A few particular prayer requests 01/18/05

Dear Praying Friends,

To date, we have had none of our financial supporters who have contacted us refuse to continue supporting our ministry in the transition! This is a real encouragement. But there are still some who have not let us know. We are reminded in a fresh new way what it means remember from where our help really comes!

Please pray for the following:

• Cassie has switched again to another medication. Seizure activity is down, but it makes here somewhat sick to her stomach. Pray that she will find some releif.
• Cassie is currently without healthcare coverage. The state program, Denali Kid Care said that we were making too much income (Based on a reporting od Dec 04 wages, rather than a six moth average.) We are trying to get Cassie back under coverage. ACC wants to provide us coverage, but the policies are not part of a group policy, and as such, insurance can and will refuse coverage for Cassie. We're pretty sure we can get Cassie back on Denali - - but we are also looking into other options. Her medications currently run us about $90 a week. Medical consultation is currently "on hold."
• Tyler is still living in the area. Pray that we will be able to maintain good contact with him
• Chelsie has decided that she wants to attend Grace College (http://www.grace.edu/), in Winona Lake Indiana in the fall. She is awaiting final acceptance, has applied for several scholorships, and is in contact with the Soccer Coach at Grace. We are praying she will get an athletic scholorship. Pray that we can get all the necessary ducks in a row.
• Kris needs to have a replacement for her part time job as book keeper at ACC before she can transition over entirely to New Hope Counseling Center. Pray that this will happen soon.
• Gary is continuing to work intil we can focus on increasing our financial support with a trip this fall. Pray that his computer work will increase. This gives him the most flexibility in his schedule.
• ACC and Gary are both anxious to see him more involved, but not so much that he can't continue to provide financially. It's a real paradox, but one where all parties involved are as excited as ever! Pray for wisdom.

It was about 18 below zero at our house this morning. Anybody want to come up for a visit??

Thanks for staying with us!

Letter from Alaska Christian College President, Keith Hamilton 1/04/05

35109 Royal Place • Soldotna, AK 99669
(907) 260-7422 • fax: (907) 260-6722• Mail@AKCC.org

January 4, 2005
Dear Harris Supporters,

Greetings from sunny Soldotna, Alaska!

My name is Keith Hamilton and I serve as the President of Alaska Christian College and have done so since its inception in 2001. I am writing you today to demonstrate my support of our newest missionary family to join our team, Kris and Gary Harris.

Even before we moved to plant ACC in 2001, we were fortunate to meet Gary and Kris and stay in their home. Over the past few years we have had the joy of serving alongside their family in many ministry settings here in Soldotna and across Alaska. As you know, they have a true heart for Alaskans, especially Native peoples that are our main priority of outreach through our ministry of “whole-life discipleship.”

For almost three years now, Kris has worked part time on our campus as our bookkeeper and Gary has substitute taught and worked on some specific projects for the College. Kris has also been working with our New Hope Counseling Center that is another one of our discipling ministries that works to heal and bring hope to our college students who come from some devastating backgrounds.

We wholeheartedly have accepted the Harris’ application to serve us at ACC and New Hope. Kris will be serving full time in the counseling center through administration, leading small groups, and mentoring young women. Gary will be doing special projects for the College as assigned. As a missionary college that exists by faith giving, the Harris’ need to raise all their support to minister to our Native young people. Fortunately, they have a strong history with Arctic Barnabas Ministries and your acquaintance with them will hopefully enable you to know that continued support of their family for ministry is crucial.

As a family, we have supported the Harris’ over the past few years and will make the switch to continue their support at ACC. I ask that you also continue and do the same. ABM and the Harris’ have both sent you information on how that transition is taking place. If you have any questions regarding their continued ministry, please feel free to contact me personally. Together serving Alaskans for Christ,

Keith J. Hamilton, President

Letter From Arctic Barnabas Ministries Director, Joel Caldwell 1/03/05

Arctic Barnabas Ministries ___________Joel Caldwell
135 Granite Point Court_____________ joel@arcticbarnabas.org
Kenai, Alaska 99611________________Cell 907.252.4878
Tel 907.283.3377 Fax 907.283.3347

January 3, 2005

Dear Friends of Gary and Kris Harris,

We are so grateful for you and your partnership with us. With your help we are encouraging and developing healthy leaders who are producing healthy churches in our villages.

Gary and Kris have played major roles in the development of Arctic Barnabas Ministries over the past four years. Gary has used his skills in technology to develop much of our office systems. Kris has built relationships with many women in ministry throughout our villages and laid the foundation for Arctic Barnabas Women’s Ministries.

We are thankful for the investment Harris’ have made in the lives of ministry families here in Alaska and thank God with them for His continued leading into another area of Kingdom building. Kris has accepted a position with New Hope Counseling Center. New Hope is one of our partner ministries at Alaska Christian College. We know that her gifts in encouragement and her skills in mentoring the young ladies will be a great blessing for our team at ACC.

Harris’ will continue to raise financial support to fund their work with Alaska Christian College. Our hope is that you would continue to partner with them as they transition into this new role. Kris’ move to New Hope Counseling Center is effective January 1, 2005 and she will need your continued partnership in prayer support and financial support.

There will no longer be an account at Arctic Barnabas Ministries for Harris support so please send support for them to:

Alaska Christian College
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669

Your gifts that are sent to Arctic Barnabas Ministries will continue to be used to encourage and equip Christian leaders in Alaska, Western Canada, and Far East Russia through our growing staff who are committed to healthy leaders for healthy churches.

Your partner for the Kingdom,

Joel Caldwell
Executive Director
Arctic Barnabas Ministries

Transition is Over - A Lateral Transfer 1/01/05

Happy New Year to each one of you! And a belated "Merry CHRSTmas" as well.

