Growing in Grace: Agape Fellowship in Palmer, Alaska
Nestled in the heart of the Matanuska Valley, Palmer, Alaska, is becoming the backdrop for a story of God's grace, community, and disciplemaking. Thanks to your generous support, Grace Fellowship, Agape Fellowship has taken root and is growing — and your partnership is making all the difference.
A Church Plant with a God-Exalting Purpose
Agape Fellowship was started by Pastor Nathaniel Buck and his wife, Worship Coordinator Dominika Buck, when they relocated to Palmer in 2015. They had a vision to plant a church devoted to making disciples of Jesus, resulting in community transformation, and we were excited to partner with them in the journey.
From the outset, the mission has been clear: “Agape Fellowship exists for the glory of God. We pursue the glory of God by pursuing Christ-likeness in all of life, seeking to make disciples of all nations, and working to transform our community.”
Growing in Numbers
Over the past few years, Agape Fellowship has seen consistent growth: more people choosing to gather, more families joining, and a steady increase in Sunday-morning attendance, followed by a potluck lunch in which relationships are deepened and community broadened among the attendees. The communal meal after worship isn’t just social—it’s formative. It fosters relationships, encourages newcomers, and allows deeper interaction. People are not only coming, they’re staying, connecting, and growing.
Growing in Depth of Disciplemaking
While growth in attendance is encouraging, the real story at Agape lies in the depth of spiritual formation.
The worship environment combines heartfelt praise (both older hymns and newer songs) and expository preaching from Scripture.
Weekly gatherings, meaningful fellowship, and small-group connection have allowed individuals to move from mere attendance into genuine belonging.
The church is intentional about forming disciples—not just believers—equipping people to love God, love others, engage the Word, and live missionally in their everyday lives.
A Three-Day Parenting Seminar That Made a Difference
Vicki and I, along with Mike and Tonya Lundy, led a three-day parenting seminar - "Foundations For Life, Family, and Parenting"- which brought together parents to explore Godward parenting. The seminars covered key issues such as:
- Gospel Identity Before Parental Activity
- Heathy Marriage As The Basis for Healthy Parenting
- The Four Stages of Parenting
- How People Change
- Communication Through Conflict
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive: many parents shared that they left with greater hope, actionable tools, a deeper connection with other families in the church, and renewed commitment to leading their homes well. This event wasn’t just a church event but a community impact moment - the families can now serve other families struggling to know how to parent with purpose and meaning as God intended, furthering the kingdom work of Agape Fellowship in Palmer
The Fame of God Being Spread
The gospel is being proclaimed—not just in words, but in service, relationship, and visible love.
In short: the fame of God is increasing—not in a boasting sense, but in the sense that people are talking about Him, drawing near to Him, and seeing Him at work.
What’s Ahead
The journey is just beginning for Agape Fellowship. Some of the next steps include:
- Deeper discipleship pathways (D-groups, Community Groups-groups)
- Continued community events that meet real needs (like the parenting seminar)
- Strengthening outreach so that Agape becomes a hub of hope for Palmer and beyond
- Maintaining the heart of belonging, authenticity, and Christ-centred worship that made Agape a compelling place to know Jesus and others.
Why This Matters
In a region like Alaska—where distances are great, community resources are fewer, and the spiritual climate can be challenging—a church like Agape Fellowship matters greatly. Agape Church shows that the grace in the gospel is personal and relational. Growth in number is good. But growth in grace is transformational, so that others might see, and the result is a church that doesn’t just add attendees but sees lives transformed and extends the reign of Christ on this earth.