This episode is going to get weird. This season, we are considering the Alaska State Motto – “North to the Future” as a model for a positive imagining of Anchorage’s future. On this episode, AnchorED City Podcast host Joel Kiekintveld interviews himself about the future of religion in Anchorage.

We want to hear your positive vision of the future!

Record a voice memo on your phone of your positive vision for Anchorage’s future and send the audio file to [email protected]. Please put in the subject line of your email “North to the Future – My Vision.”

https://www.facebook.com/akReclaim

@akReclaim

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Resources Used To Make This Episode:

https://www.christiannewswire.com/over-45000-individuals-in-the-most-unchurched-region-in-america-to-hear-about-jesus-at-the-pdx-crusade/

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/

https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/metro-area/portland-vancouver-or-wa/

https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/region/united-states/

https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/state/alaska/

https://www.oca.org/parishes/oca-ak-eklsnc

https://www.stseraphim.org/radonitsa-the-orthodox-rejoicing-day-for-the-dead/

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2023/10/29/anchorages-oldest-building-a-russian-orthodox-church-gets-new-life-in-restoration-project/

Smith, Gregory A. “Religious ‘nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe.” Pew Research Center, January 24, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/01/24/religious-nones-in-america-who-they-are-and-what-they-believe/. 

See: Smith, Gregory A. “Has the Rise of Religious ‘nones’ Come to an End in the U.S.?” Pew Research Center, January 24, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/24/has-the-rise-of-religious-nones-come-to-an-end-in-the-us/. 

“Religious Change in America.” PRRI, May 15, 2025. https://www.prri.org/research/religious-change-in-america/#:~:text=Slightly%20more%20than%20three%20in,sexual%20abuse%20scandals%20(31%25). 

Jones, Jeffrey M. “U.S. Church Membership Falls below Majority for First Time.” Gallup.com, March 26, 2025. https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx. 

Earls, Aaron. “Small Churches Continue Growing-but in Number, Not Size.” Lifeway Research, August 21, 2024. https://research.lifeway.com/2021/10/20/small-churches-continue-growing-but-in-number-not-size/. 

Burge, Ryan. “Is Anyone Going to Church More Now than They Used To?” Graphs about Religion, November 2, 2023. https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/is-anyone-going-to-church-more-now. 

Kiekintveld, J.S., 2019. Join Me in the Commons: Towards a Contextual Urban Ministry Education Model for Anchorage, Alaska (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria (South Africa)) - https://repository.up.ac.za/items/1627110e-393d-4b3b-abc2-5389ddd94f91

During Season 5, we are considering the Alaska State Motto – “North to the Future” as a model for a positive imagining of Anchorage’s future. On this episode, we hear from Erin Baldwin Day, who represents District 4 (Midtown) on the Anchorage Assembly, and Matt Schultz, who is running for Alaska’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, as they dream of Anchorage's future in politics.

We want to hear your positive vision of the future!

Record a voice memo on your phone of your positive vision for Anchorage’s future and send the audio file to [email protected]. Please put in the subject line of your email “North to the Future – My Vision.”

https://www.erin4anchorage.com

https://www.muni.org/Departments/Assembly/pages/about%20us%20-%20member%20profiles.aspx

www.mattschultzforalaska.com

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Resources Used To Make This Episode:

https://www.cookinlethistoricalsociety.org/resources

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2020/11/15/1920-was-the-year-anchorage-voted-to-became-a-self-governing-town-not-everyone-was-happy-about-it/

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16ECC56FF0702983%402422630-16EB516DEF6DC769%404-16EB516DEF6DC769%40?search_terms=election

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2022/05/08/how-clashing-voting-ordinances-caused-municipal-election-turmoil-and-signaled-anchorages-growth-from-bucolic-town-to-big-city/

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16ED1C396A8D8243%402436658-16EC94D330F5BE1C%4025-16EC94D330F5BE1C%40?search_terms=%22Statehood%2Bcelebration%22&text=%22Statehood%20celebration%22&content_added=&date_from=1959&date_to=1959&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&pdate=1959-03-30

On Saturday, November 8, 2025, there will be a Day of Storytelling for the Tikahtnu Upper Cook Inlet as part of an effort to have our area designated as a National Heritage Area. At that event, more than fifty "storytellers from across the Anchorage-Tikahtnu Upper Cook Inlet area are coming together to reflect on who we’ve been, who we are now, and who we want to become. "

In this episode, AnchorED City Podcast host Joel Kiekintveld shares the story he will tell at the event.

https://www.akhf.org/events/tikahtnu-upper-cook-inlet-national-heritage-area-day-of-storytelling

https://sites.google.com/akhf.org/tuci-nha/home 

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC 

S5: E1 – North To The Future: Season 5 Introduction

This episode is the first of a new season. In Season 5 we will be considering the Alaska State Motto – “North to the Future” as a model for how we positively think about the future.   

