Kontakt 2018.3 - Advent/Christmas Issue by The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church

Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church DEN NORSK LUTHERSKE MINNEKIRKE 2614 NORTH KEDZIE BOULEVARD • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60647

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God Jul

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Godt Nytt Aar Velkommen alle Sammen! Sunday December 2nd 6:30 p.m. Minnekirken’s annual Christmas Concert. Our own very talented music director, Dr. Yeeson Kwon has a very entertaining and inspirational Christmas program planned entirely for your listening pleasure.

Christmas 2018 Our Pastor Ponders a Season of Waiting, of Wreaths, and Wonder Our Christmas Kontakt bridges Minnekirken’s busy fall of Scandinavian Fests, architectural open houses, and our Taste of Norway Christmas fair—always the Saturday before Thanksgiving—with the season of Lent and Easter. More than the others, it seems to me, this issue marks the swift nature of time, as one of Minnekirken’s stained glass windows reminds us— Tempus Fugit! Time Flies! Five Church-Year seasons are bridged by this single issue, perhaps that’s why this is the hardest issue for me to write for. Do I really need to think about Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter all at once? The next time you read something from me — Gud villig—we will be knocking on the door of Holy Week!

Visit Minnekirken’s website: www.minnekirken-chicago.org Visit us on Facebook! Minnekirken-Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church Visit us in person… Open every Sunday at 11 2614 N. Kedzie Blvd.Chicago

While I could easily let precious moments of 2018 fast-forward into 2019, I am going to resist that temptation inspired as I am by Johann Hinrich Wichern. Wichern is a German Lutheran pastor who in 1839 used a wreath made from a cart wheel, festooned with evergreens, to educate children about the meaning and purpose of Christmas. In the process, Wichern taught them to live in the significance of waiting on the Lord. For every Sunday of Advent, starting with the fourth Sunday before Christmas, he would put a white candle in the wreath and for every day in between he would use a red candle. This gave rise to our modern versions of the Advent wreath! But it’s not, the candles, or the greenery, or the counting toward Christmas that gives me devotional pause. It’s the idea of Pastor Wichern taking the wheel off the cart! That cart’s not going to hauling around over Advent, I should say. What if we took a wheel off our mini-vans, CTA Blue Line cars, our Uber? Uff da! And yet, the idea of taking the wheel of the cart so as to ready ourselves for Christmas is wonderfully counter-intuitive. Given the blur of calendar days that Advent so often is to us, let's pause to reflect. Minnekirken’s Board of Trustees once felt the need to remind the congregation that time flies; but at the very beginning of this rush of seasons, may the Advent wreath remind us that taking the wheel of the cart for a while is a fantastisk måte to prepare for the coming of Christ.

2018 Wrap Up From Expedition Norway to Scandinavian Day—thanks to wonderful teams of VBS organizers, planners, waffle-bakers, cooks, crafters, story-tellers, conductors, instrumentalists, backpack-packers, 606 bikers, godparents, docents, concert-goers and snake-handlers, we had another awesome Fall at Minnekirken!

Just for Fun... WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE LUTHERAN AIRLINES AKA: LUTRAN AIR - IS NOW OPERATING IN MINNYSOTA! ALSO SERVING VISCONSIN, NORDERN MITCHIGEN, NORT & SOUT DAKOTA If you are travelin soon, consider Lutheran Airlines - AKA: Lutran Air, the no-frills airline. You're all in da same boat on Lutran Air, here flyin is a upliftin experience:

A little girl wanted to know what the United States looked like. Her dad tore a map of the United States from a magazine and then tore it into little pieces. He told her to go into her room and see if she could put it together. After some minutes she returned and handed the map correctly fitted and taped together. The dad was surprised and asked how she finished so quickly. She said the other side was picture of Jesus. And when I put Him back together our country came together too!

- Dair is no first class on any Lutran Air flight. - Meals are potluck. Rows 1 tru 6, bring rolls; 7 tru 15, bring a salad; 16 tru 21, a hot dish, and 22-30, a dessert. - Basses and tenors please sit in da rear of da aircraft. - Everyone is responsible for his or her own baggage. - All fares are by free will offering, and da plane will not land til da budget is met. - Pay attention to your flight attendant, who vill acquaint you wit da safety system aboard dis Lutran Air. Okay den, listen up; I'm only gonna say dis vonce: In da event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, I am frankly gonna be real surprised and so vill Captain Olson, because ve fly right around two tousand feet, so loss of cabin pressure would probably mean da Second Coming or someting of dat nature, and I wouldn't bodder with doze liddle masks on da rubber tu bes--you're gonna have bigger tings to worry about den dat. Just stuff doze back up in dair liddle holes. Probably da masks fell out because of turbulence which, to be honest wit you, we're gonna have quite a bit of at two tousand feet, sorta like driving across a plowed field, but after a while you get used to it. In da event of a water landing, I'd say forget it. Start saying da Lord's Prayer and just hope you get to da part about forgive us our sins as we forgive dose who sin against us, which some people say 'trespass against us,' which isn't right, but what can you do? Down 1. 2. 3. 5. 6.

