• Presiders: Pastor Sean Avery
• Assisting Minister: Hanna H.
• Children's Message: 
• Readers: Sarah D. & Henry H.
• Pianist: Kathy H.
• Communion Assistant: Hanna H.
• Altar Care: Nancy W.
• Acolyte: Killian S.
• Cross-bearer: Jack S.
• Gifts-bearer: Jasper S.
• Ushers: Lois L. & Shontelle S.

Thank you for serving in worship. Your faithfulness and heart for God help create a space where His presence is felt. Our Sundays are truly blessed with servants like you.

We gather on the second Saturday of each month to take care of various tasks around the church. All are welcome to lend a hand—no experience needed! Coffee is ready by 9:00 AM, so come early, pitch in, and enjoy some fellowship.
For more information, please contact Nancy H.

Join us for a potluck-style brunch! We gather for brunch immediately after worship. All are welcome to join us for delicious food and fellowship. This is one of the ways we build community with each other. There is no Sunday School or Confirmation class - this way everyone can join! 

Sue W. will be available Sunday February 8th after worship for anyone who would like to go over the 2026 proposed spending plan prior to our Annual Ministry Meeting the following week February 15th.

Join us for our annual Minisitry Celebration Sunday February 15th following worship. 

What if the opposite of being bound is being whole? Our world is filled with things that hold us captive. These things that bind us prevent us from living the whole, abundant life that God has promised us. Through the stories of regular people encountering Jesus, and being drawn to the wholeness that Jesus provides, we can learn about our own longings and be drawn into wholeness.

FOR SUNDAYS & HOLY WEEK:

• Lent 1 (February 22) - Longing for Wholeness - Matthew 4:1-11
• Lent 2 (March 1) - Longing for Mystery - John 3:1-17
• Lent 3 (March 8) - Longing for Relationship - John 4:5-42
• Lent 4 (March 15) - Longing for Community - John 9:1-41
• Lent 5 (March 22) - Longing for Authenticity - John 11:1-45
• Palm Sunday (March 29) - Longing for Courage - Matthew 21:1-11
• Maundy Thursday (April 2) - Longing for Intimacy - John 13:1-17, 31b-35
• Good Friday (April 3) - Longing for Solidarity - John 18:1-19:42
• Easter Sunday (April 5) - Longing for New Life - John 20:1-18

This Lent, we invite you to help create a beautiful community mural as a shared act of reflection, connection, and hope. Our mural is a large paint-by-numbers project, making it easy for anyone to participate—no artistic experience needed! Whether you add a few brushstrokes or spend more time on a section, every contribution becomes part of something bigger as we journey toward Easter together. Come as you are, pick a spot, and help bring this mural to life—one color at a time.

There are lots of opportunities to paint including after worship on Sundays, after midweek services, and some special painting days coming soon!

What if faith gave us a better way to engage politics? 

How do we approach civic issues faithfully?

What if the church could be a safe place for hard conversations again?

This six-week learning series will explore the ELCA social statement Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All and offer practical tools and a Lutheran framework for thinking, talking, and discerning faithfully in public life. This is not a partisan series or a class about how to vote. It’s an opportunity to grow in clarity, compassion, and confidence as we engage civic life as followers of Jesus.

(Tools + framework. Not partisan. Not “how to vote.”)

This series  IS:

• A practical framework for engaging civic life faithfully

• A way to gain tools, understanding, and shared language for better conversations

• A space for thoughtful conversation rooted in Scripture and Lutheran theology

• An invitation to discern how our faith shapes public life

This series is NOT:

• A partisan event

• A debate club

• A “vote this way” class

• A pressure-filled conversation where everyone must agree

PLEASE SIGN-UP BELOW

Serving on Church Council is a meaningful way to support our ministry through leadership, administrative decision-making, and strategic planning. Council members provide guidance for the mission and direction of the church, including strategic planning, financial oversight, and support for the staff and ministry teams. We value a variety of perspectives and invite you to consider participating in this shared work. Our constitution allows for up to 12 council members, serving 3-year terms. We will vote on new council members at our Annual Celebration on February 15th. Council meets once a month for about two hours to guide the ongoing work of the church. If you have questions, would like more information, or would like to be considered, please talk with Pastor Sean or any council member.

We wanted to share a quick update—both Ericka and Pastor Sean have new email addresses!

Pastor Sean: pastorsean@joy-lutheran.com.

