This is the tale of two churches. And one Alaskan village. And a road trip with an Episcopal priest.
I met the Rev. Bessie C. Titus at the Chena River Convention Center in Fairbanks. Bessie was sitting behind a laptop at a registration booth next to a table where beaded wallets, beaver skin hats and other native crafts were being sold.
Ten minutes into our conversation about faith, Bessie suggested I visit a village in Alaska’s interior. I jumped at the opportunity.
The drive to Minto winds into the Alaskan Interior over mountain passes with blowing snow, icy pavement, steep hills, and semi-trucks hauling supplies to Prudoe Bay. Roads are few. There are Moose, bears and other animals.
I was traveling with a priest, I reassured myself. How bad could it be?
I spent three weeks in the mid-’70’s with Luke Titus+ at LAND II held at Roanridge. It was the time of the “Third Stream” flowing through many parts of the body of Christ.
Amazing how the mood of the Spirit so scared the leadershep of ECUSA that the incipient progressive agenda was stoked up and Roanridge was sold so ‘815’ couldn’t relocate to Kansas City!