SNØENGEL FROSTNATT UNDERNULL FROSSENFISK ISTAPP

Down Across

Right now I'll say Grace: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let deze gifts to us be blessed. Fader, Son, and Holy Ghost, May we land in Dulut or pretty close.

SNØBALLKRIG ISFISKE FROST SNØSTORM SNØSLAPS SNØMANN ISFJELL SNØFNUGG FROSSEN SNØ IS

4 snowballfight, 7 icefishing, 9 frost, 11 snowstorm, 12 slush, 14 snowman, 15 iceberg

We start lunch right about noon and it's buffet style wit da coffeepot up front. Den we'll have da hymn sing; hymnals are in da seat pockets in front of you. Don't take yours wit you when you go or I am gonna be real upset and I am NOT kiddin!

Across 4. 7. 9. 11. 12. 14. 15. 8. 10. 13. 15.

1 snowangel, 2 frostynights, 3 belowzero, 5 frozenfish, 6 icicle, 8 snowflake, 10 frozen, 13 snow, 15 ice

Da use of cell phones on da plane is strictly forbidden, not because day may confuse da plane's navigation system, which is by da pants all da way. No, it's because cell phones are a pain in da wazoo, and if God had meant you to use a cell phone, He wudda put your mout on da side of your head.

Answers:

CHURCH CALENDAR

News from Norway Norwegian royal couple, foreign minister, and industry minister visited China recently. Questions from Norwegian journalists about human rights abuses in China angered Chinese Foreign Ministry. When the press meeting started, Liu Weimin deputy head of the European Department of Chinese Foregin Affairs accused Norwegian journalists and Western media to be obsessed with human rights. He reminded of the great economic development in China and claimed they also progressed in human rights field. However, Amnesty International believes that the human rights situation in China is getting worse. On the other hand, Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide shared her concerns about the concentration camps in China’s Xinjian region, where Chinese government has reportedly forced as many as one million people into “re-education camps,” where former detainees say they were forced to endure intensive “brain washing” sessions including close study of Communist Party propaganda.—Dagbladet.

(6.61), Munich (6.60), Rotterdam (6.60) and Berlin (6.52). At the other end of the table, Casablanca (3.25), Istanbul (3.46), Shanghai (3.53), São Paulo (3.66) and Mexico City (3.73) are the five least healthy cities, all scoring poorly for air and water quality, green spaces and life expectancy. The United States show up on the list at #34 for San Francisco.

The former President of the United States comes to Oslo to speak to Norwegian businesses.

On completion, the wind farm will be the largest wind farm in Ukraine to be financed by international non-recourse project financing.

Norwegian wind power developer NTB AS and its partners have announced an agreement to build a 250 MW wind farm in Ukraine’s southern region of Kherson, located adjacent to Crimea, the strategic Black Sea peninsula that was forcibly annexed from Ukraine by Russia in March 2014. In close cooperation with leading international industrial companies and financial investors, NBT said the Norwegian developer of wind farms and other renewable energy projects in emerging markets plans to complete the construction of 64 wind turbines on 1.300 hectares by Syvash Lake in southern Ukraine in just 15 months.

One of the main topics for the conference is the future of technology advancement, with a particular focus on creating sustain- The €292 million contract is part of the €370 million total forable businesses in a digital era. eign investments in the wind farm, which will bring Ukraine sig– He (Obama) complements the program in a brilliant way, given nificantly closer to its ambition of increasing domestic-sourced renewable energy from 6 to 11% by 2020. the fact that he led the United States during a period when the world underwent a digital transformation. Companies have seen tremendous growth and we have seen how the sharing economy Two Norwegians were named to Time Magazine’s 2018 list of has taken the world by storm,” says founder and CEO of Oslo “Healthcare 50” Business Forum, Christoffer Omberg. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can take months of theraPresident Obama will join a list of international speakers such as py to treat. But Bjarne Hansen and Gerd Kvale, clinical psycholoMIT professor Andrew McAfee, CNN Program Director Richard gist at Haukeland University Hospital in Norway have shown Quest and Oxford lecturer Dr. Chris Kutarna. In addition to the they can treat it in just four days. The traditional model of therinternational speakers, Norwegian business representatives will apy—meeting with patients once or twice a week often results be speaking. NHH researchers Sveinung Jørgensen and Lars Jain stalled progress or gives patients the chance to drop out. cob Tynes Pederesen, tech-expert Silvija Seres and Nordea’s Kvale and Hansen developed a program in which therapists help Thina Saltvedt are on the list of confirmed speakers. This is the their patients learn how to deal with anxiety through marathon second time Obama visits Norway. First time in 2009, he came to sessions of exposure therapy. “Patients say its’ hard work and Oslo to receive Nobel Peace Prize. one of the most challenging weeks of their life,” Kvale says. “But the change that they experience through the four days is sort of Recent analysis by online home rental company Spotahome magic and life-changing”. So far about 1200 people with OCD has revealed, Norway’s capital, Oslo is the second healthiest have gone through the intensive regimen; approximately 70% city out of 89 global cities. recover completely and remain in remission four years later acSpotahome has standardised the latest city and country-level cording to a study published in August in the journal Cognitive data available for key health categories including average gym Behaviour Therapy. And very few quit. The model is being testrating, life expectancy at birth, adult obesity, work-life balance and air and water quality to rank each city out of ten for overall ed for panic disorder and social anxiety, has spread to Iceland and Sweden and will soon come to a private clinic in Houston. health. Of the global cities analysed, the Netherlands, Norway and Germany have the top five healthiest: Amsterdam (6.97), Oslo 14

