Holy Spirit Episcopal Church Parish Profile
(March 2026)
Prayer for This Profile
We humbly ask that God bless this profile as a true representation of our parish that will facilitate a successful end to our search for a part-time Rector. We thank God for the talents of all those at our Parish whose efforts have built our congregation, our church and our identity. May God’s love be known to all creation and may we always continue to be instruments in his work. Amen.
I. Our Stated Mission
Our mission is to know Christ and make Him known. We will provide a pleasant, functional church facility for worship and activities; provide for spiritual, faithful, pastoral leaders; and hopefully achieve sustained growth.
II. Who We Are
We are a congregation of historic, traditional Episcopalians that worship together under guidance found in the Book of Common Prayer of 1979 and the Holy Scriptures. We are a parish that has held true to the spiritual leadership and ecclesiastical authority and oversight of the Episcopal Bishop of Alaska. We welcome all to our congregation who have a desire to know Christ, and spread the Gospel to others through worship, teaching and service to our church family, community and the world.
The congregation is primarily comprised of retired people and a few younger families with military, legal, government and/or educational backgrounds and occupations. Most parishioners reside in the Eagle River, Chugiak and Palmer areas north of Anchorage, and a few commute from Anchorage.
III. Our History
Holy Spirit has a rich history that began when the congregation was organized in January 1984 as a parochial congregation with lay leadership and without fiscal assistance. Approximately 19 Eagle River-Chugiak residents, who were members of the four Anchorage Episcopal churches, met January 4 at the home of Ed and Ginger Thielen. A Bishops Committee was organized, and the first formal service was held at the Artist Piano store in the Frontier Mall with 28 people present.
The first year we were served by a different priest every Sunday until the diocesan convention approved the Eagle River Mission. The Rev. Norman Nauska was our first vicar on a part-time basis. By the end of 1985, our active membership grew to about 100.
In May 1991, we purchased and moved into the old Canyon Pet Clinic, 17545 North Eagle River Loop Road. Within a month, our new building caught fire, as the result of arson. We were able to rebuild and use that facility for the next five years. Rev. Nauska’s service to Holy Spirit ended in 1992 and Rev. Larry Spannegel began serving as a supply priest. In 1993, Rev. Greg Kimura was selected as our first rector.
In the spring of 1995, we began construction of an addition to our building. The major work, conducted by hired professionals and member-volunteers, began in April 1996. By November, the work was nearly completed when another fire destroyed 90% of the building. The fire was caused by an equipment failure. We moved into temporary facilities until we could rebuild. We were in those temporary quarters until December 1999.
We opted to redesign the building, as opposed to rebuilding what remained after the fire. We completed phase one; obtained a temporary occupancy permit and held our first service on Christmas Eve 1999. As we moved into the 21st century, our active membership had increased to 200. Rev. Kimura’s service ended in 1999 and Rev. Wayne Britnell began serving as interim rector.
By 2001, we completed the construction of the building, which included the social hall, kitchen and the large assembly area upstairs. In the fall of 2001, we selected Rev. Bob Young as rector. Rev. Bob revitalized our focus on service to the community through his involvement with several local groups including the Eagle River Ministerial Alliance and his never-ending support of Alcoholics Anonymous activities. In 2008, the Vestry established the Restoration and Restoral “R & R” fund to cover future major building repairs and replacement expenses. The fund continues to be supplemented monthly with a 2025 balance exceeding $70,000.
Sadly, Rev. Bob’s medical issues led to his death in 2009, just prior to his planned retirement.
Rev. Paul Smith was called as rector in 2010 and served faithfully through his retirement in April 2015. During this time, the church opened our doors to a school for autistic children; it ceased operating in 2016 due to a loss of funding. During this time, our church membership declined, a trend within most mainline churches throughout the country. Our membership in 2015 had fallen below 100.
In 2016, Rev. Lauran Pifke was often serving as one of our supply clergy when she was selected as our part-time priest. Rev. Lauran and her husband Fred Hansen had moved to Alaska to be closer to family and to us, as it turned out! Her ministry focused on Biblical education and God’s love for all. She led us through the COVID-19 experience, keeping the fires burning with non-traditional means of providing services and serving the parish members’ needs. We returned to formal in-person worship in 2021. When our long-time organist was no longer able to perform, Fred Hansen built a computer program that provides service organ music, following the three-year liturgical cycle. That program is in use within many Alaskan congregations today.
