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The Interior Deanery consists of 24 Episcopal congregations. The oldest
Episcopal Congregation, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Fort Yukon, lies
within the Interior Deanery.
Of the 24 congregations in the Interior Deanery, only seven can be reached
by the road system -- North Pole, Fairbanks, Tanacross, Minto, Nenana,
Eagle, and Circle. The other 17 congregations can only be reached by
airplane, boat or snow machine.
Most of the churches in the Interior are simple one-room log structures,
without offices, phones or indoor plumbing and often heated with a
wood-burning stoves. Three communities, Birch Creek, and Rampart,
do not have "church buildings" so church services in these locations
usually take place in the community hall.
The congregations that lie on the road system have more modern
facilities. St. Jude's in North Pole, and Holy Trinity Church in Circle
have the only "frame" structures in the Interior.
Only Nine of the 24 congregations have resident clergy; however, this does
not mean that the other 15 churches are not active. Strong lay leaders
take responsibility for the life of many of these congregations, while
others struggle to keep the faith alive.
The Yukon River dominates the geography of the Interior Deanery. It is
1,875 miles long, 1,400 of those miles lie within Alaska...the remainder
in Canada. The people of the Interior rely on the river for
transportation in the summer months, and for their food supply...a run of
salmon that arrives usually in mid-June.
For a complete
listing of churches, clergy, and addresses, please see the directory.
The late Fr. David Salmon, of Chalkyitsik, First
Athabaskan Priest ordained October 6, 1962.
 Ven.
Anna Frank with granddaughter Amanda.
Anna is the first Native American woman priest in the Episcopal Church
ordained in 1983. |
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St. John's
Allakaket
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Holy Trinity
Circle
St. John's
Eagle
Cabin
Manley
St. Mark's
Nenana
St. Barnabas'
Minto
St. Matthew's
Fairbanks
St. Timothy's
Tanacross
St. Paul's
Grayling
Christ Church
Anvik
St. Luke's
Shageluk
Bettles
St. Jude's
North Pole
St. Peter's
Birth Creek |
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