DECEMBER Sunday, Dec. 2

11:00 a.m. 6:30 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12 noon

Sunday Service. Christmas Concert. Santa Lucia Service. Holy Communion. Sunday Service. Sunday Service. Holy Communion. Christmas Day Service. Sunday Service. Juletrefest (Christmas Tree Party).

JANUARY Sunday, Jan. 6 Sunday, Jan. 13 Sunday, Jan. 20 Sunday, Jan. 27

11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

Sunday Service. Sunday Service. Holy Communion. Sunday Service. Fantastisk 4th Family Worship Service.

FEBRUARY Sunday, Feb. 3 Sunday, Feb. 10 Sunday, Feb. 17 Sunday, Feb. 24

11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

Sunday Service. Sunday Service. Holy Communion. Sunday Service. Fantastisk 4th Family Worship Service.

Sunday, Dec. 9 Sunday, Dec. 16 Sunday, Dec. 23 Tuesday, Dec. 25 Sunday, Dec. 30

MARCH Sunday, Mar. 3 Wed., Mar. 6 Sunday, Mar. 10 Sunday, Mar. 17 Sunday, Mar. 24 Sunday, Mar. 31

11:00 a.m. Sunday Service. Ash Wednesday–5:30 p.m. Supper & 6:30 p.m. Service. 11:00 a.m. Sunday Service. Holy Communion. 11:00 a.m. Sunday Service. 11:00 a.m. Fantastisk 4th Family Worship Service. 11:00 a.m. Sunday Service

Q: What are the greatest stories ever told? A: Bible Stories, of course! All kids grades K-8 are welcome to join us on the Fantastisk 4th Sundays for Bible stories, games, crafts and….fun! Meet in the festsalen immediately following the Children's Message during Sunday Morning service on the 4th Sunday of each month. Next Fantastisk 4th Sunday School: January 27 See you there!

Warm Christmas Greetings from your 2018 Church Board… Bev Covyeau Kari Diesen-Dahl Karena Dahl Inger Sweeney Matt Nygaard Eva Pettersen Rotheim Kay Long Barbra Kronborg-Mogil Jill Crooker Mette Pettersen Christian Covyeau Andy Bruli 3

KONTAKT magazine is published by the congregation of the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, 2614 N. Kedzie Blvd. Chicago, IL 60647 (773)252-7335 Email: office.nlmc@gmail.com Editor: Leandra Trifunovich 847-292-9999 2018 Christmas Kontakt Kontributors: Pastor David Schoenknecht Kari Diesen-Dahl Betty Geiland Lynn Sove Maxsom Dave Wagner Matt Nygaard

Get Minnekirken’s Latest Event Information To receive emails on church events, concerts and other announcements, send your email address to: duidesmal@sbcglobal.net In the subject line type “add me to Minnekirken’s email list.” It’s free, it’s easy and it keeps you “in the know!”

Kontakt via Email? Here at Minnekirken we love to keep in touch with our friends who are unable to make it down to church on a regular basis. But with the rising cost of postage, paper, and printing, we would be happy to send your Kontakt via email rather than by mail. If that works for you, let us know! Please send an email to office.nlmc@gmail.com. Just tell us to remove you from the Kontakt mailing list and add you to the email list. If we don’t hear from you, we’ll be happy to keep you on our regular mailing list. You can also find digital editions at: www.issuu.com/ thenorwegianlutheranmemorialchurch

