Velkommen Tilbake!!
(via Zoom, Facebook, or in-person, if possible!)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Pastor’s Message
2
Upcoming Events
3
President’s Greeting
4
Lynn’s Corner
6
Fundriaing Updates
8
Mission in Africa
10
Norwegian Sayings
12
Laugh a Little...
13
News from Norway
14
Visit Minnekirken’s website: www.minnekirken-chicago.org
Visit us on facebook! Minnekirken-Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church Visit us Sundays on Zoom:. Meeting ID: 834 9323 7212 Password: Minnekirk1 Time: 11:00 AM CST Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8 3493237212?pwd=VnBzNGtkK1l1T Vg1enJIWVZjN0lMQT09 Join by one tap mbile: +13126266799
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, leandrart@sbcglobal.net
Fa l l / h ø s t 2 0 2 0 “Sheltering in Christ, Pastor David Schoenknecht”—that’s a closing that I have been using a lot lately at the end of my emails. It’s certainly an acknowledgment of my family’s desire to follow best practices when it comes to COVID-19. But it is also a declaration of faith in the God who is above and beyond all human fears and frailties. The Psalms of the Old Testament speak often of God preserving us from “deadly pestilence,” but Minnekirken was just 6-years new, when the Spanish Flu hit Chicago in 1918! Between then and now, it’s been a long time between pandemic waves of “deadly pes-tilence!” We were all taken aback in 2020, but clearly COVID-19 fits the bill. This is no mere flu. I don’t need to tell you that, as we are all suffering numerous losses as a result. Though healthy—thank God!—joblessness and underemployment has struck my immediate family. My wife’s company folded, and my full -time job has been diminished to 4-days a week. We can all tell such stories of loss and even worse, I am sure. I have officiated a funeral where small groups of family member have had to be ushered up for repeated graveside committals due to the limitations of six to a group. Weddings have been postponed. Worship “fra” Minnekirken has gone online. But in the midst of the craziness of 2020, these words from Colossians 3 nevertheless sustain me: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Keep looking up! We can find shelter in Christ! This message was confirmed for me this past week when not one but two sets of drone images of our beloved Minnekirken came my way. Enjoy! And yes, when things below get crazy, be sure to set your hearts on things above! With Christ! 1
Pastor’s Greeting OK (carrying my thoughts over from the devotion on this Kontakt’s front page), I simply cannot resist one more image from above. They make me so happy! Getting a new perspective on things has been a theme around Minnekirken since last March. At the time we were leaning into another blessed Holy Week and then a festive Syttende Mai season at Minnekirken. But that all changed. At the time of writing the last Sunday we worshipped together at Minnekirken was nearly six months ago! I distinctly remember that Second Sunday in Lent communion service. I remember putting hand sanitizer near the altar, spacing the cups in the communion tray more widely, and not shaking hands with worshippers at the conclusion of worship. I would not have imagined at the time that one short week later we would be struggling—and still struggle at times—to do online worship via Zoom and Facebook Live! Though this option will continue, we are scheduled to have our first service of Holy Communion in person on September 13th! We’ll do it then again on September 27th and, Lord willing, on the second and fourth Sundays of each month going forward. Things at Minnekirken will be different. There will be masks and social distancing. There won’t be singing out loud. Communion will not be at the altar. Reservation for church will be required. So please call or email the church office if you plan to attend. But all that said, we will be back. Back with a new perspective and strength and faith that only hardship can bring. God says through Peter: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I greatly rejoice because through it all Minnekirken has fantastically risen above all of my expectations during—as they say in Norway— this Coronatid. I would have never had imagined that our online worship attendance statistics and our record of giving would have remained as strong as they have over these past six months of exile from our beloved church. Even our online Syttende Mai commemoration was received with rave reviews. You can go to this link or scan the QR code to see it. This is all a testament to the “creativity, resilience, fortitude, and grace” that has been my mantra throughout Coronatid. Now may God bless our Fall regatherings. May they be smart and safe. And may they also be hopeful as we pray for God’s deliverance from these difficult days. Martin Luther, with his medieval perspective on pestilence, still inspires: I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid persons and places where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely, as stated above. See, this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.* Sheltering in Christ, Pastor David Schoenknecht *For more on Luther’s godly approach to pestilence, check out this very fine blog post: https:// villageanglican.church/village-blog-desmos/2020/3/30/martin-luther-on-how-not-to-tempt-god-during-a-plague 2
