More than 750 people gathered near Palmer for Alaska's annual Southcentral Camp Meeting July 18–23. "We’ve Come This Far by Faith" was the theme for this year to celebrate more than 100 years of Adventist work in Alaska.

The first known permanent Adventist resident in Alaska was in 1896. Highlights throughout the week featured historical anecdotes of the struggle to get an Adventist “foothold” in this vast land. Five former Alaska Mission/Conference presidents and the wife of Joseph Hansen, Alaska Mission president from 1961–74, were in attendance. In addition to Nadine representing Joseph Hansen, there were Fred and Velma Beavon (1974–77), Steve and Sharon McPherson (1985–88), Jim and Rita Stevens (1991–96), Robert Peck (1996–98) and Russ Johnson (1999–2004). Together these people represented more than 35 years of mission and conference administration.

The evening meetings included a nightly interview with Nadine Hansen, who worked in the Alaska Mission office with her husband. She sat in a rocking chair from the original Palmer church during the first interview. Inspired by the stories of the devotion and commitment of those early Adventists in Alaska, Joseph and Nadine poured their hearts into the work. When she gets started telling stories, it is evident that that enthusiasm is still very much alive.

Other camp meeting speakers included Don Schneider, North American Division (NAD) president; Alvin Kibble, NAD vice president; Hans Diehl, Coronary Health Improvement Project (CHIP) founder; Harold Smith, clinical psychologist and teacher of pastoral counseling at Andrews University; and Herb Larson, a Canadian businessman with a passion to tell anybody about Jesus. Simultaneous health and spiritual seminars were conducted throughout the day by some of the above presenters and former presidents.

Rather than end on Sabbath evening, camp meeting was extended to include a family fun day on Sunday. The day started with a pancake breakfast hosted and prepared by the conference administrators. Games for children, bike rides, a flea market benefiting local church programs, and a sign-up for a conference-wide “Walk Around the World” exercise program were a part of the day.

At the close of camp meeting, Ken Crawford, current Alaska Conference president, announced that next year’s camp meeting would be a special NAD-wide fly-in for all pilots with an interest in Alaska. “Flying is an essential transportation mode in Alaska,” said Crawford. “We want to celebrate the contribution of our pilots to the gospel work in this expansive land.”