A Year of Reverse Advent Since my service of Minnekirken began in the Fall of 2015, I have asked that the congregation consider Advent as a season of giving—a Reverse Advent as it’s often called. Like Advent wreaths, Advent calendars mark the movement toward Christmas. Many calendars offer us a treat for each day along the way. Cultivating a Reverse Advent mentality simply means thinking more about the giving than the getting. It’s more about how we can better “treat” others, and not just ourselves. There’s a lot of “you deserve it,” self-gifting, indulgence that’s crept into the messaging of Christmas over the years, which is just the opposite of what the season represents, namely God so loving the whole world that, He sacrificially gave His only-begotten Son to redeem us; born of the virgin, born into our time and space; born to bridge the gap in ways that brought heaven down to earth. Reverse Advent does a bit of that too. In 2015 we had our “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” food drive that focused on the items that food pantries need most, items that 1) Snap! – like boxes of crunchy cereal, 2) Crackle! – the sound that pouch foods like tuna for adults and mash-ups for kids make when you open them, and 3) Pop! – as in pop-top cans of chilis, stews, vegetables, and other easy access meals. In 2016 we made gray plastic “Minnekirken Cares” bins available, each with a daily Reverse Advent devotional that used the Christmas Gospel to prompt specific kinds of giving. In 2017 we entered Advent with the goal to receive school supplies. We don’t have that many local school families who attend Minnekirken and so we hoped by this that we could reach out to our Logan Square neighbors with our love for Christ. Reverse Advent 2017 lasted all year, culminating in a very successful partnership with Hosanna! Lutheran Church of St. Charles, Illinois. Together we were able to assemble and distribute over 200 loaded school backpacks to the kids of our community! And so now, we begin again – one pack of glue sticks and magic markers at a time. Leaning, as we give, into Mission: Backpack 2019 already in Advent. Our 2017-2018 Reverse Advent was such a blessing to so many, let’s do it again! Over this Advent we will begin to receive gifts of money and school supply donations as part of our season of giving. To be sure, we are truly grateful for all the generous support Minnekirken receives from our Kontakt readers too, but aside from giving so much to keep our historic, landmark, spires standing tall over Chicago,* I would also hope you will recognize the ministry of this special place and the special people that make up this congregation. I had the privilege, for our 2018 Open House Chicago event, to help prepare a dozen docents to share the story of Minnekirken to the thousands of guests who would walk into our sanctuary. One of our docents, who is rather new to Minnekirken, Katherine Laursen, went the extra mile in helping us with the docent scripts and stations. But what I came to appreciate more than anything was Katherine’s approach to her service: I am praying that Christ walks with me and all others during this endeavor. It is His church and I want to be a good representative. There is nothing more we can do but put it in the hands of Christ, our Lord….thank you so very much with entrusting me with the Chancel. I believe, and have always believed, that Christ is the Church, the heart of our Church. He is truly the beginning and the end. Planning to attend on Sunday. Prayers to all. Katherine *Go here to see yet another architectural honor given to Minnekirken in 2018: https://www.timeout.com/chicago/ things-to-do/the-50-most-beautiful-buildings-in-chicago-ranked

From Us and Ours to You and Yours... A blessed and healthy Christmas and New Years's to all. God Jul "—Jill K. Crooker

God Jul to friend near and far! Barbra & Michael Mogil and family

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All!

"Ha en Velsignet Julesesong" Matt and Erika Nygaard

Aslaug and Andy Bruli

God Jul og Godt Nytt År til alle venner og kjente!

God Jul og Godt Nytt År,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Lynn Sove and Tomas Maxson

To all friends! The Dahl Family: Kari, Lillian and Alf

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a happy Christmas

and a Happy New year.

and a joyous 2019!"

The Kyrk's.

Ted and Kay Long

God Jul and Gott Nyatt Ar from The Falands. Edvin, Bruce, MariBeth, Martin, Scott, Carolyn, Kelsey, Lars and In memory of our BestMor, Magnhild Faland who always went above and beyond to make our Christmas season full of worship, family, festivities, celebrations, great memories and special Norwegian traditions

Trees of Tradition By Lynn Sove Maxson This is the 76th year of the Museum of Science & Industry’s Christmas in USA, Canada and Norway to send an ornament for the tree. The Around the world. It is interesting to see over 50 decorated trees from response was overwhelming and some ornaments included stories. around the world. It will be open from November 15th to Sunday Janu- Other people locally made items for the tree. ary 6, 2019. We are proud of the Norwegian tree. Norway was one of the first 5 trees and has become a tradition for the Each year when the group decorates Trollhaugen (previously Roseland) Sons of Norway lodge who have it is fun to see all the dier ent handbeen decorating it for over 60 years. Several generations worked tomade. Many have commented on gether on the tree. The Norwegian National League of Chicago has the ornaments. A few years ago, the been working with the tree and there are still many lodge members museum received one of our ornacontinuing to trim the tree each year. ments in the mail. It seems a youngster also admired one of the ornaI was invited to trim the tree in 1969 and have been in charge of it for ments and the parent found it in the many years. In 1984 a gentleman named Tom Maxson came to help stroller when they got home. The with the tree. We were married in 1990 and we are still trimming the museum recognized it and it is back tree. on the tree. In the 90’s Trollhaugen Lodge started a project called The Tree of If you haven’t seen the trees, it is Friendship and started a letter campaign asking Sons of Norway lodges worth the trip to the museum. 13

Indeed, prayers to all, this Advent and Christmas season—from our newest, youngest member, Freya Penaz, to our oldest; from our most distant members across the sea in Norway to those near and dear—we are Minnekirken! May Christ be the heart of our Church and may our Church conn ue to serve as the giving, serving, loving Norwegian heart of Chicago. Til Gud være ære!

Greetings from the Norwegian National League! One of the highlights of the Christmas season is the holiday program at the Museum of Science and Industry. The Norwegian program is scheduled for Saturday, December 1st at 1:30. Come join us as we celebrate with song and dance by our local groups, culminating with audience participation as we circle a decorated tree, singing Jul Med Den Glede and verses of Silent Night in Norsk and English. Make sure to take time to visit our ‘official’ tree in the rotunda, decorated with heart baskets, nisse, and rosemaled ornaments!

