Make a difference in an epic place and come home newly inspired!
Alaska is a stunning, larger than life place. Truly epic!
Our Creekside worship arts team will head there September 3-14 to minister in schools and churches in the Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula areas. We’ll lead worship, provide worship workshops, minister to students, and enjoy truly stunning scenery.
I’ve had the blessing of visiting and leading worship in this amazing state over 25 times (what?!) and love to take people with me to explore the wonder that is Alaska. I'm stoked you'll be joining us this time!
-Peter
Anchorage Area & Kenai Peninsula Ministry
We will lead worship for...
-Christian school student chapels
-Church worship services
-A retreat for native Alaskan college students!
We'll also do some training/workshops with student musicians and techs to help them move their ministry teams forward.
Video Montage From The 2023 Trip
Check out this montage of highlights from last year's trip!
Mid-Trip Update Video
This video goes into more depth about the ministry we did in 2023 and team members' experiences on the trip.
Trip Itinerary
Tuesday, September 3
Leave Creekside at 6:40AM, drive to airport, fly to Anchorage, Alaska. Get settled in a VRBO near Grace Christian School. Set up at the school in Anchorage Tuesday evening.
Wednesday, September 4
AM - lead worship at Grace Christian School chapels (Elementary, Jr. High and High School) and do a workshop with student musicians/tech
PM - lead worship at Chapel By The Sea
Thursday, September 5
Sight-see in the Anchorage area, recharge for ministry weekend
Friday, September 6
Gorgeous sightseeing drive to Alaska Christian College in Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula
Saturday, September 7
Ignite Retreat at Alaska Christian College with ACC students.
Sound check at New Life Church Kenai in the evening
Sunday, September 8
Lead worship at New Life Church Kenai. Potential informal seminar with their worship/tech team late afternoon.
Monday, September 9
Ministers in residence at Alaska Christian College Monday through Friday AM.
Alaska Christian College seminars/workshops, hang with ACC students
Evening interactive worship team workshop at Peninsula Grace Church at 7PM.
Tuesday, September 10
Sightseeing day (Seward or Homer), hang with ACC students
Wednesday, September 11
Cook Inlet Academy morning chapel service, workshop with student worship team
Possible ACC evening worship night, hang with ACC students
Thursday, September 12
Hang with ACC students and pack for return trip.
Friday, September 13
Drive to Anchorage and fly back to CA.
Saturday, September 14
Land in SFO 10:38AM and drive back to Creekside.
Ministry Team Expectations
It is a tremendous privilege to be invited to lead worship for various churches, ministries, mission organizations, schools, and camps. The people calling on us to lead are entrusting a key part of their event to us and we really want to honor their trust and, in doing so, bring glory to the Lord (and represent Creekside well too).
Obviously being musically prepared is a big part of succeeding at the event. Another important aspect is the way we handle ourselves off stage. Weʼre on stage a few hours a day at most; the way we carry ourselves the other 21-23 hours a day will either earn credibility and the right to be heard, or detract from it.
Through the years I have noticed that sponsors* love it when guest worship teams do certain things (and are turned off when they do other things). While the following is not a comprehensive list, these are some of the biggies for building trust and respect with those we are serving.
*The term “sponsors” means the person/organization who booked us to come. This could be a pastor, program director, teacher, chaplain, etc. as well as the ministries they work for.
Team
Be part of the team, be a team player. This means hanging with the group, having a positive attitude, overlooking the minor annoyances that are an inextricable part of team life on the road, and generally enjoying the unique gifts that each team member brings to the picture.
Outward Focus
•Reach out to students**. Throughout our time together, make a point to engage students in conversation, asking them about themselves. For example: meals...at some meals weʼll sit together as a team, but make a point to sit with campers and get to know them. They feel special and included when band/tech members reach out to them. We may not participate in every activity, which is fine, but engaging campers and getting to know them is important. When you take an interest in them, itʼs a powerful thing.
