SCAMMON BAY, AK (November 23, 2010) – The pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church in this remote Western Alaska village will soon have a working boiler in his home, thanks to the generosity of Covenanters in several conferences.

The North Pacific Conference received $12,000 from individuals, churches, and conferences to replace a boiler that failed in the parsonage where Pastor Jason Stromstad lives.

Since the boiler broke, an old wood stove has been the only source of heat, and wood is in short supply. Scammon Bay is located next to the Bering Sea and snow already has fallen in the area, with temperatures dropping into the teens.

The conference issued an urgent appeal for funds in October when the office learned the boiler had broken. “We have had a tremendous response from both individuals and congregations as people have heard about this need,” says Krisann Jarvis Foss, director of conference ministries. “It was heartwarming and encouraging to see the body of Christ respond in kindness and generosity.”

To read the previously published Covenant News Service story that brought Covenant-wide attention to the need, click here.

The conference has partnered with the village over the past several years and teams of Covenanters have been making repairs to the parsonage and helping minister to the community.

A four-person team will install a new boiler, add a boiler mate and heat exchanger to the system, and replace all of the fin tubes in the house, says Michael Hassemer of Arctic Barnabas. The nonprofit organization works with the Evangelical Covenant Church of Alaska (ECCAK) to coordinate building projects in villages that include conferences as partners.

The team will travel to Scammon Bay November 28 and return December 4. Team members include Dennis O’Connell of Cedarcreek Covenant Church in Maple Valley, Washington, and Bob Larson from Praise Covenant Church in Tacoma, Washington. A staff member with Arctic Barnabas and a pilot will accompany the team.