Pastor David Schoenknecht pastor.nlmc@gmail.com

There are always so many people to be grateful for at Minnekirken events, but volunteerism can happen behind the scenes too - like the amazing effort Erika Nygaard put into our updated website and the water damage that Rodolfo Campo Vega repaired to the wall framing our Good Shepherd window, both in preparation for Open House Chicago!!!

God Jul one and all!

Minnekirken Welcomes Thousands of Visitors over Two Fall Weekends

Sincerely, Barbra Kronborg-Mogil NNL President

Pictured is last year’s tree and Leikarringen members

Minnekirken Member Dave Wagner Explores Sami Carvings in Northern Norway Before our family trip to Norway over the summer, I wanted to find out if there were any archaeological sites in the area we were staying near Harstad. I came across a page dedicated to ancient rock carvings in Norway and found one site in our municipality of Ibestad. But I could not find a single photograph of these specific carvings online and wanted to be the first to put them in the public domain. I insisted that we go on a little amateur archaeological adventure and photograph these ancient 4,500 year old Sami rock carvings.

This fall Minnekirken opened its doors twice to visitors, architect enthusiasts, neighbors and anyone who was interested in seeing the inside of that “Little Red Church in Logan Square." As a sign-up location for the 2018 Logan Square House Walk, over 1300 tickets were sold in our own festsalen. And over 1600 people came through the doors the weekend of 10/13-14 as Minnekirken was one of the featured locations for this year’s Open House Chicago. Over the two weekends, we welcomed, educated, informed and offered our unique brand of velkommen to the neighborhood (with vafler and kaffe, of course!)

The carvings portray at least 5 figures, one being a full-sized moose approximately 1.4 meters long as well as a geometric motif either depicting water or mountains. Perhaps portraying where the shoreline was at the time. It also appears the artist Carvings highlight in black began carving carving aa second second moose moose head head but but never never finished. nished. began Archaeological interpretations include rituals of carving animals in rock walls to magically attract more of these animals to that location or simply artistic pleasure. The location of these petroglyphs are on the east side of the island Rolla in Ibestad in the forest behind the houses on Kongsvoll, about a 5 minute drive North of Hamnvik. It would not be easy to find the carvings without asking familiar people. We asked for directions in the Ibestad Kommune building in Hamnvik. They are also quite difficult to find. There is no trail leading to them. We were told to hike through someone's backyard, over a fence, a creek, and through a forest to find them. We were likely the first Americans to ever lay eyes on these carvings!

Vafler ingredients used in the Minnekirken kitchen the weekend of Open House Chicago included 5 lbs. butter, almost a hundred eggs, 4 gallons of milk, 5 gallons of flour, half-a-cup of the Indian spice cardamon (beloved by Scandinavians) and a gallon of sour cream. (YUM!)

Dave and family views the ancient carvings 12

Hilsen from Church Vice President Kari Diesen Dahl Christmas 2018

Julen 2018

When we think back on the year that is almost over, I have to say that Minnekirken has had a fantastic year, with many different events. First of all we want to thank our Heavenly Father who is with us and we cannot do without His help everywhere. We thank each and every one of you who has helped us, both with your time, energy and genVi takker for hver og en som har hjulpet oss, med både tid, erosity. We want you to know that we really appreciate krefter og gavmildhet. Vi vil at dere skal vite at vi setter everything. We hope you will continue to support us also stor pris på alt sammen. Vi håper dere vil fortsette og in the coming year. støtte oss i året som kommer. There are two big events coming up before Christmas. Det er to store begivenheter å se fram til før jul. Først er First of all there is the “Taste of Norway” on November det Taste of Norway som er den 17. november. Der kan du 17th. There you can buy different homemade delicious få kjøpt forskjellige deilige hjembakte småkaker, ha deg en cookies, enjoy wonderful pea soup for lunch with a cup of deilig ertesuppe for lunsj med en kaffekopp og dessert. coffee and dessert. The next event is the Christmas conDet neste er da Julekonserten. Vi har en meget dyktig orcert. We have a great organist who puts together a fantasganist som setter sammen et fantastisk program. Det er tic program. There are several choirs that participates and flere kor som deltar og du får en flott start på selve julen. you get a great start to the Christmas season. After the Selvfølelig er det kaffe, smørbrød og kaker etter konserten concert there are of course coffee, sandwiches and cakes nede i Festsalen. Vi ser fram til at vi treffes i kirken. downstairs in Festsalen. We are looking forward to see Så vil vi ønske alle og enhver en riktig god jul. Årsaken til at you in church. vi feirer jul er jo at Gud ga sin sønn til oss. Det er absolutt We want to wish each and everyone of you a blessed den største gaven Christmas. The reason that we celebrate Christmas is benoensinne. cause God gave His Son to us. That is absolutely the bigLukas 2:11 gest gift EVER. Når vi tenker tilbake på året som er nesten forbi, må jeg si at Minnekirken har hatt ett fantastisk år, men mange forskjellige begivenheter. Først og fremst vil vi takke vår Himmelske Far som er med oss og Hans hjelp er uunnværlig på alle områder.

