Back the Spratt's in Alaska

Rev. Aaron Spratt and his wife Amanda are originally from Indiana and have been married 20 years.  They have 5 wonderful boys: Aaron (15), Ryan (13), Matthew (12), Peter (2), and Julian (2.5 months).  Rev. Spratt enlisted in the Navy during high-school and has spent the last 21 years serving on active duty and in the reserves as a weather man and pilot.  Rev. Spratt's service to this country has taken his family all over the US, but they call Whidbey Island, WA home.  The Spratt family enjoys about any outdoor activity including hiking, camping, kayaking, fishing, running, and riding bicycles. The 3 oldest boys love climbing trees.

Rev. Spratt has spent the last 5 years at the LCMS seminary in Fort Wayne, IN.  During his second year at the sem he was deployed to Africa for the Navy.  In 2015-2016 Rev. Spratt served his Vicarage at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hubbard, IA and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Iowa Falls, IA.  Rev. Spratt graduated this past May and his Call Service was this past April.  Rev. Spratt was called to Faith Lutheran Church in Juneau, Alaska and to Alaska Mission for Christ as Missionary in SE Alaska.  For those of us that call the Spratt's family and friends, it is very difficult to see them go but I am sure there is not a better family fit for this challenge!  Not only will Rev. Spratt and Amanda bring Christ to the families of SE Alaska but so will their boys as they interact with children and become great role models in the Juneau area!

Rev. Spratt is driven with a passion to shine the light of Jesus Christ into a sin-darkened world.  Jesus Christ has the words of eternal life and He offers to all people the gift of salvation through His shed blood, death, and resurrection.  Rev. Spratt knows that the mission of Christ cannot be done alone and needs help from all walks of life!


Faith Lutheran Church is located towards the north end of Juneau away from down town and the tourist district.  Faith Lutheran Church has roughly 30-40 worshiping members.  Faith Lutheran is able to provide a parsonage and cover the health insurance expenses for the Spratt family.  


Alaska Mission for Christ  (click the text to the left to visit Alaska Mission for Christ's website)
Alaska Mission for Christ seeks to facilitate a bold witness to Jesus Christ in every community in Alaska. Please join us in this joyful adventure of sharing Jesus in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

As a Missionary for Alaska Mission for Christ, Rev. Spratt will be responsible for 70,000 + Alaska citizens in SE Alaska.  His area consists of the 400 mile span from Yakutat and Skagway in the north to Ketchikan in the south. Rev. Spratt will be working with the native Tlingit & Haida Indians in the small villages as well as Caucasians in the larger towns.  Of these people, 10 % of the population are below the poverty level and ranks in some of the highest alcohol mortality and suicide rates in the state.  

This may not sound like much of a task at first but remember Juneau is water locked (only accessible by plane or boat) as well are the majority of the communities Rev. Spratt will be serving.  This is not a simple hop in my car, drive 7 miles and see Grandma Betty and be back in 1 hr!   This takes strategic planning and is very expensive!  Most of these communities Rev. Spratt can fly in on Alaskan Air, charter a private flight, or take the slow expensive ferry and then arrange transportation from his drop off point to the people he is calling on.  Here are some examples of what Rev. Spratt will be facing for travel challenges:
To travel to Hoonah which is 40 miles from Juneau by ferry it will take 5 hrs. and cost $ 44.00 each way so round trip he will have 10 hrs. travel time plus $ 88.00 in expense.  He can fly to Hoonah in 20 minutes but it will cost him $ 80 each way or a total of 40 minutes travel time and $ 160.00 in travel expense.

To travel to Ketchikan which is 230 miles from Juneau by ferry it will take him 44 hrs. and cost $ 250.00 each way or a total of 88 hrs. of travel time and $ 500.00 in travel expense.  Rev. Spratt can fly to Ketchikan in 2.5 hrs. for $ 350.00 each way or a total of 5 hrs. travel time and $ 700.00 in travel expense.  
 
Rev. Spratt must raise 100% of his salary and money for all of his travel expenses for his Missionary activities!

Rev. Spratt and his family will face many challenges in Juneau!  The size of the area and the isolation of this part of the country is a big hurdle.  The closest cities from Juneau are Anchorage at 600 miles and Seattle at 900 miles.  As mentioned above, the cost of doing business along with cost of living is substantial!

The Spratt's will not be moving to Alaska until they have raised the funds needed for the first 2 years.  After a grant from the North West District the funds needed are $ 75,000.00.  Rev. Spratt has put together a 5 year plan for moving forward.  For 2017 and 2018 expenses he needs to raise $ 75,000.00 before moving to Alaska , in 2019 he needs to raise $ 50,000.00, in 2020 he needs to raise $ 35,000.00, in 2021 he needs to raise $ 10,000.00 and hopes in 2022 both Alaska Mission for Christ and Faith Lutheran Church are self-funded from growth over the next 5 years.

Other expenses the Spratt's have that are not listed above are they have to cover their moving expense as well as travel expense when they fly to Oak Harbor, Washington and Anchorage for his Ordination August 6th .  The airline tickets to get the family up to Oak Harbor, Washington, Anchorage, Juneau, and back to Ft. Wayne are about $ 1,000.00/each or a total of $ 6,000.00.  When moving time comes Rev. Spratt and one of the boys will be driving from Indiana to Washington to take their vehicle on the ferry up to Juneau!  This is a 3 day ferry ride and costs $ 3,500.00.  This does not include gas, hotel, and food for the drive from Fort Wayne, IN to Washington.  Amanda and the rest of the boys will fly to Juneau and will have airline expenses of roughly $ 1,500.00.  The parsonage is fully furnished but they will still have the expense of getting their clothes, kid's toys, and items they do not want to part with to Juneau!

My family has been very blessed to have the Spratt family as part of our lives the past 2 years!  If you are able please help this family take on the challenge of SE Alaska and bring Christ to so many that have been lost, misguided, or never have heard of Him!  Please help the Spratt family bring the friendship and joy my family has had with them to the families of SE Alaska that live in isolation!!!


"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" Romans 10:14

Please keep the Spratt family in your prayers!

Thank you and God bless!!!!!