P.L.U.M.E.

Our Mission statement

To manifest God’s reign on earth by cultivating and training Christian leaders to engage in spiritual and missional service amidst Alaskan cultures.

P.L.U.M.E. Ministry is an ecumenical ministry whose membership derives from Presbyterian, Lutheran, United Methodist, and Episcopalian churches in the Mat-Su Valley.

The goal of PLUME is to develop a series of cell group ministries along a fast-growing 80 mile rural corridor. It will establish cell groups and develop new congregational mission opportunities. It will strengthen the existing ecumenical ministry throughout the Matanuska Susitna Valley and raise up, train, and empower lay leadership for local ministry. Each cell will be encouraged to engage in living out the Gospel within their communities. From the foundation of their shared spiritual life centered in Scripture and prayer, they will be encouraged to think of appropriate ministries they can create and lead in their own communities. PLUME’s first step toward this goal is to gather people from our traditions in outlying areas of the Mat-Su and to ascertain if there is interest in forming a cooperative ministry, or cell group, within their own setting that is missional and mainline. This will be accomplished through the sharing of resources and leadership from among these four participating denominations.

Scope of Work: Rev. Hicks is specifically exploring the following Mat-Su Outreach (MSO) areas: communities down Knik-Goose Bay Road to Pt. Mackenzie and along the Parks Highway from Houston to Trapper Creek (including Big Lake). This study will include a feasibility assessment of cell group formation in meeting the spiritual needs of congregants of PLUME churches in the MSO. Rev. Hicks will:

  • Prayerfully convene and listen to local groups regarding their needs, hopes and desires for ministry; empower them to develop around spiritual needs
  • Establish relationships and listen to the needs of community leaders in the Mat-Su Outreach (MSO) areas; research the social needs of these areas where PLUME congregants live
  • Explore the feasibility of developing and training lay leadership to further develop and continue the cell work
  • Build communication, mission, education and worship-related bridges/links between these ministries and the local congregations
  • Network and communicate at least monthly with each of the four local sponsoring congregations and the PLUME Steering Committee.

Mat-Su PLUME Outreach Report 2013

Our Sutton PLUME Fellowship has dedicated leaders who facilitate our bi-monthly meetings at the Sutton Public Library. This past year we partnered with Grace Bible Church to bring a top-notch VBS program to 35 area kids. This will be repeated next year. Neither organization could have done this alone. Our PLUME participants become involved in the local elementary school volunteering in their one-on-one reading programs and assisting with after school activities. They are also involved in the local food pantry program and are actively making plans for offering monthly community socials to get Sutton people more acquainted and to build new relationships.

Trapper Creek Fellowship continues its mission to offer a weekly mainline, protestant worship service, serve a monthly community meal, and host a Valley Charities case manager who facilitates a homeless prevention program for Trapper Creek in their church building. This is coordinated with the food pantry that is housed in the church’s refurbished basement (thanks to hard workers from Good Shepherd and other PLUME churches). Last summer, Hazel Davidson put together a weekly Trapper Creek VBS that served over thirty kids.

In November, PLUME launched a new missional community at Primrose Retirement Center. The group meets for Bible study and prayer on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Primrose Pub. In the future, we hope to see PLUME groups planted in other Mat-Su retirement centers. We utilize the combined leadership of residents and local PLUME pastors. Rev. Tori Hicks is serving as PLUME’s primary mission developer at Primrose.

In 2013, PLUME shared seminary intern, Hazel Davidson, with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Hazel got a good mix of traditional and non-traditional ministry opportunities. We were all blessed to work with her and walk with her as she explored different forms that ministry can take.

At the October PLUME All Members’ meeting we initiated our newest project, to construct a business plan and feasibility study for the possible purchase of Meier Lake Retreat Center. Our vision is to turn it into a monastery, a training center for missional engagement, and a spiritual retreat center.

Our Mission statement

To manifest God’s reign on earth by cultivating and training Christian leaders to engage in spiritual and missional service amidst Alaskan cultures.

We have recruited a team to work on this plan with sustainability being a key focus. Our study will be concluded by May, 2014. At that point, membership of Mat-Su PLUME Outreach will discern if it is God’s will for us to proceed. A website will soon be available to explain the project in more detail and to report on our progress.

As always, I am grateful for the heartfelt support of my brothers and sisters at Good Shepherd. You are indeed at the core of this innovative work of Christ’s mission in the Mat-Su.

Robert Hicks

Executive Director, Mat-Su PLUME Outreach