I dag er det født dere en frelser i Davids by; han er Messias, Herren.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord

Kari

Norwegian Consuls General Across the U.S. Impressed with Minnekirken At the 17th of May concert this past spring, Norwegian Consul General Paul Anderson shared the sentiments of Norwegian diplomats and other Norwegian Consuls General from across the country regarding the unique status of Minnekirken. Unlike many struggling Norwegian Seamen's churches which have traditionally been supported by the Norwegian government, Minnekirken continues to operate independently, without any support from the Norwegian government, which impresses some of Mr. Anderson’s peers across the country and in Norway. They wonder how we continue to do it here at Minnekirken, to which Mr. Anderson replies that we just know how to do things right here in Chicago! So…tusen takk to all of Minnekirken’s supporters! With YOUR support we always have and always will continue to "do things right" in worship, service and celebration in the traditional Norwegian fashion. 6

8-Year Old Swedish American Girl finds Pre-Viking Age Sword An eight-year-old Swedish-American girl came across an exciting find swimming at her local lake, when she pulled an ancient sword from its depths. "It's not every day that one steps on a sword in the lake!" Mikael Nordström from Jönköpings Läns Museum said when explaining the significance of the find. But that's exactly what happened to Saga Vanecek, who found the relic at the Vidöstern lake in Tånnö, Småland earlier this summer. "I was outside in the water, throwing sticks and stones and stuff to see how far they skip, and then I found some kind of stick," Saga told The Local. "I picked it up and was going to drop it back in the water, but it had a handle, and I saw that it was a little bit pointy at the end and all rusty. I held it up in the air and I said 'Daddy, I found a sword!' When he saw that it bent and was rusty, he came running up and took it," she continued. The water at the lake by the family's summer house was low this year due to drought, which may have been part of the reason Saga was able to reach the sword. Because of this, the family was putting a buoy out in the lake to warn other boats of an underwater slab of concrete which was dangerous in the low water levels. "I asked Saga to bring the buoy, but she was taking her time like a kid does, playing in the water," her father, Andy Vanecek, recalled. "I was getting impatient because the World Cup game was about to start!"At first he thought his daughter had found a stick or a branch, but realized from the way it bent that it could be a sword -although even then, he thought it could be a modern toy. The family asked their neighbours and one of Vanecek's colleagues, who has an interest in history and archaeology, and they said the relic was likely authentic and should be reported to authorities, which the Vaneceks did.

"It's about 85 centimentres long, and there is also preserved wood and metal around it," explained Mikael Nordström from the museum. "Why it has come to be there, we don't know," he said. "When we searched a couple of weeks ago, we found another prehistoric object; a brooch from around the same period as the sword, so that means – we don't know yet – but perhaps it's a place of sacrifice. At first we thought it could be graves situated nearby the lake, but we don't think that any more." The sword has prompted teams including museum staff to carry out further searches in the area, though none have resulted in such an important find. The first led to the discovery of the brooch but the oldest object found in the second search, on Wednesday, was a coin from the 18th century. "We asked Saga [not to tell anyone about the sword] because we were afraid that if this find would go public too soon, there would be a lot of people there, perhaps destroying our possibility to find things later," he added. Saga confirmed to The Local that the only person she told was her best friend, who she really trusts. Thursday was the first day she could reveal her story to her classmates, and her teacher threw a party to celebrate, handing out ice creams and showing Saga's TV and radio interviews to the class. Saga moved to Småland only last year, having grown up in Minneapolis in her father's home state of Minnesota, USA. The family moved back to Sweden in 2017 to be closer to the maternal side of Saga's family. "The cool thing is that I'm a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, and this looks just like a Viking sword!" said Vanecek.

As for whether Saga will be involved in future projects or receive a reward for her discovery, the case has now been The museum later , estimated it to date back to the 5th or handed over to the National Archives of Sweden, who will be responsible for making the decision. 6th century AD, pre-Viking Age. The find has prompted huge interest from archaeologists and historians. 11

New Book Recommended for every one interested in Norwegian Mission and Church life in America and Beyond. To the Ends of the Earth, Publisher venturaforlag.no; by Torbjørn Greipsland, shows clearly how seriously the missionaries took their service. They knew that it could cost them their own life and health, persecution, kidnapping and murder. But they went. They saw some of the results, we see great results. The book has the names of more than a thousand missionaries, and articles about, or interviews with, 30 of them. It is exciting reading. One reason for writing the book is that the extensive missionary commitment that existed in many churches, and still continues, has not been given any important place in the central and general history books about the Norwegian America. These missionaries deserve a book! “Recommended” “Formidable job” – “mission history that is almost totally unknown” – “The book is recommended for anyone interested in mission and American church life.” – “Exciting.” Book review in Luthersk Kirketidende, Oslo, by Professor emeritus in Mission science, Tormod Engelsviken, Menighetsfakultetet (MF-Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society). In a book review in the newspaper Dagen, Audun Mosevoll uses the word “gullgruve” (gold mine) to characterize the book. Other comments from readers: Excellent. Uplifting.

