time to do some looking at the Presbytery Web Page. .. In moving from my study to my home, I found a piece I wrote the day the Nuiqsut church was organized back in the 1970's. Do you want me to send it to you ...? (The Rev. Gene Straatmeyer)
Answer: Yes. (The Rev. Dianne O'Connell)
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It was a bright, shiny April Sunday in 1975. A small, Piper Cherokee climbed into the clear, blue, Arctic sky. Its point of departure was Barrow. Its destination was Nuiqsut. Aboard were members of Yukon Presbytery's Commission to organize the Kuukpik United Presbyterian Church.
The hardy Inupiaq (Eskimo) people had settled the village almost two years before. The first winter was spent living in tents in temperatures as low as minus 60. Now houses had been built. They had not left their Christian faith behind. They began worship in their homes, with elders leading the worship services, and with the help of occasional visits by ministers.
Below there was nothing but snow. It was hard to tell the land from the sky on the horizon. Almost an hour later there were specks on the horizon--houses setting in three neat rows. We buzzed the village to alert the snow machines to come with their sleds and transport us from the airstrip. A bump, then a bounce, and we were down. In that short while, many people had gathered at the runway to meet us. We were hustled away for tea and Eskimo donuts.
At 4 p.m. we met in the school. Rex Okakok, an Inupiaq Commissioned Lay Preacher at First Presbyterian Church in Fairbanks was the convener and moderator of the meeting. I was the secretary. The meeting was held in Inupiaq. There were periodic stops in the proceedings while I asked for clarification.
During the next hour, 44 members were received. New elders and deacons were elected. We closed with prayer and waited for the dinner hour and service to follow.
The food came on sleds pulled behind snow machines. There was caribou, muktuk, duck soup, polar bear, bearded seal, and Eskimo ice cream - delicious food.
It was near the hour for the official organizing worship service when suddenly the quiet Arctic was interrupted with the sound of a plane - it swept over the village - and the drivers ran their machines and sleds to the landing strip. Seventeen members of the Barrow Church had flown in to help us celebrate.
The service started at 8 p.m. Members were taken into the church. Elders and deacons were ordained. Special music was offered over and over again. Hymns were requested. Testimonies were shared. The sermon was preached by Nelson Ahvakana, an Inupiaq Commissioned Lay Preacher from Barrow. At 10 p.m. I had to leave because the Piper Cherokee could only hold six passengers and it had to make two trips.
There are no roads to, from, or in Nuiqsut. There is no television, no cars. They are at least 100 miles from the oil fields that will soon be supplying gas for our cars. They are over 200 miles from Barrow. There are no jobs. There may be in the future, but there are none now. A few do work in the oil fields but most of the 150 residents rely on a subsistence life style to survive.
Now they would like a church building. They have $1,000 in their building fund and they are continuing to give. But because of the remoteness, the cost of building even a small church is unimaginable.
All the building materials will have to be flown in by air. Nevertheless, they are hoping and praying that the day will come when the Kuukpik Presbyterian Church will be both a congregation and a building.
Gene Straatmeyer, pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Fairbanks, AK.