God @ Work: Crean Lutheran's Alaska Mission Trip 2026
This past June, for the third year in a row, Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, CA, sent 51 students, 10 teachers and administrators, and 5 chaperone family members to Alaska for their annual mission trip, “The Last Frontier.” Together, this Crean Lutheran contingent made a profound impact on the communities of Fairbanks and Nenana as they teach Vacation Bible School through the power of the Holy Spirit - and they, too, were profoundly changed, as they shared in the joy of serving, worshiping, and fellowshipping alongside those they came to serve.
This mission trip (one of three that Crean Lutheran offers to students annually) is conducted in partnership with Alaska Missions for Christ (“AMC,” a Missouri Synod RSO). The Alaska Mission Trip has become a much-beloved way for students to end their school year, as they travel with their friends and teachers to a beautiful part of God’s creation and share the Word of God with children of all ages through stories, songs, skits, and more.
The group taught Vacation Bible School in three unique communities: Zion Lutheran Church in Fairbanks (an LCMS congregation), the Salvation Army of Fairbanks, and in the small town of Nenana (home to just 358 residents). Across all three locations, over 100 children were reached with the Gospel, as Crean Lutheran students taught them about who God is - our Creator, Refuge, and Savior.
Crean Lutheran Theology teacher and Missions Coordinator, Wes Gong, led the effort, and shared, “It was amazing to see our students, some of whom have been on this trip multiple times, take on leadership roles. Many of the children remembered the returners and were so excited to see them again. Our students had the opportunity to ‘take lead’ in planning and implementing the whole VBS program, and they did an outstanding job!”
The mission trip leaders chose Revelation 22:5 as the trip’s theme verse: “And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” While an appropriate verse for the Alaska setting, where the sun does not set in June until 3:00 AM, it carried a deeper meaning for the students and chaperones as they considered the light of Christ shared in these communities as the same light for all of God’s people who will reign with Jesus eternally. These students from Crean Lutheran were able to reflect that light by sharing the Word of God for a week in Alaska is a most precious gift and opportunity.
Junior student, Katie, said about her experience, “The Alaska Mission Trip formed my faith by teaching me how important it is to cherish the small moments that make a big impact. In Alaska, we sang songs about praising the Lord with all of our hearts, but when you look out at all of their faces, you don’t just see the hand motions; you see the joy of the Lord shining through them. Even a simple song or skit is a moment a kid will cherish, and I want to cherish every small thing God does in my life the same way.”
Mission trips like this one carry a multiplying effect and impact made possible by the grace and favor of God. High school students who are filled with energy and excitement get an opportunity to pour out onto others. In the process, God is at work as the Holy Spirit forms their faith in remarkable ways.
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