Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church DEN NORSK LUTHERSKE MINNEKIRKE 2614 NORTH KEDZIE BOULEVARD • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60647
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
God Paaske!
PAID CHICAGO, IL Permit No. 6823
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Inside this issue:
Easter/Spring 2017
Pastor’s Greeting
2
Seaman’s Church
4
Greetings from Pres.
5
Upcoming Events
5
Sports Page
6
NNL/VBS
8
Survey
9
Pictoral Review
11
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www.minnekirken-chicago.org
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2614 N. Kedzie Blvd., Chicago Service every Sunday at 11 a.m. KONTAKT magazine is published by the congregation of the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, 2614 N. Kedzie Blvd. Chicago, IL 60647 (773)252-7335 Email: minnekirkenchicago@aol.com Editor: Leandra Trifunovich. (847)292-9999 leandrat@sbcglobal.net
Happy Easter! Welcome Spring! “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime” ~a quote attributed to Martin Luther About this quote of Luther, Christian songwriter Andrew Peterson reflects: I long to see him face‐to‐face. I long to put my hand in his side, and touch the scars. I want to thank him and to worship him without this con‐ founded veil between us. Just fighting to believe can make you weary, and faith is hard to hold. But we are given moments of reprieve. Easter comes around and the pews are full of every‐Sunday sinners and once‐in‐a‐blue‐moon saints. The ice melts. The daffodils glow like little suns. We remember the earth‐shaking fact of the resurrection of Jesus, and hope comes galloping in from the east, trum‐ peting the tune of victory. Today, when I walked the hill and saw the buds on the tulip poplar spreading out their little hands, I believed it. When I sat in the dark during the Good Friday service and sang “O Sacred Head Now Wounded” with a roomful of saints who,
astonishingly, forsook whatever else they could have been doing to drive across town to mourn the murder of Christ–I believed it. And now, as I write this on Easter morning, when I think of the pain and death and sorrow that sur‐ rounds me and my community, I believe it, because I have seen a light the shadow cannot touch. I have seen healing, and unex‐ plainable faith; I have seen quiet mercy stop evil in its tracks. Demand proof if you want. Proof has its place, as it did for the early Christians. But blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe the stories are true. From: “Lent & Beyond—Easter Quotes: Martin Luther, and commentary by An‐ drew Peterson.” https:// anglican‐ prayer.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/ easter‐quotes‐martin‐luther‐and‐ commentary‐by‐andrew‐peterson/. Ac‐ cessed 2/7/2017.
Your 2017 Church Board—ready and willing to serve! President Vice President Secretary Asst. Secretary Treasurer Asst. Treasurer Financial Secy
Bev Covyeau Kari Diesen-Dahl Karena Dahl Inger Sweeney Shawn Murphy open Kay Long 1
Asst. Fin. Secy Deacon Deacon Trustee Trustee
Barbra Kronborg -Mogil Jill Crooker Bob Anderson Christian Covyeau Andy Bruli
Note that the position of Assistant Treasurer is not filled. Please contact a board member if you are willing and able to serve.
Pastor’s Greeting Hanging over the Logan Square‐facing front doors of Min‐ nekirken is a new banner. One that not only speaks to a unique emphasis in 2017, but one which speaks to an atti‐ tude which, I pray, would be embraced by all the members, friends, and supporters of Min‐ nekirken—“Reformation 500: Faith Not Fear.” This New Year has brought with it many un‐ certainties, but time and time again the God of the Bible has said, “Fear not!” May we move forward in faith through Lent, toward Easter, and beyond. With the idea of “reformation” never far from my thoughts this year, we have already accomplished some things at The Norwe‐ gian Lutheran Memorial Church that I pray will make us a stronger, better, and more faithful congregation.