**Students/campers is a general term Iʼm using for those who attend an event at which we are the guest worship leaders. This could be students (youth camp, mission trip, etc.), adults (church, conference, etc.), or both.
Model good choices
•Honor the rules that the sponsoring organization has for campers.
•Be above reproach, keep yourself out of questionable positions.
•Never be alone with a minor that is not your child.
•Never be alone in private with someone elseʼs spouse (opposite gender).
•No questionable or inappropriate language around campers.
•No consumption/possession of alcohol during events that are attended by minors or at events sponsored by groups that wouldnʼt approve of the guest worship team drinking alcohol.
•No consumption/possession of illegal drugs. Seems obvious, but Iʼm just sayinʼ.
Support The Program
While you/we may not agree with every aspect of our sponsorʼs ministry philosophy or programs, itʼs important to be respectful of their guidelines. We are guests and we want to honor our hosts.
•Listen to the talk/message. Be respectful of the event speaker. Playing and then bailing for the message sets a bad example. Plus youʼll miss out on some great talks.
•Donʼt publicly or privately rip on the ministry or itʼs leaders.
•If itʼs quiet time, be quiet (honor lights out times in camp).
•Donʼt talk in front of campers about leaving the event to do things that campers arenʼt allowed to do (even if those things are perfectly legal).
•Donʼt trash your room/living space- leave it as nice as you found it.
Music/Tech
•Be prepared. Know the charts/songs. Rehearsal is for arranging the songs, not teaching you the songs. Check out the tunes on Planning Center beforehand, print any charts you need, and come prepared.
•At set-up and sound check, set your rig up first, then look for ways to help the group as a whole. Examples: help the sound person or another musician set up their rig. We are not done setting up until we are all set up.
•No noodling during set-up or sound check. We know you can play, thatʼs why youʼre on the gig.
•Only play at sound check when itʼs your turn to sound check.
•Focus during sound check. Point up or down to let the sound person know volume adjustments of the item being sound checked in your mix (we may not have in-ear monitors). Donʼt zone out or talk to your neighbor. Focus. It makes sound check go much faster.
Travel
•Stay together as a group (unless agreed that we are separating for a particular reason).
•Keep your receipts for gas/other items purchased on behalf of the group.
I realize some of these instructions come across as very direct. My heart in saying all of this is to promote the best possible experience for us as a team and to knock it out of the park for the sponsoring organizations. Following these guidelines through the years has resulted in many happy trips and invitations to return to play music again. Thanks for joining us, Iʼm so glad youʼre on the team!
Frequently Asked Questions
We update this section frequently - please check back from time to time.
Who is this trip for?
This is for committed team members in Creekside's worship arts ministry and this particular trip is by invitation only, so please show discretion who you talk with about this trip.
What is the cost?
We are asking each team member to raise or contribute $1000. Creekside is subsidizing this mission trip, the true cost per person will likely be over $1800. Creekside's missions department, worship arts department, and executive leadership are contributing in big ways to keep the cost down for you.
If you or others can contribute more, it will help out our team big time and also allow us to be more generous with the ministries we are partnering with in Alaska. The $1000 is due by September 1, 2024.
What ministries in Alaska we partnering with?
Alaska Christian College and a few other churches and Christian schools in the Anchorage/Kenai/Soldotna area, including Grace Christian School, Cook Inlet Academy, and Peninsula Grace Church.
Are there forms to fill out?
You bet! There are a couple of forms you'll need to fill out, one for Creekside and one for Alaska Christian College.
-Alaska Christian College requires all volunteers to fill out this form: ACC Volunteer Form. They take seriously the safety of their student population and want to know who's coming on campus. The form requires a background check which asks for your social security number - this may seem a little intense but it's an encrypted process where they protect your information and it is secure. I have had to fill this form out a number of times through the years and no problems have resulted from it. One note when it asks on the form: our arrival is 4PM on September 6, departure is September 12.
-Creekside requires you to fill out a release of liability form. Karen should have already sent this to you. If you still need that, please reach out to her at Karen.N@Creeksideeg.com
How should I prepare for this trip?
