The little church that could

PALMER — Fourteen years ago, Trinity Lutheran Church, which, 14 years earlier had been established as a community service-focused offshoot of larger Lutheran churches in Wasilla and Palmer, was in need of a spark.

“The congregation was at a real low point at that point,” said church member Wayne Berg, who along with his wife Shirley, had just moved to Palmer from Ketchikan at the time. “They’d lost their pastor and were just struggling along, so my wife and I talked about we needed to do something to create energy here.”

What began with little ‘seed bags’ sewn in decorative cloth by Shirley, each containing a small amount of money donated by a member, grew into an annual holiday bazaar, the 13th of which Trinity Lutheran celebrated on Saturday.

“It allowed the church people to do something from their heart,” explained Patti Hurt, one of the church’s two founding members. “Whatever their gift was, to donate it to be sold. I make dilly beans. I don’t have two brain cells that can do woodwork, but I can cook.”

Rev. Diane Krauszer explained that each year one-third of the money raised from the bazaar goes to national or international causes, a third goes to state causes through the denomination and another third remains in the congregation with this year’s focus going toward a Latino mission ministry. Last year funds went to aid victims of the Sockeye Fire.

“Our biggest growth is in the ways we reach out to the community,” Krauszer said. “Our theme is ‘God’s work, our hands.’”

The church began by leasing a single space in the large, barn-looking Palmer-Wasilla building, sharing space with commercial entities that included a pet store, laundromat, small engine repair shop, photo studio, coffee shop and even a barber shop. When the building’s owners wanted to get out of the building, they sold it to the congregants for one dollar, though the unbeatable purchase price did come with tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes.

Immediately, the new landlords sought to use their good fortune to prefer likeminded nonprofits for tenants.

“We wanted to serve the community through here and serve God through the building,” Krauszer said.

Among the services provided is grief counseling every Thursday night, led by Joyce Lund, who is also the church’s pianist, as well as the principal of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School.

“We do it cooperatively with Hospice, both meet together,” Lund said. “It gives an opportunity for people who may not have the financial means to seek professional counseling, especially during holidays or anniversaries, times when people are really struggling.”

On Dec. 22, at 7 p.m., the church will host its annual “The Longest Night” event, meant to help those dealing with the death of a loved one at one of the most difficult times of the year.

The church also has a community garden in back that contributes a goodly amount of food each summer and autumn harvest to the Palmer Food Bank.

“We are small, but vital and we have recognized that in many ways, we are a place where people for a while, often to get healthy, and move on to other places,” Krauszer said