and Karena Dahl, that combines Nordic cuisine, communal activ‐ ity, and compassion for people in need of a good meal. People ask about attending cooking and baking classes at Min‐ nekirken all of the time; but while the C3 Fellowship is not really a class, it is a celebration of foods that Norwegians are known for. We gather monthly to make a meal together—that’s the fellowship part—but we make more than we can enjoy in that moment. We make enough food to share! That’s the compassion part of this ministry. We freeze it, and then freely give it away to whoever might appreciate it! I’m prepping to make Bergensk fiskesuppe as part of our C3 Fel‐ lowship on February 26th for enjoyment on Ash Wednesday! We’ve invited our neighbors from the Logan Vistas senior citi‐ zen’s apartments two doors south of church to join us for a free meal and Ash Wednesday service for the “Imposition of Ashes” that night. Hopefully, you made your way into Logan Square to begin Lent 2017 with us! With the mention of Lent, I would like to urge all the readers of Kontakt to think and pray about how Minnekirken can be a more “faithful” congregation in 2017. “Faith Not Fear” is indeed our Reformation 500 mantra, but faith doesn’t just appear out of thin air. The Bible is very specific about the source of faith. In Romans 10:17 we read: “So faith comes from hearing, and hear‐ ing by the word of Christ.” Getting close to Christ through hear‐ ing, reading, meditating, living out the words of the Bible is what empowered Dr. Martin Luther’s Reformation 500 years ago. We hope the same is happening in and around Minnekirken today, so:
We are made “stronger” by our new members! On January 15 we received, Eirik Berger, Evelyn Hilleren Finne, Bengt and Eva Rotheim, Susan Tokich, Jackie Tokich, and Chris Wolczynski as new and/or newly confirmed members. Linda Olsen, Tommy Tirado, and Martha Hernandez officially agreed to be listed as “Friends” of Minnekirken according to our By‐Laws. Our next new member and friend reception cycle begins with a “Lunch & Learn” after worship services on Sunday, April 30. Please let us know if you would like to be included! I have also begun a youth confirmation class that’s due to be finished with a Confirmation Sunday Celebration on June 18, 2017. By a “better” church, I can speak of Minnekirken improving our communication to members, friends, and neighbors. Thanks to the efforts of our new parish ad‐ ministrator, Sue Tokich, our mem‐ ber records are in better order than they’ve been in a long time; phone calls are getting answered; cards are going out to the ill and grieving; and new move‐ins to Logan Square are personally be‐ ing invited by a welcome packet mailed to their homes from Minnekirken—that’s 50‐60 packets a month! We’ve even begun to address our languishing website, designer Erika Nygaard, of www.erikanygaard.com , has made it a personal project of hers to breathe new life into that important communication tool. Better communication is always a good thing!
Come to worship with us, every Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
Come to our “Lean into the Lectionary” Bible Study before Sunday service at 9:30 a.m.
Join us in our Reformation Bible Reading plan for 2017. You can scan the QR Code to the left for a digital version or print a hard copy from: https://issuu.com/ thenorwegianlutheranmemorialchurch/docs/ reformation‐reading‐plan‐printable
Lent is a great time to refocus your attention on the Word of God! This Lent, Sunday worship at Minnekirken has a Reformation 500 theme running through it culminating in our Festival Easter Celebration on Sunday, April 16th at 11:00 a.m. with Easter Breakfast preceding it beginning at 9:30 a.m. Lenten services will feature humorous skits with “new members” who are trying to figure out the value of being Lu‐ th But logistics only make for a better church when they’re accom‐ theran. Do explore these ideas with us, as the 500 Anniversary panied by love. Having said that I am so pleased to speak to you of the Reformation invites us to celebrate the essentials of our a bit about our new “C3 Fellowship,” coordinated by Ingrid Ross faith with gusto! 2
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Nytt Fra Norge “Kraftkar” was named the World’s Best Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in San Sebastian, Spain. Around 20 judges from around the world tasted 3021 types of cheese. They came to the conclusion that Kraftkar is the best. Kraftkar is a bleu cheese made by Tingvollost, a small family business in the municipality of Tingvoll, Norway. Population: 3,116. 1 in 10 Syrians that are in the process of coming to Norway de‐ cline offers to come according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), NRK reports. Nora Hidoussi, IOM informa‐ tion professional, explains that some find it strange that women are expected to work and many families have reported difficul‐ ties adjusting to the climate in Norway. “We haven’t seen the sun in months,” One Syrian family living in northern Norway tells NRK. They explain that they are very happy with the house that they have received but can’t stand the dark and the cold. The children haven’t been able to learn the language and are there‐ fore not able to learn anything in school. “Since we came, we haven’t been able to get a good night’s sleep. The kids cry every day. ” NRK reported last week that IOM help almost 1,500 peo‐ ple travel back from Norway voluntarily. Hollywood Loves Norwegian Horror Movies. Andre Øvredal was first noticed by Hollywood for having directed the horror film Trollhunter, which gained immediate attention both in Norway and abroad. The popularity of Trollhunter lead to him working on another horror film, this time in Hollywood. The Autopsy of Jane Doe was produced in Hollywood and came out last year. Øvredal is one of many Norwegian directors of horror films that later moved on to big Hollywood productions. Tommy Wirkola, Roar Uthaug and Pål Sletaune have had similar successes. The Norwegian Police Security Service’s annual assessment of
threats from foreign lands shows that the biggest threat is cur‐ rently espionage from Russia. “We are more concerned now than before for what could result of illegal intelligence activi‐ ties,”says the head officer of the Police Security Services, Ben‐ dicte Bjørland to NRK. She explains that the biggest cause for concern is the illegal charting of Norwegian security, military and emergency services. In the 90 days following January 27th, Norwegians who are also citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan or Yemen will not be allowed to enter the US or acquire a visa. An exception is made for those that have valid residency in the US. Statistics from The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration show that this applies to 51,186 Norwegian citizens. It is assumed that these people still have the citizenships that they were born with. Giv‐ ing up one’s birth given citizenship is required when obtaining Norwegian citizenship. However, UDI makes an exception for people coming from countries that don’t allow them to give up their other citizenship. This is the case in several Middle Eastern countries including Iran. Israel honored four Norwegians who saved the lives of hundreds of Norwegian Jews during the World War II. Alf Tollef, Gerd Julie Bergljot Pettersen, Reidar Larsen and Rolf Alexander Syversen were honored with a medal and Israeli state designation ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ in a ceremony in Oslo City Hall, writes NTB. They were honored for operation "Carl Fredriksen Transport", a codename for organized smuggling of Jews across the border to Sweden. In six weeks of the operation led by the four Norwegians, around 1,000 refugees (358 Jews) crossed the border to Sweden. It was the single biggest relief operation for refugees during the World War II in Norway.