Ericka Stoltenberg (Church office): admin@joy-lutheran.com.

Thank you for staying connected and being part of the Joy community!

Blessings,
Pastor Sean & Ericka 

The 2025 Giving Statements have been emailed. If you did not recieve an email please check your spam folder. If you still have not recieved it or need adjustments made please contact Ericka in the office. 

Christ Lutheran Prayer Request: Currently we are in the Call Process; praying for that would be amazing; and have a part time Interim Pastor. 

Each month, Joy will pray for another ELCA congregation, as part of the Synod Prayer Partner mission. 

It’s simple, and it’s powerful. We lift up their joys, their challenges, their ministries—and the same is done for us. In this way, we remember that God’s work doesn’t stop at our doors. We are part of something bigger: a church that stretches across towns, states, even countries, united in prayer and love.

We invite each of you to join in. Let’s be faithful in holding our partner congregation before God, trusting that God is holding us in return. This is our prayer for one another, and for the world God loves.

Ages toddlers through 5th grade are invited to Sunday School after worship in Brause Hall. We use Godly Play - a montessori based curriculum that involves engaging kids in storytelling and lots of "I wonder..." questions that help them explore the mystery of God's presence, listen for God, and authentically respond to God's call in our lives.

*Reminder that Sunday School does not meet on Brunch Sundays (2nd Sunday of each month)*

Confirmation Class for youth in grades 6 and up begins on Sunday, September 7th! Please register using the link below. If you have any questions, reach out to Pastor Sean.

*Reminder that Confirmation Class does not meet on Brunch Sundays (2nd Sunday of each month)*

Open on the first Sunday of each month 1-3pm.

We are currently in need of boys and girls size 5 (pants and shirts)  Thank you all for your donations and help serving our community in this way, you are a huge part of the success of our ministry. 

Holy Grounds is a weekly gathering of high school youth at Jitters Café with Pastor Sean and other adult youth leaders. It’s an opportunity for fellowship, peer support, and faith formation before school hours over beverages at no cost to youth. Please consider supporting this ministry with prayer and donations to cover the cost of beverages. You can donate online via our webpage. 

Holy Grounds follows the ASD calendar, if there is no school on Monday, Holy Grounds does not meet. Please see the EVENTS page for up to date meetings. 

 Visit our website for information about our book club, including book titles, a full list of dates and locations.

Please join us!

Please contact the office on 907-694-9601 if you would like any more information.

Community Meetings that take place here at Joy Lutheran Church. For more information please visit our website.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) CLICK FOR PRINTABLE FLIER

Narcotics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous 

• For those struggling with mental health and anxiety.
• For Christ Lutheran (Fairbanks), our January Prayer Partner.
• Derek (Corrine’s granddaughter’s husband) has stage 3 colon cancer.
• Swain-Kotlarchuk family as they mourn the loss of Donald, Kristi's father.
• Corrine F.  (for strength)
• Zoe D. (Kathy Huntington’s niece diagnosed with AML-Acute myeloid leukemia. Prayers for healing, strength, and peace)
• Judy (Christy Dailey's mom for strength and healing)
•  
• Clarke H. (prayers for continued healing)
• The Hegna Family (as the mourn the passing of Marsha’s brother, Mark)
• Kaela W. (strength and courage for on-going treatment)
• Layli (Trudi's granddaughter, for good decision making)
• Dave Mitton (for strength)
• Kent & Victoria Rush, Wayne’s brother and sister-in-law (Kent is fighting cancer again.)
• Justin Dailey (Chris Dailey’s brother, for continued strength and healing)
• Diana Flaherty (for pain and healing)
• Stella Scamman (Kristi Swain’s aunt)
• For all those who continue to grieve the loss of loved ones.
• For all military members and their families, especially those serving in Alaska and our veterans

Online: To sign up visit joy-lutheran.com/give

Cash/Check: You can place cash or check into the offering plate or send by mail.

Text-to-Give: Text "Give" to: (833) 685-5023

Joy Lutheran App: Coming Soon

Fred Meyer Community Rewards: Fred Meyer Community Rewards - Non Profit Organization BV101 Joy is enrolled in Fred Meyer's Community Rewards Program. You can link your Rewards Card to donate to Joy at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. Link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Joy Lutheran Church to earn a donation from Fred Meyer. If you do not have a Rewards Card, you can sign up for one at the Customer Service Desk of any Fred Meyer store.