In Chicago, buy the book from Kari Diesen Dahl. Or order the book today from James B. Olson

3016 S. 10th Avenue, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57105. E-mail: jimolson@midco.net Phone (land line) 605-332-1321, cell phone 605-359-4150. Price $19.95 + $2.63 in shipping (US $22.58 in total) 2-4 copies free shipping. 5+ 10% discount + free shipping.

Some of the Contents

Two Siblings, Thea and Halvor Ronning from Bø in Telemark Said Yes to God’s Call Became pioneer missionaries in China in a difficult time, but the mission work bore fruit  The Cry from Women in China Awakened Women in the USA. Interview with Professwor Gracia Grindal  A Cotter’s daughter Became a Missionary to China. Else Fredriksen from Land, Oppland. Studied at Norwegian Deaconess Home in Chicago. By Nils Nilsen. A boy who once tried to stone her to death became her best co-worker  Daniel Nelson – a Pioneer Missionary at the Age of 37. From Sveio, Rogaland. By Erik Kjebekk. Killed when he was 72 after reaching many Chinese for Christ  Dr. Casper Skinsnes from Mandal, Vest-Agder. Helped Countless Chinese in a Dangerous Time When the spirits could not help, the Chinese came to the Mission Hospital  Erik Hansen Tou from Rogaland and Elisabeth Knutsen from Vik in Gaular, Sogn og Fjordane, the Toughest of the Norwegian-American Pioneers  Elise Tverberg from Skjold, Rogaland, Saw the Women’s Needs and Ministered toThem  Seven Members of one Family Became Missionaries on Madagascar, in China, Cameroon, Papua New Guinea. Kittil Braaten from Telemark and wife Anna Marie (Stenseth) from Etnedal, Valdres.  Lars Olsen Skrefsrud made a Profound Impression on the Lives of Norwegians in America. He spoke 364 times when he visited USA. Thousands heard him. - No visit meant so much as his to the Norwegians in America,  Malla Moe from Hafslo in Sogn —the Unlikely Missionary Who Accomplished so Much.  Pioneer Missionaries Endured Hardship, Sickness and a Spell Cast by Witch Doctors.  Information about Missionaries, Pastors, and their Norwegian Roots  Names of 862 Norwegian-American Missionaries Sent out by Churches and Organizations that Later Joined ELCA, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Photo courtesy Kari Undeland. 

Minnekirken’s Neighbor to Become Boutique Hotel LOGAN SQUARE — A plan to convert the long-vacant Grace’s Furniture building (right around the corner from the church) into a boutique hotel won the support of residents at a recent community meeting, which all but guarantees it’ll come to fruition. An overwhelming majority of the residents who attended the meeting, held June 6 at Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, 2614 N. Kedzie Ave., voted in favor of the project — 105 out of 116, to be exact. The developers behind the project, LG Development and Marc Realty, are teaming up with Fifty/50 Restaurant Group and operator Holiday Jones on the hotel. Plans call for 44 rooms and two restaurants. Rooms will likely rent for around $150 per night,. The operator currently runs hostels in Wicker Park, East Village and River North. Details are still being finalized, but Scott Weiner, co-owner of Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, described the ground-floor restaurant as a brunch spot that captures the spirit of the neighborhood. Weiner couldn’t share much about the rooftop restaurant either except to say that it will not be a sports bar like Fifty/50, the group’s namesake bar on Division Street. Brian Goldberg, CEO of LG Development, said his team is committed to hiring locally. The developers said they’re also committed to maintaining the Paseo Prairie Garden, located just steps from the site. A seating area exclusively for hotel guests is also planned, though some residents said they’d like to see it be made public. The residents who spoke in opposition to the project at the meeting said they fear the hotel is another symbol of gentrification. Redevelopment of the building, one of the most prominent structures overlooking Logan Square and the Illinois Centennial Monument, has been held up for years by a legal battle over the billboards on the side of the building facing the square. The city won the lawsuit and the last billboard was removed Plans call for a seating area next to the Paseo Prairie Garden. in May of 2016. If all goes according to plan, construction on the hotel will begin in early 2019 and take about a year and three months, according to the development team. The developers are aiming for a summer 2020 opening.

cago/Mina Bloom]

More than 100 people attended the community meeting on June 6. [Block Club Chi-

Christmas Cheer All Year by Lynn Sove Maxson As the Christmas season grows near each year, we all look at it differently! Many think of the hustle and bustle as strenuous, time consuming and very expensive. Do we celebrate because of tradition and past memories? In reality, Christmas is the ultimate gift of love from God all year. It is the celebration of love and giving. When we enter this season, each and everything we do should shine with love. Stop to enjoy each moment and share it with others. In my mind, all thru the year, I’m blessed with love and giving. When not expected or necessary these gifts or moments of sharing are enhanced. Take time and efforts for these small gifts: time for others, a helping hand, a thoughtful token, a meaningful phrase, a sincere smile. The unexpected always is priceless. One point which must be stressed, is the receiving of the gift! Many of us may be disturbed or tense about unexpected simple gifts. Don’t deprive the giver. Your simple, sincere receiving is a gift to the giver. That is all that is necessary. So, we can enjoy Christmas cheer all year. God Jul! 7