It's official. Kris and I have changed our status with Arctic Barnabas Ministries to Associate Staff. Associates are involved in ABM as a secondary line of ministry and have other "jobs". This also means that ABM will no longer pay us a salary. In effect, we are now volunteer staff. This will not deminish our involvement.

But for us, the other "job" is a LATERAL transfer to another missionary position with a partner ministry, Alaska Christian College. What follows is the letter we have sent out to all our supporters at the end of December. Please take the time to read it, and PLEASE communicate with us if you have any questions or concerns.

If you have not received this letter by now, we really do apologize. We would much rather communicate this kind of an announcement OTHER than via e-mail. But we also need to get this information out as soon as possible. One of the following three things may have happened regarding you not having received out letter via snail mail:

• The mail service has not got it to you yet due to the holidays (We sent it out the Monday before Christmas.)
• You partner with us in prayer and have not sent ABM any money in regards to our ministry. (This letter targets only financial partners, due to the need to have them consider re-directing support checks)
• We messed up and somehow left you off the list.

There will be additional communications to you in the near future bringing you up to speed on this exciting news. Also, our first 2005 newsletter, which is mailed out to a much larger audience, will also contain a similar announcement.

The letter follows . . .

12/20/2004

Dear Praying Friends,

We know all of you understand our commitment to those in remote villages of Alaska. Well, effective January 1, we are shifting (or should we say "fine tuning”) the focus of our ministry from Arctic Barnabas Ministries to join the staff of Alaska Christian College (ACC) (www.akcc.org) in Soldotna, Alaska as their first "missionaries in residence." Specifically, Kris will be on staff with ACC's New Hope Counseling Center serving in a mentoring role to native young ladies attending Alaska Christian College, and helping as an administrative assistant. Gary's role is still being defined and he will also continue to work on the side as necessary to support our ministry. ACC targets native young people (primarily from Alaska Bush Villages where we served with ABM!) for discipleship and life preparation in a small family-oriented environment. We have been involved with this ministry from its inception in 2000, and Kris has worked for ACC part time. ABM considers ACC to be partners in ministry. We have seen ACC answer to the other side of the complex equation of the body of Christ in rural Alaska: ABM targets the missionaries & pastors to keep them there long term, ACC targets the college-age students of today and prepares them for leadership in their respective villages tomorrow.

There are 4 reasons for the change in our emphasis.

1. In our years of ministry, God has given us a terrific love and burden for native Alaskans. In addition to our many contacts in native villages, Gary has worked with native students in "Youth Employability Skills" mentoring and Kris is already involved at Alaska Christian College's New Hope Counseling Center as a mentor. Also, both of us have had training in child abuse issues.

2. We have determined after much prayer, counsel, and reflection, that we need to encourage Kris in her ability to establish one-on-one relationships with young women.

3. We won't really be leaving Arctic Barnabas Ministries! That's right. God is raising up other couples to help in the ministry of ABM. A woman with great organizational skills will take over the role of Director of Woman’s Ministries. But we will both stay involved as Associate Staff and Kris has been asked to continue making her Woman’s Trips & be involved in one-on-one ministry with the ladies ABM serves. Maybe she will even be able to take ACC students to assist her in her ABM role!

4. Currently, we are dealing with issues related to our daughter’s health and believe that focusing in on a ministry at Alaska Christian College will be best in terms of keeping both of us from spreading ourselves so thin. Again, it’s about focusing on one area of ministry (the area in which we are best gifted to serve).

Gary will apply his administrative and computer/organizational skills for ACC wherever he can (as well as continuing to assist ABM and maintaining contact with “focus families” in the bush). But he will also continue in his “tent maker” role, working off campus as necessary to make ends meet financially. In the Fall of 2005 we will make another support raising trip to the lower 48 in connection with seeing Chelsie off to college in Washington State.

We realize this may seem somewhat sudden to you. But for us, it is the result of months of praying, seeking counsel, and focusing in on our gifts in building the Church of Jesus Christ. This transition is taking place with the full blessing of both Alaska Christian College and Arctic Barnabas Ministries.

We hope you will continue in your financial support of our ministry. Alaska Christian College is a small school and we will be the first Resident Missionary Staff. We want to live out a life of faith to the students we will serve and we need your continued financial partnership. Without your partnership, Alaska Christian College & New Hope Counseling Center would not be able to have us on staff.

Please tear off and return the bottom portion of this page. It’s a “Response Card” (Not included in this online version) - A way of acknowledging this change and confirming your continued support. While we hope you will stay with us, please send the response card back if you decide otherwise (and maybe place a brief explanation on the back.) Pease call either of us to discuss this further. Our home number is 907-283-2778. Gary's cell is 907-252-1574 and Kris' is 907-252-0670. And if you still wish to direct your support to Arctic Barnabas Ministries, please communicate your intention both to them and to us, in order to maintain clear fiscal responsibility. Any checks received by Arctic Barnabas Ministries after Jan 15, 2005 that are not clearly designated for the continued ministry of ABM will be handed over to us to follow up with those sending the check(s). This letter is going out to everybody who has partnered with us financially, but we are sure there might be some cross over in the mail due to the Holidays. This is the best way to honor your commitments.

Along with the response card and a return envelope, we are including brochures for both Alaska Christian College and New Hope Counseling Center. You can find out more about Alaska Christian College by visiting the website at www.akcc.org. Also, both of us will be keeping our ABM e-mail addresses, but will also have e-mail addresses with ACC. kris@akcc.org and gary@akcc.org.

We have considered you as partners with us in ministry. Please continue in your partnership. Our salary with Alaska Christian College is TOTALLY DEPENDANT on your continued financial support.

With Much Love,

Gary & Kris Harris
Alaska Christian College
“Preparing People for Whole-life Discipleship”
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669