2017 EAST WALL BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
The great thing about Minnekirken’s 2016 window restoration is that everyone is looking more closely at our church – passers‐ by, photographers, and even artists as this 2016 work by Anna Rae Gilbert reveals.* It is also true that Time Out Chicago readers recently ranked Minnekirken as #43 of “The 50 most beautiful buildings of Chicago!”**
But with all this added attention, we are spotting some areas around church that could use some TLC. To this end, our voter’s assembly has decided to direct the funds that we raised to paint the fellowship hall to beautify the interior of the east wall of church from the ground floor foyer to the balcony! As you can see from the picture, the peeling paper and water damage detracts from the work we have done to bring the windows on that wall back to their original glory. These “jewels” of the congregation look great—especially when the sun shines through on Sun‐ day mornings—but now we want to work on their settings.
We have $18,000 toward the $26,000 estimate in the bank, but anything our Kontakt readers can do to get us closer to that final mark is very much appreciated. Work began the Thursday after Ash Wednesday and will continue through Lent. Our goal is to have it all completed by Easter 2017! Hopefully, our readers will come and check out the progress. Christ is risen and in Jesus’ name, Minnekirken is rising! Mange tusen takk for your support. *Used with permission. To buy a print of Minnekirken from Anna Rae go to: http://annaraegilbert.com/prints‐and‐paintings/the‐ church‐where‐i‐like‐to‐believe‐patti‐smith‐was‐baptized‐acrylic‐and‐ink‐on‐watercolor‐paper‐12x16‐2016 **https://www.timeout.com/chicago/attractions/the‐50‐most‐beautiful‐buildings‐in‐chicago‐50‐41 10
These programs are part of our “Great Minds @ Minnekirken” series of lectures. If you missed it, this is not the only opportu‐ nity to attend a “Great Minds” event in 2017. We also are plan‐ ning to host David Furholmen speak about a clandestine group known as "Carpetbaggers" and their connection to Norway dur‐ ing WWII. Come fall, Minnekirken hopes to sponsor the lecture “Careful Reformation—The History of Reformation in Norway” with Dr. Hallgeir Elstad.
