Alaska—an Aleut word meaning “The Great Land”—is truly a land of contrasts. It is as green as Eden and as white as snow, rich in resources yet barren as tundra, a place of boundless wealth and deep poverty. It is home to the Eskimo, Aleut, and Indian peoples, as well as oil barons. Though the largest state in the union, Alaska has the smallest population, offering the warmest hospitality in the continent’s coldest climate. Its people are known for their determination and self‑reliance.
Early Adventist Work
During the gold rush, towns like Skagway and Nome became famous, along with figures such as Klondike Kate and Soapy Smith. Yet among the fortune seekers were men of integrity. One of the earliest known Adventists in Alaska was Jasper N. Sylvester, grandfather of H.M.S. Richards, Sr. (founder of the Voice of Prophecy). A blacksmith in Skagway, Sylvester preached the Word and distributed Adventist literature. Others with the same spirit of adventure followed, leaving a lasting imprint on the people of Alaska.
Growth of the Church
The work began slowly but flourished between the 1930s and 1970s, when much of Arctic Alaska was won to Christ through the dedication of public school teachers and student missionaries doing Bible work in villages. These years of strong evangelism established a spiritual stronghold throughout the Arctic. In the mid‑1980s, Alaska’s status was officially changed from a mission field to a conference—a mission that continues today as we reach out to the people of this remote, pristine, and unspoiled state.
Alaska Mission Book
From 1961 to 1974, Nadine Hansen, wife of former conference president Joseph Hansen, served the Alaska Conference during a time of great growth. Her passion for Alaska led her to author the Alaska Mission Book, which documents the early Adventist work from the late 1800s through the early 1980s, when Alaska was reclassified from a mission field to a conference.
Purchase your copy by calling the conference at 907-346-1004 or email info@alaskaconference.org.
All proceeds support the Arctic Mission Adventure ministry.