In 2018, we lost one of our founding families, Ed and Ginger Thielen. In 2019, an endowment fund for outreach was established, bearing their name and honoring them in perpetuity.
Following Covid, the number of individuals on record continued to decline (2022, 85; 2023, 72; 2024, 61 and 2025, 54). However, our average Sunday attendance remained steady throughout at 21-22 attendees, a committed core group of very supportive, engaged parishioners. Easter attendance averaged approximately 50 each year.
IV, Our Programs and Outreach Efforts
Within the Church
Altar Guild
Licensed Lay Ministers
Lenten Study Group
Acolytes and Servers
Monthly Prayer Breakfast
Weekly coffee hours
Daughters of the King
Blessing of the Animals
Spring Clean-up Group
Ed and Ginger Thielen Memorial Endowment Fund
Within the Community
Eagle River/Chugiak Local Food Bank
Newborns-In-Need
Use of the facility by home school organization
Monthly support of the Diocese of Alaska
Monthly support of the National Episcopal Church
Support of Jerusalem Ministries
Support of United Thank Offering
Support to Western Alaskans displaced by typhoons
V. Our Finances
As noted, today we number approximately 54 members, and our average Sunday attendance is 22 parishioners. This is a committed group. The average pledge has increased approximately 23% over the past four years. Our annual budget has been approximately $94,000 for the past two years. Our real property consists of a 2.5-acre site on a major Eagle River road. The main 8,000 square foot facility contains a well-defined nave, administrative offices, library, several classrooms, nursery and parish hall with a commercial grade kitchen. The building is fully paid for.
VI. The Diocese of Alaska
The Episcopal Diocese of Alaska covers a landmass of 586,412 square miles. It has 33,904 miles of shoreline, 3 million lakes and over 12,000 rivers. Wikipedia reports that geographically, this is the largest diocese in the Episcopal Church. There are currently 4,800 members and 43 congregations. You can find congregations in tiny villages off the road system and in Alaska’s largest cities: Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. We strive to respect the customs, values and dignity of our many cultures.
Started in 1895, the diocese is part of Province VIII. Because of the vast size of Alaska, the Diocese has been divided into four deaneries. Holy Spirit is located in the Southcentral Deanery. There are four congregations in Anchorage: St. Mary’s,
St. Christopher’s, Christ Church and All Saints’. Holy Spirit is in Eagle River, which also lies within the municipality (while keeping the name Eagle River).
Current grants and ministries of the Diocese include Faith into Tomorrow grants; The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS); Prison Ministry grants; Safe Church; Diocesan Disaster Preparedness and Dancing with the Spirit. See episcopalak.org.
An example of leadership by the Diocese was on display on Feb. 19, 2026, when Bishop Mark Lattime joined three other religious leaders in Alaska to sign an Open Letter to the People of Alaska and to Our Elected Leaders regarding the earlier detention of Sonia Espinosa Arriaga and her three children in Soldotna. The letter called for due process, and humane and merciful treatment for detainees. It was printed in the Feb. 22 Anchorage Daily News.
VII. Eagle River, Our Community
The community is situated on the Eagle River, between the Joint Base Elmendorf and Chugach State Park in the Chugach Mountains. In 1975, the voters approved the unification of the city of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, which included Eagle River and Chugiak. Originally semi-rural before suburban growth, long-time residents of Eagle River point with pride to the traits historically emphasized, such as “Take care of your neighbors” and “Good neighbors make good communities.”
The 2020 census reported 27,333 residents in Eagle River (zip code 99577) with an additional 9,036 in nearby Chugiak, Birchwood, Peters Creek and Eklutna (zip code 99567). Residents are attracted to the quiet suburbs and the opportunities for rafting, hiking, skiing, and exploring the nearby mountains.
The demographics in Eagle River are reportedly 76-79% white; 10.4% reporting to be of 2 races; 2.8-2.9% Black; 2.2-2.5% American Indian/Alaskan Native; 1.8-3.1% Asian; and 1.2% Pacific Islander. Approximately 8-9% are Hispanic of any race. The median age is 36. Unlike Eagle River, the Anchorage community is very diverse. For example, three of the four most diverse high schools in the United States are in Anchorage, according to the 2020 census.
In Eagle River, roughly 21% of the residents are connected to the military; 28% of households have children and 65% of residents are married. The median income is $126,000 and the average house costs $400,000. Approximately 21% of residents have a bachelor’s degree and 15% have a master’s degree.