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Resources Used I Make This Episode:

https://www.sloww.co/meta-crisis-101/#:~:text=“There%20are%20a%20large%20number,driving%20a%20multitude%20of%20crises.

Brueggemann, W., 2001, Prophetic imagination: Revised edition, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.

https://sites.kpc.alaska.edu/jhaighalaskahistory/timeline/

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/alaska-purchase

https://www.loc.gov/collections/meeting-of-frontiers/articles-and-essays/alaska/the-alaska-purchase/

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16ECE792ABD24C01%402439510-16ECE6ADAD9C84CD%400-16ECE6ADAD9C84CD%40?search_terms=%22North%2Bto%2Bthe%2Bfuture%22&text=%22North%20to%20the%20future%22&content_added=&date_from=1967&date_to=1967&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&pdate=1967-01-19

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16ECF36AB617AF4B%402438383-16EB964A551A4594%401-16EB964A551A4594%40?search_terms=state%2Bmotto%2Bcontest&text=state%20motto%20contest&content_added=&date_from=1963&date_to=1963&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&sort=new&pdate=1963-12-19

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16ECF361B3337BC3%402438369-16ECF09BF7EE588A%408-16ECF09BF7EE588A%40?search_terms=state%2Bmotto%2Bcontest&text=state%20motto%20contest&content_added=&date_from=1963&date_to=1963&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&pdate=1963-12-05

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16ECE90537133808%402439579-16ECE89290A8E94B%4025-16ECE89290A8E94B%40?search_terms=%22North%2Bto%2Bthe%2Bfuture%22&text=%22North%20to%20the%20future%22&content_added=&date_from=1967&date_to=1967&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&pdate=1967-03-29

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A1445094F387BC7E2%40NGPA-AKADN-194760379DE2579B%402438486-194526309F9863C2%4072-194526309F9863C2%40?search_terms=state%2Bmotto%2BContest&text=state%20motto%20Contest&content_added=&date_from=1964&date_to=1964&pub%255B0%255D=1445094F387BC7E2&pdate=1964-03-31

https://www.netstate.com/states/mottoes/ak_motto.htm#:~:text=In%201963%2C%20as%20the%20100,The%20Alaska%20Statutes%202004

BTS 36: Returning to The Hydra of Homelessness – Micro-Unit Housing

Season three of this podcast was titled “The Hydra of Homelessness.” In that season, back in 2022, we looked at a number of different issues connected to homelessness to get a more complete view of the complexity of that issue. On this episode we are returning to the Hydra of Homelessness.

Joel talks with Julie Graham the Board Chair of In Our Backyard – “a nonprofit founded by members of Central Lutheran Church in Anchorage, Alaska that proactively addresses the needs of our unhoused neighbors using micro-units.”

Joel also speaks with Eric Visser from Visser Construction about the mirco-units The municipality is building for the purposes of recovery residences. Mayor LaFrance has stated that “These micro-units will be a vital bridge to stability for people as they transition out of homelessness.” 

https://inourbackyard-ak.org

facebook.com/InOurBackyardAK

https://www.visser.com/

https://www.muni.org/Departments/Mayor/PressReleases/Pages/Mayor-LaFrance-and-ACDA-announce-builder-for-Microunit-Recovery-Residences-project.aspx

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

On Saturday November 8, 2025 there will be a Day of Storytelling for the Tikahtnu Upper Cook Inlet as part of an effort to have our area designated as a National Heritage Area. At that event more than fifty "storytellers from across the Anchorage-Tikahtnu Upper Cook Inlet area are coming together to reflect on who we’ve been, who we are now, and who we want to become. "

https://www.akhf.org/events/tikahtnu-upper-cook-inlet-national-heritage-area-day-of-storytelling

https://sites.google.com/akhf.org/tuci-nha/home 

https://seestories.org/videos/anchorage-refugees/

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC 

The Dashboard Diaries #4: Wenatchee, WA

It can be hard for Alaskans to feel connected to the rest of the country. I recently went on a nearly coast to coast drive with my daughter and her family as they moved from South Carolina to Washington State. As we drove 500-mile days for a week a few connections between places on our drive and my home city of Anchorage emerged.

Welcome to the Dashboard Diaries a special four-part mini-series brought to you by the AnchorED City Podcast.

During this four-part mini-series we will connect with Anchorage’s soul through her history, stories, and people by connecting to four places along the road from our drive across this vast land of ours.

On this episode we consider a connection between Wenatchee, WA and Anchorage. 