Upcoming… SUNDAY 11AM SERVICE The reopening schedule is currently being planned for communion Sundays - aka the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. But are not precluding the reality that we may have to roll back that plan if things change. For the latest in-formation as well as to sign up for an in-person spot on a Sunday Morning, please refer to the latest information on our website. In the meantime our regular Sunday 11am services can be accessed virtually... There are several ways to access Minnekirken’s online worship services: • Via Facebook Live: Just go to: https://www.facebook.com/minnekirken/ •
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Via a Zoom Meeting: You can also connect by phone and/or computer using the following information… Topic: Sunday Worship at Minnekirken Meeting ID: 834 9323 7212 Password: Minnekirk1 Time: 11:00 AM Central Time Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83493237212?pwd=VnBzNGtkK1l1TVg1enJIWVZjN0lMQT09 Join by one tap mobile: +13126266799,,83493237212#,,1#,590569# US (Chicago) +13017158592,,83493237212#,,1#,590569# US (Germantown)
2020 OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO Minnekirken will participate in OHC, but it will be all virtual/outdoors and the church will not be open to the public. Pastor has created a virtual tour of the inside of the church which will be on the OHC app. The event is over a two week period of October 16-25. We will have signs in front of the church to advertise our online church services and our GoFundMe webpage.
2020's VIRTUAL . . .
Pick-up Date: Saturday, November 21 We are still offering fresh, hand-made, Norwegian, cookies and breads. But all ordering will be arranged via our website: https://www.minnekirken-chicago.org/ Details are being worked on to ensure efficient ordering and safe pickup. Please refer often to Minnekirken‛s website for updates.
Treat your family and friends! Support Minnekirken! 3
President’s Report Council President Bev Coyveau Greetings Everyone!
take orders and have a pick-up schedule and perhaps delivery where possible. Please contact our Parish Administrator for up to date details at office.nlmc@gmail.com.
Hope you all are doing well during these difficult times. It’s been a long several months of this pandemic and I know we all have had wishful thinking that by now this should be over. I think about our ancestors and how they coped during the Spanish flu pandemic. We have many more luxuries during this time that I am very grateful for.
We will be included in the self guided walking tours for both the Logan Square Preservation semi-annual housewalk and for Open House Chicago both taking place in the fall. With the help of Bruce Faland, Matt Nygaard and friends of Minnekirken, we have some great The Church Council gathered in the fellowship hall in mid- pictures and a wonderful presentation describing our beautiful Church. August for the first time since March. See the attached picture of us all sitting with our masks and social distancing. It was nice to see everyone and go over Church busi- Stay tuned for more info on our festivities for Christmas. ness. I would be remiss not to mention the hard work and diligence of our caretaker, Susan Tokich. Our Church is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. This has been on-going long before this pandemic started.
By now, you know that the Church has started service twice a month. Everyone is coming in the backdoor, having their temperature taken, and sitting in designated alternating pews upstairs. Communion is handed out in individual packages and everyone has to wear their masks. Since singing has been proven to spread the Disposable communion virus, we are refraining from packs ready for service! doing so at the present time. It is certainly different from what we are all used to. Our much beloved coffee hour is also on hold.
Renovation and the restoration of the façade of our building is an on-going project. We hope to start this process in the spring of 2021. The cost of this major undertaking is in excess of $600,000. At this time we are ready to start getting bids on this project. As you know by now we have been blessed with a grant from the City of Chicago of $250,000. We still need to reach our goal. Thank you to all of you who have helped in this endeavor. Many thanks to Matt Nygaard and our Friends at Logan Square Preservation, specifically Barnaby Waters for their hard work.
On the positive side, we have had a great response from our services presented on Facebook. We will continue to I am wishing you all a peaceful fall season and I am looklive stream our weekly service. We are thankful to Pastor ing forward to seeing everyone soon. David for his continued efforts to provide services to the congregation. Our Klokker, Karena Dahl has been instruBeverly Covyeau mental in setting up our Zoom meetings and assisting in our Facebook services. Many thanks to our Music Director, Dr. Yeeseon Kwon who has been providing music during this time. By now we have already met to discuss how we are going to handle the Taste of Norway. The bakers are lined up to make our famous Norwegian cookies. We are hoping to 4
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson
AVE ATQUE VALE BORNSON! Minnekirken has recently learned that Bjornson Male Chorus has disbanded. The 96 year-old chorus which rehearsed at the Danish Home has been unable to meet to rehearse for many months and would be unable to do so for the foreseeable future. Their strong voices and beautiful renditions of Norwegian folksongs have been a highlight of Minnekirken’s Christmas and Syttende Mai Concerts. Their presence will be sorely missed.