Here is a partial list of non-profit groups and governmental agencies in Eagle River:
Community and Support Services
Chugiak-Eagle River Food Pantry—Provides temporary, emergency food for residents of Eagle River, Chugiak, peters Creek, Eklutna and JBER
Newborns in Need—Provides supplies, equipment and quilts for newborns in need
Chugiak-Eagle River Foundation—Dedicated to improving local quality of life through grants and scholarships
Eagle River Lions Club—Focuses on community service, including vision screenings, scholarship and supporting local parks
Gold Star Peak Inc.--A nonprofit dedicated to honoring veterans and their families
Friends of Eagle River Nature Center—Supports the Nature Center through donations and locating volunteers for trail maintenance and educational programs
Birchwood Camp— A faith-based summer program for young people and a year-round community conference and retreat center owned by the United Methodist Church and run by an independent board
Elks Lodge of Eagle River---Provides help for veterans.
Government Organization
Hiland Mountain Correctional Center—Primary state facility housing female offenders who are awaiting trial, been sentenced or returned on remand. Low to mid-level security facility housing 400 women.
VIII, How do we want to be known in the community? What are we known for within the community?
Holy Spirit provides a traditional and intellectual examination of the teachings of Jesus, while being very inclusive and warm to newcomers. We have supported the Eagle River Food Pantry and Newborns in Need for more than ten years. And we have provided a place to meet for community groups such as Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the home school organization. We are also known for the great food usually available at coffee hour and the monthly breakfasts! The church would be a great loss to a community the size of Eagle River.
IX. What are our strengths and weaknesses now?
A parish profile survey was forwarded to church members in January, 2026, both online and in hard copy. Respondents identified Holy Spirit’s core strengths as a strong commitment to the Gospel; warmth and collegiality; a small group of dedicated volunteers supporting the operation of the church; members’ generosity of time and financial support; a beautiful campus and amazing commercial kitchen; and service to members of our church and the community.
The weaknesses, or more optimistically stated, the “challenges” were described as attracting more members; increasing our finances; urging greater participation by existing members in the many tasks necessary to run the church; having no Sunday School or activities that will attract younger families, and having an aging building with needed repairs. One respondent noted that, “Our small, dedicated group of volunteers is a double-edged sword. They’re great at doing everything! So perhaps others in the congregation who have time/talents to share don’t see a need to do so.”
X. What renews you spiritually in the congregation?
Respondents listed worship; traditional Episcopal Prayer Book Services with an emphasis on teaching Biblical truth; Lenten study programs; working with other churches and nonprofit groups in the community; working with the Altar Guild; coffee hour; potlucks and monthly breakfasts. As one person said, “Helping together; eating together; studying together.”
XI. What are our hopes and dreams for the next five years?
Respondents hope to grow by 50-100 per cent and to build support for 1-2 additional community groups. Others hope to bring in families with children, have Sunday school and routine Bible study again and return to live music. Most important, respondents want to continue to be a church spreading the Gospel with loving members.
When asked what they were willing to do to make their vision happen, five members pledged to increase their financial support. Three people expressed interest in receiving training to serve as lay leaders; seven are eager to serve as a reader of lessons; two to join the Altar Guild; six are willing to help with basic maintenance and five will deliver donated food to the food bank. Three people are willing to help prepare the bulletin inserts; five to provide outreach to other community groups; five to assist with preparation of the monthly breakfast; nine are willing to provide refreshments for coffee hour; and three are willing to produce a quarterly newsletter.
XII. What are the problems that need to be solved to go where we believe God is calling us to go?
As one parishioner said, “We need to be proactive if we’re going to grow.” For example, should we start a Sunday school with few children in attendance to attract others? How can we best attract young families to an aging congregation?
Due to constrained finances, we need to think outside the box. How can we share the building with more charitable groups without incurring costly problems in the upkeep of the building? Should we consider renting space upstairs to a secular business tenant to increase revenue?
What can lay leaders within the congregation do to help fill the gaps created if we go forward with a part-time rector? For example, can they train to conduct Bible study sought by parishioners? Are they willing to conduct Morning Prayer services?
How can the vestry engage parishioners to think creatively about what must be done, without causing unproductive worry? We will look to our next priest to help us answer these questions; to help us get to where God is calling us to go.
- Mail: PO Box 773223
- Street: 17545 N Eagle River Loop Rd
- Eagle River
- Alaska
- 99577
(907) 694-8201
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