Join Us this Christmas Season... Every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. we have Bible study. Come join Pastor's study that delves into each Sunday's readings a week ahead of time. Do you have a heart that longs to sing? Then we can work with your voice! No prior experience needed! Adult choir practice for our annual concerts is on Sundays at 10:15 a.m. Contact our Music Director, Dr. Yeeseon Kwon, at yeeseon.kwon@gmail.com for more information. Every 4th Sunday of the Month we have our "Fantas sk 4th Family Worship and Sunday School." Please come and bring the whole family! School-age children are invited to go downstairs to the festsalen for bible stories and games after the children’s message portion of the regular 11:00 a.m. Sunday service. Santa Lucia Service - Sunday, December 9th AT 11:00 a.m. featuring the traditional processional with “Santa Lucia” and her “angels” singing their way into the service and the hearts of the congregation. The Christmas program at the Museum of Science and Industry is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1st at 1:30 p.m. Stop by the Museum’s hall of international Christmas tree to view the NNL’s Norwegian tree, complete with baskets and flags! And then enjoy all of your favorite Christmas songs and dances performed by our local Norwegian friends. Minnekirken's annual Christmas Concert is, December 2nd at 6:30 p.m. Please join us for this musical night featuring our local choruses, choirs and musicians. You will be treated to Scandinavian Christmas songs and singalongs, hymns, instruments, voices and choruses. Food, and juletider fellowship will follow. Free-will offering. Christmas Day Festival Worship at Minnekirken is Tuesday, December 25 at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, December 30th after worship at 11:00 a.m. We will celebrate Juletrefest with cookies, songs, and “dancing” around the Christmas tree. Semi-annual Congregational Meeting, Sunday, in January (TBA-watch bulletins for specifics) at 12 noon (directly following the service). Everyone is encouraged to attend. Only members may vote.

Tuckpointing in 2019 Our beautiful ancient church is in need of some major tuckpoinng. And tuckpointing a building this old, with very high ceilings, intricate craftmanship and extremely steep roof is a complicated (i.e., expensive) endeavor. But rain water is starting to run right over our newly refurbished windows and we need to stop the problem before permanent damage occurs. So please use the enclosed envelope to send in your support. Minnekirken needs your help to keep our amazing church and magnificent windows shining for decades to come!

Tusen Takk og God Jul alle sammen! 8

Christmas Ponderings…. 1. “Off to one side sits a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him–and so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.” -Max Lucado

10. "Best of all, Christmas means a spirit of love, a time when the love of God and the love of our fellow men should prevail over all hatred and bitterness, a time when our thoughts and deeds and the spirit of our lives manifest the presence of God." -George F. McDougall

11. “The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.” 3. “So God throws open the door of this world—and enters as a -J.I. Packer baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you. What religion ever had a god 12. “Jesus was God and man in one person, that God and man that wanted such intimacy with us that He came with such vul- might be happy together again.” -George Whitefield nerability to us? What God ever came so tender we could touch Him? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that His 13. “You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up bare, beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you into the Father’s face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift.” -John R. Rice to death.” -Ann Voskamp 2. "Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world." -C.S. Lewis

4. “At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God's own love and concern.” -Mother Teresa 5. “...And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all. God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light in darkness, succor in abandonment. No evil can befall us; whatever men may do to us, they cannot but serve the God who is secretly revealed as love and rules the world and our lives.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

14. “The great challenge left to us is to cut through all the glitz and glam of the season that has grown increasingly secular and commercial, and be reminded of the beauty of the One who is Christmas.” -Bill Crowder 15. "The very purpose of Christ's coming into the world was that he might offer up his life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas." -Rev. Billy Graham

Year End Giving We are all looking forward to this holiday season with the Taste of Norway and Christmas Concert just around the corner. As we approach the end of the year, the Minnekirken Church Council spends a lot of time reviewing the church finances and budget to put the donations from our members to the best use possible. With our 106 year old church, there are constant demands for repair and maintenance. As you all know, the basic operating costs such as insurance and utilities are also consistently rising year after year.

6. “And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing: good will towards men. Do not try to keep Christmas without good will towards men.” -Charles Spurgeon 7. “Any one thinking of the Holy Child as born in December would mean by it exactly what we mean by it; that Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate.” -G.K. Chesterton

As you are considering your year-end charitable giving, we hope that you will keep Minnekirken on your list. A donation envelope is included with every Kontakt issue, and we can accept electronic payments by contacting Sue Tokich at office.nlmc@gmail.com. We are opening a brokerage account to receive stock donations as well, and please talk with your financial advisor about the tax advantages from stock donations. Please email me at treas.nlmc@gmail.com so I can help with the stock donation process or if you have any other questions.

8. “All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ." -David Jeremiah 9. "I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing the Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring joy and happiness and peace to this world." -Norman Vincent Peale

Takk for Vurderingen! Matt Nygaard, Treasurer 9