official name speak to a significant root that grounds Min‐ nekirken: 1) Norwegian—by this we acknowledge we are part of the rich ethnic tapestry of Chicago, offering our own special fla‐ vor to the city; 2) Lutheran—by this, and our affiliation to Lu‐ theran Congregations in Mission for Christ (www.lcmc.net), we declare our grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone heritage that is both ancient and essential; 3) Memorial—our landmark sanctuary does still stand as a monument to generations of im‐ migrants, of faithful congregants, of so many who gave so much to keep Minnekirken strong, to help us be better, and more faithful; 4) Church—we are a very special extension of Body of Christ to Logan Square. We have been since 1908. We hope to be long into the future. But a Church is more than a building. It is all of us – together—members, friends, and supporters. Mange tusen takk! In Christ, Pastor David Schoenknecht Pastor.nlmc@gmail.com
Do check out the “Great Minds @ Minnekirken” event flyer in this Kontakt and keep connected through Facebook — @thenorwegianlutheranmemorialchurch — over 2017 as there will certainly be even more opportunities to celebrate every‐ thing we are and hope to be by God’s grace during this year of Reformation anniversary observances. Minnekirken’s Mission Statement reads: We are rooted in Christ and Norwegian traditions to grow disciples and branch out in love. Our Vision Statement speaks to how we hope to fulfill this mis‐ sion saying: In Christian love we look to: Open our doors and hearts to all; Proclaim the Good News for all; Meet and serve our neighbors; Revitalize our friendships and associations; Invite all into Christian community with us; Provide a Christian home for the Norwegian ethnic community in the Chicago area. I try to take every opportunity I can to recall these Mission and Vision statements, as they are the standards by which we can gauge our faithfulness. In 2017 we will continue the things we began last year—our “Expedition Norway” Vacation Bible School, our “Fantastisk 4th” fourth Sunday of the month family worship and Sunday School, our “Logan Square Crescendo!” community kids choir. In 2017 we will continue to be faithful to our roots. To be sure that each of the four designations in our
For 2017, we have “reformed” our Kontakt banner. The sunset and Chicago skyline silhouette have been retained, but we have added some new architectural features like the Millennium Park “Cloud Gate” and the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel. We have also included artist Joe Mill’s fine, line art, depiction of Minnekirken (see www.joemills.com). The anchor remains, still serving as the “T” for “KONTAKT.” This anchor reminds us of many things, especially our immigrations from Norway and elsewhere. It depicts our friendship with the Nor‐ wegian Sjømannskirken that was especially cultivated during the ministry of Pastor Roald Kverndahl. A touching memorial to Pas‐ tor Kverndahl can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=‐j3rEmsWbAM. This tribute slideshow in‐ cludes pictures of Minnekirken’s past and photos from Pr. Kverndahl’s service of the Seaman’s Church missions. We have also added a Bible verse to the banner that speaks of the role of our hope in Christ, Hebrews 6:19: This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. 3
In 2016 I came across an old black and white Palm Sunday photo that depicts the original Bible passage over the Minnkirken’s pulpit. Do you know who the preacher is? Over the years, all but first three words have been painted over—“Gud er kjærlighet.” To be sure, those three words are at the core of what I believe it means to be truly faithful, for I cling by faith to the idea that, above all, “God is love!” Yet, the rest of the passage from 1 John 4:16 is important too: “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” Being a church that is more faithful includes being a more “abiding” church. I don’t know what you think of when that word comes to mind, but it makes me think of having a place, a home, an abode! We have can have faith and not fear—a heavenly home!—because as St. Paul so beautifully says: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. The death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ secures for us an eternal abode. Thanks be to God! But God doesn’t just want us to abide with Him in the here‐ever‐after, God wants to abide with us here‐and‐now! May Minnekirken and its members, friends, and supporters prove that God abides with us by abiding in love for others. Let’s keeping saying about our church in 2017...mi casa es tu casa! In Christ, Pastor David Schoenknecht Pastor.nlmc@gmail.com
TYL
By Lynn Sove Maxson
In this time of texting and short words and even short connections with people, we must remember – Thank You.
To say I am thanked a lot is an understate‐ ment. At times it overwhelms me when I receive notes, emails and texts with TYL‐ thank you Lynn! It could be a performance or a sharing of a topic. Most of the time my re‐ action to a situation is spontaneous –it just comes out because I love to see people smile and connect. A smile produces a smile! Actu‐ ally I should be saying thank you. Maybe I speak too much at times.
All the knowledge I have acquired is a bless‐ ing. Throughout my life I had the opportunity to study and learn from many people thru out the world. My sharing enhances my un‐ derstanding. Bringing smiles to everyone is a blessing which I am very thankful for.
The thank you should be addressed to the right one ‐‐‐‐TYL – Thank You Lord! He is the one who has given me the power to think and the art of speaking to people. We should always remember to be thankful for all we have and be thankful: TYL – Thank you Lord!!!!!
Update on Norwegian Seamen's Church of New Orleans Editor’s Note: We have been praying for the continuance and well‐being of this congre‐ gation since the Church of Nor‐ way's decommissioning ser‐ vice. For more information go to: http://www.theadvocate.com/ new_orleans/news/article_a0c9dd15‐dfb4‐56db‐8547‐ a482de7507aa.html The following is an excerpt from a open letter from the new pastor...
On February 1, the 110 year physical presence in New Orleans of the Church in Norway Abroad came to an end as stewardship of the Nor‐ wegian Seamen’s Church of New Orleans passed into the hands of a local group, and began operating as the “Scandinavian Jazz Church and Cultural Center.” As such, we’re very excited to continue the tradi‐ tions and mission of this historic ministry, while expanding its out‐ reach to all Scandinavians and the wider community.
