By the time you’re reading this article Thanksgiving 2021 will be history. That does not mean that one stops giving thanks. Having an attitude of gratitude is helpful year-round. Many gratitude exercises are recommended for reducing one’s stress and improving one’s mental health. You might begin by giving thanks that all the preparation and cooking associated with Thanksgiving is done.

Some reading this might be having a difficult time thinking of things for which to be thankful. That’s understandable. It’s been a hard couple of years. We’ve lost friends and family to a variety of causes including, but not limited to, Covid-19. To deny that darkness is somehow dishonest. If you know someone grieving losses, then make some calls and check in. Maybe even invite people over to share a meal and the gift of time. There are no right words to say, but sometimes simply listening and being present makes a tremendous difference.

Some friends have engaged in a challenge to list three things for which they are grateful daily, even when they’re experiencing difficult times and challenges. The lists are at times very, very basic: I woke up today (not everyone did), I am breathing on my own (not everyone is), and I am able to feed myself (some go hungry and others are on feeding tubes).

The first thing that I am thankful for is God. Not enough can be said of God, the giver of all good things. God so loves us that he gave his only son that all who believe in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). In some churches, the communion service is called a Eucharistic Feast; the word eucharist comes from eucharistia which is Greek for Thanksgiving.

The second thing I am thankful for is my bride and our children. We have made it through many years, long moves, life changes, and several dark cold Alaskan Winters.

The third thing I am thankful for is the outstanding work done by many through this time. Area law enforcement agencies serve and protect our community, as well as collecting food for the Food Bank more recently. In case you hadn’t heard, there was a competition between area law enforcement agencies to collect food for the Fairbanks Food Bank. Over 50,000 pounds of food was collected for people in need. I am likewise thankful for all first responders (dispatchers, fire fighters, law enforcement, and ambulance crews). We can all give thanks for the outstanding nurses and doctors who are helping our community through Covid-19.

I leave you with this thought: Thanksgiving is more than one day a year. Thanksgiving is an attitude of gratitude. Honestly, sometimes Thanksgiving can be very stressful as people try and make the turkey turn out just right and the conversations remain peaceful — that’s easier unsaid than done. Yet even when life is challenging and difficult, there are still things for which we can be thankful. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, no matter the day!

The Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor at St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police and Fire.
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Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference.

The past few weeks (and years) have been strangely difficult. We’ve experienced fluctuations with Covid, accidents and incidents, tragic shootings, road rage, a variety of holidays, increasing inflation, and decreasing sunlight.

Sadly, it would take a lot of time and space to list every recent tragic and/or traumatic event and even then, I would likely miss one (or many). Suffice to say that we have lost good people in many different circumstances.

In less than a month, we’ve gone from a spooky day of frights (Halloween) to a day to remember people for their outstanding examples (All Saints Day on Nov. 1). We remembered all who have died on All Souls Day on Nov. 2. And we honored those who stand in the gap between us and those who really scare us, with the 246th Birthday of the US Marine Corps on Nov. 10, and all Veterans on Nov. 11th.

In the same timeframe, leaves, snow, temperatures, and daylight have fallen even as prices rise. We are also quickly approaching a change in the church year from the season after Pentecost to the beginning of Advent, with Christmas just a few weeks away. It’s an interesting time to say the least.

With so many things changing in the world it can be hard to remember what is constant. What does not change when everything else does? Jesus. He does not change. He is constant, he is always there. No matter the weather, price of gas, or availability of turkeys, he is always there, and so is the need. The needs of many in this world are constant, and Jesus calls us to help. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world in need. We help ministries like the Door (24-hour emergency youth shelter), Fairbanks Community Food Bank, FYND Out Free Clinic, Love Inc, and many more. We do so as we value and care for one another, regardless of the season.

Jesus commands us to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He further calls us to love one another as he has loved us. Jesus also connects how we forgive one another to how we are forgiven by God. Let us show love, forgiveness, and compassion to all and thereby make a difference for everyone.
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The Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor at St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police and Fire.
Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference.

I write this article with some trepidation. I hope to address such topics as Covid-19, vaccines and politics. I’m thinking that no matter what I write or how I write it, I have the potential to upset everyone. I’m writing because it really is a matter of life and death.

At some point, Covid-19 and the vaccines became political. Neither are political for those on the front lines of this battle: health care professionals, patients and families.