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Theme Music by Tech Oasis from Pixabay

Resources Used To Make This Episode:

https://dahp.wa.gov/historic-preservation/research-and-technical-preservation-guidance/architect-biographies/bio-for-ludwig-o-solberg

https://www.thespruce.com/beaux-arts-architecture-4846172

https://www.ncwlife.com/news/wenatchees-91-year-old-police-building-declared-surplus/article_fcf87ecc-f132-11ee-b24f-f3a31c9bb49b.html

https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/04000953_text

https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/AK-01-SC002

https://www.historylink.org/file/8634

https://www.wenatcheewa.gov/visitor-info/history-and-culture/great-northern-railway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_O._Solberg

https://thecentralbuilding.com/property

https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/AK-01-SC011

https://www.alaskahistory.org/anchorage-timeline/

https://www.alaskahistory.org/biographies/manley-william-a/

You are invited to end the summer by going on a road trip with us on the Dashboard Diaries – brush up on the topic of homelessness with “The Hydra of Homelessness” – and look forward to Season 5: “North to the Future.”

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Sounds used:

https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-breaking-news-382655/

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/quotwe-interrupt-this-programquot-news-anchor-177438/ 

It can be hard for Alaskans to feel connected to the rest of the country. I recently went on a nearly coast to coast drive with my daughter and her family as they moved from South Carolina to Washington State. As we drove 500-mile days for a week a few connections between places on our drive and my home city of Anchorage emerged.

Welcome to the Dashboard Diaries a special four-part mini-series brought to you by the AnchorED City Podcast.

During this four-part mini-series we will connect with Anchorage’s soul through her history, stories, and people by connecting to four places along the road from our drive across this vast land of ours.

On this episode we consider a connection between Twin Falls, ID and Anchorage. 

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Theme Music by Tech Oasis from Pixabay

Resources Used To Make This Episode:

https://www.nps.gov/miin/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/miin/learn/historyculture/pearl-harbor-and-executive-order-9066.htm

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/alien-and-sedition-acts?_ga=2.43008229.154915092.1657544061-849664189.1651781502

https://www.archives.gov/research/aapi/ww2/planning

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/japanese-american-incarceration

https://www.alaskahistory.org/anchorage-timeline/

https://www.minidoka.org/history-world-war-two-internment

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2025/06/10/dozens-of-ice-detainees-transferred-to-alaska-are-being-held-at-an-anchorage-facility/#:~:text=It%20showed%20an%20image%20of,transport%20as%20of%20Tuesday%20afternoon.&text=All%20of%20the%2040%20detainees,The%20facility's%20capacity%20is%20447

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/the-great-white-fleet.html

Elizabeth Tower Anchorage: From It’s Humble Origins As a Railroad Construction Camp - Epicenter Press, Incorporated, 1999

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/k/kentucky-bb-6.html#:~:text=Whenever%20Kentucky%20lay%20to%20in,23%20September%E2%80%9318%20October) 

https://www.alaskahistory.org/biographies/kimura-yusuke-harry/

https://time.com/5802127/hawaii-internment-order/

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A1445094F387BC7E2%40NGPA-AKADN-17BEEBF2BA948512%402457446-17BD3138D8B25DDD%400-17BD3138D8B25DDD%40?search_terms=Japanese%2Binternment%2Bcamp&text=Japanese%20internment%20camp%20&content_added=&date_from=2016&date_to=2016&pub%255B0%255D=1445094F387BC7E2&pdate=2016-02-27

Anchorage’s desire to be a Minor League city goes back further than you might imagine. Join us a for a bit more as a bonus to our recent episode.

#anchoredcity

https://anchorageutc.org

https://www.facebook.com/AnchorageUTC

@AnchorageUTC

Resources Used I Make This Episode:

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16F88BB7D4753AB8%402421296-16F718A1A0421E82%403-16F718A1A0421E82%40

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16F8875AA41F35B0%402421305-16F718C167D5900C%407-16F718C167D5900C%40

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16F8C0BE6A345E0E%402421132-16F718C6D9C2D445%408-16F718C6D9C2D445%40?search_terms=baseball&text=baseball%20&content_added=&date_from=1916&date_to=1916&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&sort=new&page=4&pdate=1916-09-25

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2%3A14454275A04DAA79%40NGPA-AKADN-16F8867D506D1ED2%402421133-16F883E25DFE31CE%407-16F883E25DFE31CE%40?search_terms=baseball&text=baseball%20&content_added=&date_from=1916&date_to=1916&pub%255B0%255D=14454275A04DAA79&sort=new&page=4&pdate=1916-09-26

https://adn.newsbank.com/doc/image/v2:14454275A04DAA79@NGPA-AKADN-16F8C0BF1CD8F98E@2421133-16F718C729F089E5@6?pdate=1916-09-26

https://vilda.alaska.edu/digital/collection/cdmg2/id/353/

https://vilda.alaska.edu/digital/collection/cdmg2/id/131/rec/11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMUq5U6edCQ

https://sabr.org/how-to/baseball-reference-books