The JERUSALEM GAZETTE 33 AD Obituaries Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth, died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the skull. Betrayed by the apostle Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, by the order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate. The causes of death were crucifixion, extreme exhaustion, severe torture, and loss of blood. Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham, was a member of the house of David. He was the son of the late Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth, and Mary, His devoted mother. Jesus was born in a stable in the city of Bethlehem, Judea. He is survived by His mother Mary, his faithful Apostles, numerous disciples, and many other followers. Jesus was self-educated and spent most of His adult life working as a Teacher. Jesus also occasionally worked as a Medical Doctor and it is reported that He healed many patients. Up until the time of His death, Jesus was teaching and sharing the Good News, healing the sick, touching the lonely, feeding the hungry, and helping the poor. Jesus was most noted for telling parables about His Father’s Kingdom and performing miracles, such as feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and healing a man who was born blind. On the day before His death, He held a Last Supper celebrating the Passover Feast, at which He foretold His death. The body was quickly buried in a stone grave, which was donated by Joseph of Arimathea, a loyal friend of the family. By order of Pontius Pilate, a boulder was rolled in front of the tomb. Roman soldiers were on guard. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that everyone try to live as Jesus did. Donations may be sent to anyone in need.
Music will continue to occupy an important place in our worship as we continue the practice of a jazz service on the first Sunday of each month.
Thank you for your continued support. Should you see fit, we also invite your financial support. Blessings and tusen takk, Fr. Winston Rice Scandinavian Jazz Church and Cultural Center COO & Senior Pastor 4
The rule for us all is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him [or her]. —C.S. Lewis
Lynn Maxson’s story about her last opera outing with Caroline Uhlig was featured in a Lyric Opera program book.
Kids Korner
Where does the Easter Bunny get his eggs? From Eggplants! What kind of bunny can't hop? A chocolate one! What do you call a rabbit with fleas? Bugs Bunny! What do you get if you pour boiling water down a rabbit hole? A hot cross bunny! What kind of jokes do eggs tell? Egg yolks! How is the Easter Bunny like Michael Jordan? They're both fa‐ mous for stuffing baskets! Where does the easter bunny eat breakfast? at Ihop! What happened to the egg when he was tickled too much? He cracked up. What do you call ten rabbits marching backwards? A receding hareline. How did the soggy Easter Bunny dry himself? With a hare dryer! Why are people always tired in April? Because they just finished a March. What's the Easter Bunnys favorite Story? A Cotton Tale! Where does Valentine's Day comes after Easter? In the diction‐ ary. What is the Easter Bunny's favorite state capital? Albunny, New York! What is the Easter Bunny's favorite sport? Basket‐ball! Where does the Easter Bunny go when he needs a new tail? To a re‐tail store! Who is the Easter Bunny's favorite movie actor? Rabbit De Niro! Where does the Easter Bunny study medicine? John HOPkins! 9
Expedition Norway VBS is back!
Greetings from the Norwegian National League! This year the Norwegian Community can celebrate 118 years of unin‐ terrupted 17de mai parades in the Chicago area. Obviously there have been many volunteers over the years that have kept this a real‐ ity, however during the last 20 + years, it has been the same folks that have strived to keep the tradition alive with effort and enthusi‐ asm. Newcomers to our group are always welcome and appreciated. Per‐ haps it is your time now to help keep our 17de mai tradition alive in the greater Chicago area. Do not hesitate to contact us if interested in becoming involved! The schedule for this year’s celebration is: Friday, May 12th: Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Wednesday, May 17th: Minnekirken concert Saturday, May 20th: NNL banquet Sunday, May 21st: NNL parade and program For details, please refer to : www.nnleague.org Hip, hip, hip Hurra for 17de mai! Sincerely, Barbra Kronborg‐Mogil
Attention Friends of Pastor David Langseth
On July 16 at 9:30 am Pastor Langseth will be preach at Pilgrim Lutheran church, 4300 N. Winchester Ave. Chicago In celebration of the 50th anniversary of his Ordination. All Minnekirken friends are Velkommen!
Pack your suitcase for Norway! You’ll share the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of daily life in Norway with the kids in our community while help‐ ing them discover God’s eternal love for the world. In this cross‐cultural Vacation, Bible School Kids will ex‐ perience bold Bible adventures, kid‐friendly Norwegian food, games played by kids around the world, and daily video visits with kids in Norway.
Space is limited and so we are capping registration at 100 kids, ages K‐6th grade.