The best thing you can do is keep walking with Jesus and pray for the ministry to be fruitful in your life and the lives of those we interact with. Beyond that, if you're a musician it would be good to practice the songs on your own (we'll have rehearsals, see the other question about that) and turn in the forms Karen Nowlan needs. Let family and friends know you're going on this trip and ask them to pray as well.
What are important keys to success on this trip?
The number one key is having a positive, flexible attitude. Number two is jumping in to help the team (beyond just your own responsibilities). As far as mission trips go, this is not on the difficult end of the spectrum, but we will be away from some of the comforts we're used to (our bed, for instance) and will be around each other a lot so a good attitude and kindness towards others will go a long way towards making this a great trip all around.
Ministry to Eskimos - what do I need to know?
We will guide you in this during the trip but the main thing to know ahead of time in your conversations with them is to listen. The ministry of listening is powerful. If you start talking a bunch, they will clam up and let you talk. Not what we're going for! Listening to their unique stories is a really important part of doing ministry with this people group. We'll have more to share about engaging this group, but start with...listening.
How many people are on the team?
There will be about a dozen people going on the trip. Creekside staffers include:
-Peter Neumann (team leadership, worship leading)
-Karen Nowlan (trip road managing, production tech)
-Chris Hamilton (audio production)
-Aura Coffman (vocals, trip admin)
We'll have worship/tech team members that sing, play drums, bass, keys, and run tech. It's gonna be a fabulous group!
Where are we staying?
September 3-5 - missionary host homes arranged by Grace Christian School and Chapel By The Sea Church in Anchorage.
September 6-12: Alaska Christian College in Soldotna, AK
You won't need to bring bedding, that will be provided for us the entire trip.
How will we get around?
Alaska Christian College will provide a van for us to ride in and a trailer to put our suitcases, instruments, tech gear, etc. in.
Who is booking the airfare and making travel arrangements?
Karen Nowlan is handling travel arrangements and booking airfare. If you haven't already done so, please get your frequent flyer mile and any TSA PreCheck numbers to Karen! We will travel on major airline jets like 737s to Anchorage, not small private planes. We're keeping it as safe as possible!
Can I earn flight miles on this trip?
Absolutely! Please let Karen know your frequent flyer numbers for Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines (we are flying on both airlines) and we'll get your number plugged in. We will be booking the ticket for you, so Karen will also need your birthday and your TSA Known Traveler Number if you have one.
Do I need my passport to travel to Alaska?
Nope. Alaska is the 49th state accepted into the United States (in 1959) so you'll be in the U.S. the whole trip.
What will the weather be like? What should I pack?
Highs in the upper 50's and low 60's and lows in the mid 40's. Think February or March in Elk Grove. I bring long sleeve shirts and layers. Bring a rain jacket, it can rain this time of year. Jeans, shirts, and jackets of various kinds are a good way to go. Bring one nicer outfit for Sunday morning church service (what you would wear on Creekside's platform). Pack for about a week's worth of clothes. We will have opportunity to do laundry on the trip, so you don't need to bring clothes for 12 days!
How about food?
All of your meals will be provided on this trip. If you want to bring money for extra snacks (or bring some extra snacks), go for it!
What are we doing for music gear?
We will bring some items and arrange for some items (drums, for example) to be provided for us in Alaska. Chris Hamilton will be talking with each instrumental/tech person about your instrument/tech situation.
What music are we doing?
Worship songs typically done on Sundays in Creekside auditorium services. Likely you already know and have played/sung these songs many times. I've started adding songs to a Planning Center page: Alaska Mission Trip PCO Page
How about rehearsals?
We'll have one rehearsal before we leave and we'll have some time to rehearse on the trip too. Frankly, part of the reason you were invited is because you don't need a ton of rehearsal to sound great! We won't have lots of rehearsal time, we'll just drop in and go for it in a number of situations. But the songs will be familiar tunes you've done a bunch of times. There will be enough rehearsal for us to sound solid, don't worry.