A video was released recently in which an FMH nurse describes the life and death struggles with Covid in which some recover while others experience air hunger and die. Her video is not political, it’s reality. If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you do: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/fairbanks/2021/10/01/watching-themselves-die-fairbanks-nurse-describes-panic-and-air-hunger-among-covid-patients-in-video-encouraging-vaccination/

Many, many people have tested positive for Covid and recovered. Many have tested positive for Covid and died. The vast majority survive, but those who do not are gone leaving behind grieving friends and family. There are also issues distinguishing between dying from Covid vs. dying with Covid. Just to be clear, Covid is not good, no matter how you count it.

We’re at this strange point in history in which the vaccine is viewed as either a miracle cure and thus our salvation or as the mark of the beast and therefore evil.

I don’t think the vaccine is either savior or devil. Instead, I think the vaccine is simply a vaccine. Remember when the big controversy about the vaccine was how long it was going to take to be produced?

What do Presidents Trump and Biden have in common? The same thing that Presidents Obama and Bush have in common. Each has received the Covid-19 vaccine. They don’t have much else in common.
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Some fear people who aren’t vaccinated while others fear the vaccine itself. I think everyone, to some extent or another, experience some fear about catching Covid-19 or catching it again.

In the past year, I have had friends test positive for Covid-19, seriously struggle and recover. I have also had friends test positive for Covid-19 and die. I have had friends line up at the first opportunity to get vaccinated and others refuse to do so for a variety of reasons. None of my vaccinated friends experienced any serious side effects from the vaccine and none has died of Covid-19.

What about my family and I? We are all fully vaccinated. We all see this vaccine as any vaccine: a part of healthy self-care.

Some think they are better for being vaccinated and others think they are better for not being vaccinated. Self-righteousness is never a good thing, no matter the reasons.

Some would say that I am out of my league to be writing on Covid-19 and vaccines. I am a pastor and chaplain, not a health care professional. Consulting me for your health care decisions makes as much sense as consulting Google. Whenever I have a medical concern, I speak with a health care professional. I suggest you do the same.
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Cast all your worries upon God who cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

​Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor at St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police and Fire.

​Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference
Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner on ​October 8, 2021

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

The above two Biblical verses come to my mind as I think of friends, neighbors, and strangers who served in Afghanistan over the past twenty years.

Following 9/11, U.S. forces were sent to Afghanistan and elsewhere in the global war on terror. Given the events of this past weekend in Afghanistan, I want to write this article specifically to our veterans. This is a time, in the face of recent events, to call out our veterans and active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard to give thanks.

There is a quote that states, “a veteran is someone who, at one point in their life wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America,’ for an amount up to and including their life.” The author of the quote is unknown.

Veterans (and active-duty personnel) are people who enlisted to serve our nation for a variety of reasons. Many were deployed to Afghanistan over the past 20 years, some repeatedly. 2,448 were killed. Brown University estimates between 66,000 and 69,000 Afghan army and police were killed in the same 20 years.

Now, the US is in the process of evacuating. I’m writing this as I try to come to terms with our sudden departure from Afghanistan coupled with the total and sudden victory of the Taliban forces, we fought for 20 years. Some are experiencing a whole mixture of emotions ranging from frustration, anger, depression, failure, relief, and much more. I remember when Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals on a mission in Pakistan. At our home we would end every night with a time to hear our kids’ favorite part of the day, lessons learned, and what they wanted to pray about. When it came to prayers, they often wanted to pray for a friend at school whose dad was in Afghanistan or Iraq. When Bin Laden was killed their friends were relieved because that meant the war was over and dad was coming home! That was 10 years ago, May 2, 2011.

To all who served in Afghanistan I want to say thank you. You made a difference. You fought terrorists and saved countless lives. You made a difference for the Afghan people and for people around the world. You held the line and accomplished all that you were ordered to do and much more. You can be proud of your service. Thank you!

I have had several conversations with Veterans who served in Afghanistan this week. If you’d like to talk, you can reach me at (907) 479-7998. Please pass this article along to Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor at St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police and Fire.

​Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference
Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner on ​August 20, 2021

I recently completed three days of intense training which included discussions of trauma, death, and suicide. Good training will reach you and stay with you. I continue to process the training and lessons.

Here are a few brief lessons from the training:
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Firstly, communication is vitally important. It may be that you have experienced an especially challenging and difficult day with things seen, heard, or otherwise encountered. I used to think that not all jobs are stressful. I was wrong. Any job and/or circumstance can be made stressful by the conditions, people, and our reactions. What you do with that stress, frustration, anxiety, and anger is the big question.