Preregister today at: https://vbspro.events/p/events/ cf1ef3 (scan the QR code!) or call (773) 252‐7335 / Email: of‐ fice.nlmc@gmail.com
Our 2017 "Expedition Norway" Schedule... Sunday, August 13 11:00 am VBS Kick‐off Church Service 12:15 pm Kids Fun Fair and VBS Preregistration/ Orientation Event ‐ games and prizes. All are welcome! Monday‐Thursday, August 14‐17 4:45‐5:30 pm Free Simple Supper for Volunteers, Kids and Families. 5:30 pm Opening Celebration 6:00‐8:00 pm Experience Norway Crafts, Fjord Fun & Games, Bible Adventures and Nordic Eats 8:00 pm Closing Celebration
Easter Greetings from Church President Bev Coyveau Easter greetings and God Påske til alle sammen! Hopefully by now spring is in the air and winter is behind us. We are looking forward to a great year at Min‐ nekirken. The year started with our annual congre‐ gational meeting. The church council worked hard at updating all of the job descriptions. There were some changes such as the approval of hiring a part‐time Parish Adminstrator, Susan Tokich. This was all voted on and approved by the con‐ gregation. Our gratitude to Aslaug Bruli who has served as one of the Trustee’s of the Church Council for many years. We also welcomed Christian Covyeau as our new Trustee. We look forward to his contribution to the Church. We re‐defined the length of time each position on the Board will be occupied. Position time will alternate between 1‐2 years to ensure that there is adequate coverage when a new board is elected. We continue to reach out to the neighborhood. Logan Square Preservation hosts a monthly meeting every third Thursday evening of the month. It’s a great time to hear what’s new and exciting in the Logan Square neighborhood. The kids choir, Logan Square Crescendo, practices at church every week following the church service. They started a fund raiser in February by selling waffles and candy to support their efforts. We look forward to enjoying their performances.
Ingrid has hosted Girl Scout meetings in an effort to attract younger families to the church. Pastor David has initiated a food ministry outreach. Arrangements were made to get free food dona‐ tions from the Hosanna church in Elgin, another LCMC Congregation. Volunteers recently made Norwegian meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes, and creamed peas – with a cake for dessert. The idea is to reach out to people who are unable to attend church. Let us know if you know of someone who would enjoy a meal. We will ar‐ range a delivery. Our longtime friends from Norway will be visiting us this sum‐ mer. Kenneth Andresen will be here at the end of May for approximately 4 weeks. Kenneth is a full time Professor in Norway and recently became a grandfather. He has a grand‐ son named Max. In July, we are looking forward to have Arne Ekra and family with us for 4 weeks. Come and celebrate the Easter season with us, and admire our fully renovated stained glass windows in the front of church. There are lights shining on the windows after dark, so they are quite visible in Logan Square. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Easter. Bev Coyveau Church President
IMPORTANT DATES IN AND AROUND MINNEKIRKEN
Dear Members & Friends,
Our church has purchased a new software program for membership records, so we are once again asking that you help us out and kindly fill out the survey that is provided in this issue of the Kontakt.
We greatly appreciate your time and consideration in filling out this information as it will not only provide us with your most up to date information for mailings and special events, but also for future generations of our family members that may seek to know more about us after we are gone. We receive many phone calls, emails, and drop in visitors that are seeking to con‐ nect with family members they have lost touch with, or have never even met but want to know more about, or just to find some connection to Norway.
I realize some of these questions may seem intrusive, but Minnekirken may be the only place this genealogical information is found. Please take the time to fill out all sections you feel comfortable with and rest assured that your information will be preserved with utmost care.
Thank you for your patience while we gather this information, and please feel free to email or call me at the church with any questions or concerns you may have. Our email address is office.nlmc@gmail.com, and our phone number is 773‐252‐7335.
