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 anchorageutc@gmail.com. Please put in the subject line of your email “North to the Future – My Vision.”

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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