Why do I emphasize communication? Communication is the key to the rest of your day. What you say/do when you get home can be the difference between being in a happy and rewarding relationship or being alone.

Put another way, when you are stressed, communicate that fact in a gentle way with the people who love you. Share that you have had a bad day which has you in a bad mood. This tells the people that love you, especially children, that you are not mad at them.

Another lesson from this training is to know and remember that you are important. You make a difference. Your life is meaningful. It may not always seem that way, but it is true. There is only one you and no one does you better than you. That does not mean that you cannot improve, we can all improve. It just means that the world is better for your presence in it.

This leads me to another lesson. It seems that in this world in which we live it is okay to talk about diets, exercise, and physical fitness. It is okay to talk about losing weight and getting back into shape. I too have changed my diet. I am trying a simple lifestyle change through a combination of fewer carbs, smaller portions, and more exercise. It is easier said than done as carbs are found in nearly everything.

While talking about diet and physical fitness is emphasized, talking about spiritual fitness is less so. Yet spiritual fitness is also vitally important. You cannot be and do everything. Giving your stresses to God, who cares for you, is key. God cares about you and loves you. Know that!

Last lesson: we seldom talk about our mental health. The past two years have been extremely stressful. Self-care includes talking with trained and experienced counselors. There are many counselors in Interior Alaska.  Alcohol and drugs are not counselors and will not heal you.

I hope you will take these lessons on communication, self-worth, and wellness (physical, nutritional, spiritual, and mental) to heart for your sake and those around you. Life is short, take it seriously, communicate, seek help as needed, and you will move forward.

“Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor at St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police and Fire.

​Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference
Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's Faith Section on ​July 23, 2021

Father’s Day is this Sunday. It is not too late to get the fathers in your life a Father’s Day gift. No, this article is not an advertisement to go shopping here or there.

First of all, I need to say that as a father of two daughters, the work is continuous. And like Mother’s Day, it really cannot be limited to just one day. In fact, it is moms who do tremendous and never-ending work on a whole variety of tasks and concerns daily. 

There is the joke about the very many different things that a child will ask of their mom while only asking their dads for money, the car keys, or most importantly, mom.

Many people have complicated relationships with their fathers. Dad may or may not have been present, may have been loving and supportive or abusive and indifferent. Dads, and moms, are human. Scriptural examples of dads are as varied as dads today: good, bad, and/or absent. 

Some people do not like it when God is referred to as, “God the Father,” especially when they experienced an abusive or otherwise complicated relationship with their father. The use of gender-neutral terms is sometimes preferred.

On a more serious note, last week two friends of mine died suddenly and completely unexpectedly. One died on Tuesday and the other on Friday. Each were dads. 

When considering a Father’s Day gift, consider the gift of time. I wish I could have more time with my friends, and with my own father, who died 20 years ago. Each has transitioned from is to was, to be spoken of only in the past tense. Take time with the dads in your life while each is still in your life.
This last paragraph is specifically for dads. Dads, spend some quality time with your family. Time is not something that can be purchased or extended. 

Time is instead a most precious commodity and limited in nature. Time with your family is more important than work, fishing, or hunting. 

Time is the greatest gift you can give and share. Quality time is not stressful and stress inducing time punctuated by outburst and frustrations. 

Quality time is peaceful and rewarding. Treat your significant other and children with love and respect. 

Scripture calls upon husbands to treat their bride as Christ does the church. 

You can be an amazing dad simply by loving and respecting your significant other and children.
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13 ESV)

Happy Father’s Day!
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Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor at St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police and Fire.

​Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference
Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's Faith Section on ​June 18, 2021

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12 English Standard Version)

On May 4, 1963, President John F. Kennedy designated the week of May 15 as Police Week for every year thereafter. On May 9 of this year, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy proclaimed May 9 – 15, 2021 as Alaska Law Enforcement Week. Law Enforcement agencies across our nation pause to remember Officers who have died in the line of duty during this week. As of this writing, the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP.ORG) reports that 124 Law Enforcement Officers have died in the line of duty this year (2021).
 
The verse above, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” is always read at funerals for first responders who die in the line of duty. This includes law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services technicians, paramedics, and dispatchers.