Tusen Takk! Susan Tokich Parish Administrator
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March 26 Fantastisk 4th—11:00 a.m. Family Worship and Sunday School / Logan Square Crescendo Kiosk. April 9 Palm Sunday, 11:00 a.m. Worship and 12:30 p.m. Concert by The Nidaros Cathedral Girls Choir. April 14 Good Friday “Tenebrae” Service—7:00 p.m. April 16 Easter Sunday—9:30 a.m. Easter Breakfast (free will offering) / 11:00 a.m. Festival Worship April 23 Fantastisk 4th—11:00 a.m. Family Worship and Sunday School / Logan Square Crescendo Kiosk. April 30 Minnekirken’s Lunch & Learn new members and friends orientation—12:30 p.m. May 7 Great Minds @ Minnekirken with David Furholmen showing a video and speaking on “The Carpetbaggers of WWII”—12:30 p.m. May 13‐14 Paseo Prairie Garden Native Plant Sale and Minnekirken Norwegian Waffle Sale—10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days. May 14 Mother’s Day / New Members and Friends Reception Sunday – 11:00 a.m. Syttende Mai Norwegian Constitution Day concert at The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church—7:30 p.m. May 17 May 21 Norwegian National League Norwegian Constitution Day Parade, Hodges Park, Park Ridge, IL. Sponsored by www.nnleague.org. May 28 Fantastisk 4th—11:00 a.m. Family Worship and Sunday School / Logan Square Crescendo Kiosk. May 28‐June 18 Kenneth Andresen from Norway will be serving as our preaching pastor. June 11 Logan Square Crescendo Concert—6:00 p.m. June 18 Celebration of Youth Confirmation—11:00 a.m. June 25‐July 23 Arne Ekra from Norway will be serving as our preaching pastor. August 13‐17 Expedition Norway Vacation Bible School. 5
Kontakt Sports Page DEVELOPMENT OF AN ATHLETE Rodolfo is a member of Minnekirken who has organized his life around running. That sport has taken him from running in the mountains of Peru, where he was born, to the mountains of Norway, where he found a second home. Now in Chicago, he has competed in The Chicago Marathon two times, L.A Marathon three times and Boston Marathon. Rodolfo talked into a voice recorder, some editing follows: When I was maybe 7 years old in a school located near mountains, my teacher said, “We have a challenge to run around the mountains.” At that time, I could run maybe for 20 minutes, but to climb the mountain for me was difficult. My first experience, all my friends they pass me, and I say “Wha . . . what happened to me?” and I felt some pain in my side. This was the time that was born in me the challenge to run, to do trekking. So I started to do trekking by myself, not to the top of the mountains, but around some mountains close to my home town Chosica, Peru, east of Lima. Chosica is in a valley, with at that time population about 200,000, about 20% in the town, but many more poor people‐‐80%‐‐ in houses scattered around the mountains, higher up in the valley, where they found free land, built their homes and did farming. People who had money bought land near the roads and in the city. On Satur‐ days I often hiked past many houses going up dirt paths first made when farm animals were moved from one place to an‐ other. I asked my father about running and trekking. My father always said to me, well, you can choose any sport you like, but before you must be athlete. I asked, “What is athlete?” He said you must have discipline, eat right, and have good cardio. My father liked to practice sport of boxing. Father’s job was police instructor. Father was a short and huge, strong, compact man. He was very old fashion, always thinking that between a son and father there is a space. With my father you have to go down; you don’t talk, you listen. Father was always my best example. I never saw him drink or smoke. When I was 12 years old I wondered about him, he was so sweet with my mother. I asked myself, “What happened with this guy?” He always had something for her. He was tough with others, but not with my mother. When I was 8, I got into a situation with my sister. I pushed her, then she said to our father, “Rodolfo hit me.” I said, “I didn’t hit, I pushed.” My father said, “Never touch a woman. You don’t respond to her, because the time you do something to any woman, not just your sister or mother, you become less of a man.” My mother had a very strong character too. Even when she got sick, I always was served my food, always had everything needed from her. I didn’t talk loud to my mother. Now when I’m grown up and travel, I appreciate everything my mother did for me. She never gave excuses. 6
How my father taught me about women laid the basis when I was young for later feeling that Nor‐ way (where women were also gener‐ ally treated well), was a second home. In childhood, my family had seemed like an island among Latino people because I grew up with differ‐ ent ways. In my town in Peru it is normal to start to drink when you are young, but when I was with my friends and they said, “Let’s go drink,” I just went the other way, maybe because my atten‐ tion was drawn to my sports goals. I loved running in the mountains. When I got up high I could look down in one direction on the valley town of Chosica and see houses everywhere, but looking the other direction, all I could see was mountains, mountains, mountains! When I was 16 years old I ran for hours trying to cross many mountains, and also did overnight trekking in the mountains. I heard about and trekked to Marcahuasi, a famous huge mountain with a mesa‐flat top where tourists go to see how faces of “Incas” seem to appear on big rocks, appear and change to other “Incas” as the sun moves across the sky, changing the shape of the rocks’ shadows. Every different shadow they say is another Inca. Usually I run alone. I have a plan. You have to plan ahead the time and the places and be organized. Always my training is competitive to myself. The best