A Thank You Token By Lynn Sove Maxson During the excitement of planning Minnekirken's restoration, Tom and I wanted to contribute something to encourage donations. We thought that an ornament of the church, rosemaled, would be appropriate. I have studied rosemaling for many years and enjoyed teaching and demonstrating it. We sent my sketches to a wood worker, Dennis Green, in Decorah, IA who cut them out. Then we checked samples of paint to match the church color. Tom sanded and backgrounded the ornaments. While talking to a friend in Colorado, she offered to rosemal some of the ornaments for us. My friend, Ellen Kerbs, is a Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum Gold Medalist in Rosemaling. We would like to encourage people to donate $250 or more for the church’s much-needed restoration. As a token of thanks, you will receive an original rosemaled Minnekirken ornament. There will be a limited number of ornaments available. It is exciting to see all who love and have fond memories of Minnekirken. Through the years, the services in this house of worship and all the great events have given so much to so many. Tom and I were married in Minnekirken thirty years ago this year. We have been actively involved through those years. Please come and join us and share in this wonderful congregation and warm glow of God. Here is to the next century of Minnekirken. To donate please contact the church or check the church's website. Thank you .
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Lynn’s Corner…. Facebook became the social media. Many needed help with this and were helped.
Covid Compassion By Lynn Sove Maxson Who would have had an inkling of the closing down of the world as we know it. With the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, everything we knew in daily life changed. There were shortages of daily food, supplies such as paper goods, toilet paper and sanitizers. Illness and deaths were on a daily rise. Locked down in your home. Businesses of all sorts closed, a real shock. Social events and sports were canceled.
The Zoom choir practice for the Norwegian Memorial church practiced songs at first for Easter or then for when the church would open. As the months went by, this was a time of sharing and growing together. The discussions started focusing on using the compassion and understanding on how to function in the future. Everyone was sharing ideas and talents.
We pray and have faith for a happy and healthy future soon. It is important to use some of the compassion for others and be more aware of the people and nature With all the lockdowns and confusion, anxiety and around us. Many people have rethought their goals and, depression set in. Masks and social distancing became the as we heard as children, “Stop to Smell the Roses!” norm. This led to anger and, to some, an excuse for negative protesting and looting. Yes, we can have positive 1905-2005 protesting for the common man and community. By Lynn Sove Maxson Yet, the Covid brought out another side in many people. God gave me a gift of gratitude and awareness. I saw this growing in the first five months of the pandemic. During this time, with no relief soon for this year, I’ve experienced and had my eyes opened to simplistic, daily sincere compassion. Neighbors called each other to check if food or anything was needed. Some exchanged baked goods and homegrown veggies. Food pantries opened in local churches where we could donate necessary items. Many people were sewing hundreds of masks for 1st responders and other medical and elderly people. While hiking through the Cook County Forest Preserves or walking around the Des Plaines neighborhood, sincere, cheerful greetings were exchanged and sometimes with a light touch of humor. The new greetings were also head nods and little hand waves. It strengthened and helped us all. The forest and neighborhoods changed with the seasons. More people had time and ambitions for rich and gorgeous gardens . Calls to family and friends all over the country and Europe became longer. During these calls there was more listening and sharing than before. In some cases, it was like meeting someone for the first time and learning about the real person. Lonely and depressed people felt so relieved to talk to someone. Zoom and Facebook became the social media. Many needed help with this and were helped. Zoom and
In 1905 mother, Esther Skar Larsen, was born in Christiania (Oslo) Norway. But what would happen, no one would believe. She lived with her mother Emma and her brother Leif. The life was simple but not exactly poor. With Aunt Anna she was very spoiled and lived like the rich, completely free of chores. A dream of America rested in her soul. Until in the 1920’s to her surprise,The great dream was realized. The city of Chicago was so huge. She settled among the Norwegian immigrants, then met and married a man from Skien, Norway. She never ventured out of the city. But after some years, there were four children. Now the family was instilled in American life and thinking. Her only daughter Lynn, the youngest, longed so much for her roots. Ever since she was little, they called to her deeply. There was something in her which was so pure Norwegian —it would pull her over the ocean. If she could only find the answers for the strong call to Norway, it was sad and heavy without the mother tongue. Finally, at last, she was over Oslo, Norway. Her first lofty glance and she felt at home. It was as though her heart would burst. Thousands of questions waiting to come out, which were buried so many years, so deep inside. Unfortunately, she was a little girl again, without words.