Often, a person’s encounter with first responders begins with a crisis. Someone needs help. It may be something that has happened or is happening right now. The crisis is followed by a phone call to 911. On the other end of the phone, a trained and experienced professional answers. They have likely never spoken before, but in this fateful moment they meet, and the 911 professional is a lifeline for a person, or persons, in crisis.

People do not call the emergency number with good news. No one calls 911 to report that their child has taken their first steps. First responders are not dispatched to celebrate. A loving couple does not call 911 for their anniversary or to share in the pride of watching their child graduate. 911 is called because something is very wrong and cannot be solved without outside emergency help.

After ascertaining the situation, the appropriate resource is dispatched. It may be firefighters, a law enforcement officer, and/or an ambulance crew.

Consider for a moment each of these first responders.

Like all first responders, fire fighters willingly enter life-threatening situations without knowing who they will encounter. They simply go. Firefighters are trained, equipped, and experienced. These professionals not only fight fires, but also respond to calls for medical assistance, train and maintain themselves and their equipment, and share live saving skills. Firefighters are the people who run in, while everyone else is running out. I always think of the fire fighters climbing the stairs with all their gear in the World Trade Center to rescue people. 344 FDNY firefighters died in the line of duty on 9/11/01.

Next are the law enforcement officers (LEOs). Like all first responders, they respond to calls for service for friends, neighbors, and strangers. They lay down their lives in the service of all, starting when they swear an oath and continuing on patrol. LEOs carry and train with firearms and willingly enter dangerous situations to save lives and stop threats. Sometimes LEOs get a bad rap for the actions of a very few bad apples. Are there bad officers? Certainly, just as there are bad teachers, bad coaches, bad politicians, bad priests, bad neighbors, etc. Every profession has its unprofessional. The officers most upset about bad officers are the good officers who give of themselves every day to make the world a better place.

Next are the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics that make up the ambulance crew. These are the people who get down and dirty in bodily fluids, blood-borne pathogens, and interpersonal dynamics and conflicts. They too lay down their lives for friends and strangers.

What do all these first responders have in common? Each is willing to lay down his/her life for friends and strangers. Each has an incredibly stressful and stress filled job and carries the burden of encountering people on their worst day and sometimes on their last day. Each willingly enters where others flee. All make a tremendous difference. Remember also that first responders are people. First responders have families, are moms and dads, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors. First responders have the same hopes and dreams as anyone and serve to make the world a better place for everyone. Take time to pray for our first responders and for their families. Stop and say thank you the next time you see a first responder for laying down their lives for you – whether you be friend or stranger.

Rev. Stephen Reed is the Pastor, St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall and the Chaplain for Police & Fire

Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference
Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's Faith Section on ​May 14, 2021

A friend committed suicide this week. Every day, week, month and year we lose many to suicide. We don’t talk about it. Suicide is taboo. If we talk about suicide someone might commit suicide. People are already committing suicide; not talking is not helping! If you think someone is suicidal, or if you’re reading this and you’re suicidal, then talking can help. It gets it out into the open and that’s a start.

Some believe that a person who talks about suicide isn’t serious or is attention seeking. Yet most tell someone before their fatal attempt. When a person says something that makes you think that they are suicidal then listen and take it seriously; it may be their final words. Get the person help through the Emergency Room, Crisis Line, or counseling centers. The life you save may be your friend, family, neighbor, stranger, or even your own.

Why suicide? Many reasons: chronic pain, shame, trauma, hopelessness, and helplessness; loss of family, ability, job or relationships; endurance of abuse at school, work, home, or online. Some attempt to escape abusive relationships. But love is not fear, violence, or abuse, and God does not condone abuse. Some who attempt suicide just want their pain to end and do not see any other way out. There are ways out that don’t require your life in exchange.

Some who attempt suicide have a prior mental health diagnosis while others do not. Mental health is taboo and stigmatized. If a person has a compound fracture: a broken bone protruding through flesh (a clear sign of a bad day) then we call 911 for help. We don’t stigmatize. If a person has high blood pressure or diabetes, we seek medical professionals to help the person manage their illness. It’s not cured, but it is managed. Mental illness can also be managed through medication and therapy. Stigmatizing hurts and kills. Stop stigmatizing and start helping. Start with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Fairbanks by calling (907) 456-4704 or Text NAMI to 741-741.

I have spoken on many occasions with survivors of suicide – the family and friends of a person who has taken their own life. Survivors experience tremendous guilt and pain. If you’re reading this and you’re a survivor then you need to know that you are not responsible for someone else’s fatal mistake.
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If you are considering suicide, then know that people will not be better off without you. You are not a burden.