time for running is early in the morning. Chosica was sunny, warm and dry, so after running through the town I took off my T‐ shirt, put it in my small waist pack and ran uphill with just shorts and leather running shoes. Later, in Norway and in the USA I often needed a light rainproof jacket. But running kept me warm, even in the winter. I planned my route from home so I would not need to carry along a heavy jacket to cover up after getting chilled‐‐because I never stop! Chosica was a good place for running when I was young because also I did not have to carry much food or water. I’d get to the top of a mountain around the town, look at the view—the views I love‐‐and then pick a large flat stone like a bed (although very hard), just relax, and then start down. On the way down were springs of pure water to drink from, and crab apple trees and mangoes—too many of them so the farmers do not mind if a few are eaten. Lower down we went swimming for about two hours; the water was very cold but your body thanks you very much. In Chosica some boys and their parents knew I ran on Satur‐ days. The boys had bikes and came with me. At first in the city they beat me, looking around and saying, “O Rodolfo, catch us!” until the time came to go uphill on the trails to the moun‐ tains; then with the rocks and dirt trail they slowed down and I overtook them just running. I work with young people to do
sport. I don’t know what will happen to all these guys in the future, but if you try something with them you can’t just talk, you have to do. Their parents say, “O he is my son—take him.” A lot of kids call me “father” because I knew them from when they were small. So Saturdays minimum running time 2 hours, then 2 hours more to swim in the lake and then walk home 2 hours more. As I got older and took longer runs, I put 3 hard‐boiled quail eggs (the best protein) in my waist pack and ate an egg after 8 miles. My cardio was very good—46 beats per minute is the kind of cardio runners want. Over the years I learned a lot about what kind of food my body needs for running, how it responds to different foods. You become a doctor about yourself. I never use protein powders, vitamins, supplements, “Red Bull”—just natural foods. Besides eggs I also had a lot of milk, lentils, salmon and could eat 15 bananas a day when long distance running. Salmon is one of my main foods. One of my closest friends married a Norwegian and then in‐ vited me to visit Norway. I saved money from my paychecks for a year for the trip. When I got there, I loved the country and wanted to stay. Norway, a fishing country on the ocean like Peru, had great salmon! I stayed 6 months, went back to Peru, and then came back for another 6 months. While in Norway, I continued my habit of running. A friend in Oslo showed me how to get to the top of a hill and she was happy, “Oh you like to go trekking.” I said “Of course. I live around mountains.”
I made very good friends in Nor‐ way. I wanted to know more about the culture of the country. It attracted me in part because of the way my father had taught me to respect women—this attitude was the same in Norway, and so my feeling of home was strong there. I feel a lot of grati‐ tude for the country of Norway. I still call my best friend from that time every Christmas. Norway also had mountains and people interested in sports—the Win‐ ter Olympics of 1994 were on the year I spent there. Also the country caught my interest because the mountains had trees on them, not just rocks. Sometimes even snow. I experienced minus 35 degree weather, sleeping in Rodolpho pictured front row, right a car at the Lillehammer games, when all the hostels were full. The Olympics was a very nice experience, except I saw the skiers look like ants we were so far away. I think it is not enough to see the view of the land—you have to experience it to make your feelings more deep. That happens trekking and running, even now, sometimes, even without mountains, when I run in a Chicago Marathon.
OPERATION “CARPETBAGGER” ‐ WWII During WWII, new organizations were created to spy and drop supplies and weapons in areas held by the enemy. For example the US agency called OSS (Office of Strategic Services) later be‐ came the CIA. NORSO was the name for Norwegian special operations. David Furholmen has collected information and historical items to display, and produced a film about code name, “Carpetbaggers,” pilots flying solo on clear moonlit nights, who dropped weapons and war mate‐ rials behind enemy lines in occupied Europe, taking off from airfields in Britain. One of those planes crashed on the top of Skrove Mountain near Seljord, Norway—the film will include footage of that area and the story of Birger Smedstad, then a young boy. He and other Norskis climbed the mountain before daybreak to examine the crash site. Years after the war ended, Birger made it his mission to personally visit US homes of several Carpetbaggers to express Nor‐ way’s gratitude for their sacrifices. Veteran B24 Pilot Maj. George Johnson said any Carpet‐ bagger mission was a “two‐way‐street operation.” The pilot hoped to make contact with resis‐ tance forces on the ground while speeding toward the “drop zone.” The brave military and civilian forces on the ground, surrounded by enemy, sorely needed our supplies of guns, ammo, explosives, first aid, and food, but if the enemy was too close, the flight or the drop had to be cancelled. If all clear, lights would signal the pilot to parachute‐drop canisters packed with supplies and sometimes too any agent who would parachute in and join the Resistance. Come to Minnekirken Sunday May 7. Right after church and kirkekaffe, our Second “Great Minds at Minnekirken” lecturer, David Furholmen, will show items and his film, and tell about the daring “CARPETBAGGER” military heroes. 7