The Pastor’s Corner

Pastor Rick Cavens is a retired pastor and chaplain whose life has been devoted to serving others with Christ’s grace, compassion, and steady presence. Known as a gifted communicator, teacher, and community builder, Rick has spent decades walking alongside congregations, military members, and families—especially in moments of crisis, loss, and transition.

Rick served faithfully as Senior Pastor at Saint Mark Lutheran Church in Anchorage for nearly twenty years and later at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wasilla for ten years, where he retired at age seventy. In each setting, he helped guide congregations toward health and vitality, mentored future pastors, expanded worship and community outreach, and fostered welcoming spaces rooted in care and faith.

Alongside his parish ministry, Rick served for more than two decades as a chaplain with the Alaska Air National Guard. He played a key role in developing Survivor Outreach Services for military families, ministered to the fallen and their loved ones at Dover Air Force Base, and deployed internationally in support of U.S. military operations. His leadership in crisis response and grief care—including the development of Critical Incident Stress Management programs—has touched countless lives.

Rick’s ministry extends beyond the pulpit through leadership in civic and nonprofit organizations, including the Mat-Su Food Bank, the Anchorage Council of Churches, and numerous community boards. A lifelong learner, he holds a Master of Divinity and is a graduate of the Air War College.

Rick and his wife, Mari, are the proud parents of four adopted children and grandparents to four granddaughters. Together, they have lived out a shared calling to love people as they are and to create spaces where faith, hope, and healing can take root.