Suicide is not limited to one race, income, faith, orientation, or gender. It is an equal opportunity killer. What are warning signs of suicide? Sudden death of someone close; prior suicide attempts; saying that you want to die, can’t take it anymore, or want to end it all; depression; substance abuse; giving away items of special value; getting your affairs in order; changes in sleep and/or eating patterns; self-isolating from friends and family; outbursts of anger or crying; failures in school, work, or life; apathy; or a sudden change in attitude to happiness from anger and sadness.

The above list also describes many teenagers. Fatal suicide attempts, nonfatal attempts, and depression are common among teens. Make no assumptions, talk with your teens. Talk with your Active Duty, Veteran, and First Responder friends. Suicide is very high in each group.

Depression mixed with alcohol and firepower is a deadly combination. I have been entrusted with firearms by people who no longer trusted themselves with them.

This has been a painful article to write. I felt it necessary after losing another friend to suicide this week and the prevalence of suicide in our community. Suicide is a Top 10 leading cause of death in America. It does not have to be. Please, get help, ask others if they need help. You are important, and we can all make a difference.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Walk is on Saturday May 22nd seehttps://afsp.org/ for further information.

Resources:
FAIRBANKS Crisis Line 24/7 (907) 452-4357 or 1-877-266-4357.
National Suicide Lifeline: 800-273-8255
The Trevor Lifeline 866-488-7386
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Fairbanks by calling (907) 456-4704
Text NAMI Start or Help to 741-741
Lifeline for Vets at 888-777-4443
https://codegreencampaign.org/resources/
If you’ve lost someone to suicide call Hospice at 458-3090 for free grief support.

Rev. Stephen Reed is Pastor at St. Paul Church and the Chaplain for Fairbanks Police & Fire
Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference
Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's Faith Section on ​April 23, 2021

One year ago this week, March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. I remember watching news on a spreading virus in December and wondering what might happen and the various possibilities. 

Today I read a very hopeful headline, “Alaska opens vaccines to residents 16 and older.” We are first state in the union to lower the vaccine age limit to 16. 

A year ago a declaration of pandemic, today vaccines for (nearly) everyone! My, what a year! In between that declaration and today many, many events have occurred. Many people from all walks of life have died, far more have tested positive and endured. Schools and businesses shut down or scaled way back. 

Our very language has changed. Commonplace terms today were rarely used a year ago. Coronavirus, social distancing, COVID-19, mask up, isolation, mandatory quarantine, super spreader events, asymptomatic, pandemic, community spread, transmission, flattening the curve, PPE and many more. 
It feels like we have been in a COVID storm for a very long time. 

It is beginning to feel like we are getting through the storm and the sun is starting to shine again. 
People are saying that soon we will be able to go back to normal.  

I do not know what normal will be like after this past year. We have been through a lot as a community, state, nation and world. It has been normal to see masks everywhere and to shelter in place. It has been normal for us to work, worship and learn from home via Zoom and other online programs. We have lost people to COVID, suicide and many other causes. We have grieved together, while remaining alone. 

Oddly enough, this experience makes me think of the disciples some 2,000 plus years ago. Excitement abounded about the long-promised Messiah. One stood out among many as one who did miracles and spoke truth with authority. In the end he upset both civil and religious authorities. In the end he was captured, he was tried and convicted (if you can call it that) and he was publicly executed on a hill upon a cross for all to see. 

I wonder if it seemed as though the world had stopped when Jesus died. The miracles, teaching and hope all ended as he was taken to the cross, to his cross. 

Like many tragic events through history, there was no miraculous rescue, there was no saving grace. Jesus died. As cold and hard as that is to read, it was that simple. He was alive and then he was killed. Like many we have lost through the years, we lost the messiah. Things were returned to normal. A few days later normal was transformed and lives were changed forever when he rose again. 

I do not know what a new normal may look like for our community, state, nation and the world. I do not. But I do know that God is full of surprises and completely unexpected outcomes. 

We will get through this COVID storm and we will be different for what we have endured and for what awaits us. We will get through this as Jesus speaks peace once again in the midst of storms. 

The Rev. Stephen K. Reed, Pastor, St. Paul Church on Farmers Loop next to Mushers Hall; chaplain: police & fire.

This Insight Article is sponsored by Tanana Valley Christian Conference
​​Printed in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's Faith Section on ​March 12, 2021