Chapel of the Cross Church of the Nazarene (originally named Hillside Community Church of the Nazarene) was born in mid-July 1985. Pastor Ed Miller, his wife, Pat, and their son, Kenny, held services downstairs in their home in the hillside area of Anchorage until June 1986. At that time, Edwin West, his wife, Janelle, and their son, Jeff, came to lead the fledgling congregation. Eddie soon moved the church into a vacant office building and it began to grow quickly under Eddie's enthusiastic leadership. The church was officially organized in 1987.
Soon Pastor West and Rev. Wegner, the District Superintendent, were making plans to build a permanent home for Chapel of the Cross. Two Work & Witness teams and many Chapel congregants put up the shell in one week and the new church building was dedicated in December 1987.
The following summer saw Pastor West leave and Ron and Kathy Pankey with their two children assumed pastoral leadership. In the summer of 1989 the Pankey's left for a warmer climate and Chapel of the Cross was once again without pastoral leadership for almost six months. Many remember this as one of the best times at Chapel because the congregation members were being stretched and learning to trust God. The church grew closer together as a family as well as closer to the Lord.
On December 29, 1989, Rev. Greg, Judy, Jenny and Chrissy Hicks came north from Tampa, Florida, to lead the Chapel congregation. The church continued to grow and with a very active youth group doing retreats, working around the church, hosting banquets, getting involved in local volunteer projects, and going on annual Work & Witness trips.
In April 2000, Rev. Weldon Shuman was installed as pastor with his wife, Karon. The church has added staff and has been on the cutting edge of ministry. Both Pastor Shuman and the congregation feel that the best days as a church are yet ahead as they continue to be a light for Jesus on the hillside of Anchorage, Alaska.
We are people who are committed to following the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
We have a heart for world evangelism; we are a mission church. We live in
a fairly small community, yet we've sent missionaries to the far corners of the
world and also to the inner cities of the United States. Many of us have spent
several weeks on work trips to mission fields.