Trip after trip clarified some of the roots. The new came closer and closer. Norsk language with heart and soul was 6 clearer. Thirty-three trips between two countries. The
questions never running out. Staving for answers to whom she is? An invitation to the Parliament opening for Tom & I. So formal with the King and Queen. Warm memories of mom and dad. Tom’s granddad too. The way was not only to Norway. Others started to visit America. The bonds were knitted between family and friends. Through 100 years of Norway’s independence,And the binding of two countries. Warmed and sealed hearts which no one can sever. Footnote: Mother, Esther Skar Larsen born May 28, 1905 near the parliament building. Nels Nelson, Tom’s grandfather, immigrated to Illinois in 1905. Tom and I were invited to the 100th anniversary of Norway’s inde-pendence at the Parliament June 2005. We are in the official photo looking down at the Royal family and Parliament. The way I see it if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain—Dolly Parton Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved—Winne the Pooh Don’t think about the start of the race, think about the ending—Usain Bolt If you quit once, it becomes a habit—don’t quit. Michael Jordan Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower—Albert Camus Life starts all over when it gets crisp in the fall—F. Scott Fitzgerald
Editors Note:
STUCK AT HOME? You may not have been able to visit and travel as much this year. So here are some links that will take some famous and inspiring places to you… (my favorite is the panda cam) https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne#tabs https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/beluga-whalewebcam/
https://zooatlanta.org/panda-cam/ https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/uffizi-gallery?hl=en https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/rijksmuseum/iwH5 aYGoPwSf7g?hl=en&sv_lng=4.885283712508563&sv_lat=52.3598 4312584405&sv_h=311.1699875145569&sv_p=5.924133903625474&sv_pid=fOVcUXQW2wpRf33iUmxEfg&sv_z= 0.9999999999999997 https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/object/gold-elephants
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I received a greeting from Per Hugo Kristensson, long-time friend of Minnekirken who recently moved back to his motherland of Sweden. He wanted to let all of his Minnekirken friends know that he’s been busy restoring gravestones and invites all of his Minnekirken friends to visit for only $950/flight. In addition, the Jupiter Chapter of IOGT (of which he is the former president) is planning a luxury cruise from Stockholm to St. Petersburg, Russia that he also extends invitations for. He has also wanted to let us know that he has contacted Norwegian House in Göteborg as members may wish to contribute funds to the beautification of Minnekirken. . Kontakt loves contact from friends and members no matter where they live! Keep em coming!
NO, THIS IS NOT MINNIKIRKEN…, BUT IT COULD BE….! In the last issue of Kontakt, we informed you of the “façade fatigue” Minnekirken is experiencing as the result of more than a century of water seepage freezing and thawing as it invaded the area behind the exterior bricks. A group of restoration specialists had examined the situation, performed temporary reinforcements, and had estimated cost of the full restoration project to be at least $600,000. In ambitious optimism, we hoped to start the restoration in the spring of 2020 and launched a fundraising campaign. Who was to know that a world-wide pandemic would wreak havoc with this schedule? Actual restoration will hopefully begin in the spring of 2021, and fund raising remains a significant priority. Considering the pandemic’s disruption to people’s lives and to the economy, we have achieved an amazing amount toward our goal. Because of our landmark status, we were eligible for and received a grant of $250,000 from Chicago’s Citywide Adopt a Landmark Fund. In addition, an annuitized investment totaling almost $50,000, made many years ago, came due and was credited to the restoration fund. However, much of the funding has come from individual donors. A total of nine individuals have contributed $5,000 each, another $4,000, and six have donated $1,000 each. The Charity Go Fund Me page has attracted $4600 in donations. Our treasurer is valiantly researching and applying for grants. In the meantime, we are actively seeking donations from our Kontakt readers. “Well, I don’t have a spare $5K or even $1K,” you may say. Indeed, most of us don’t. Nevertheless, every donation, no matter how small, will help save our beautiful church and will restore it to a safe structural condition. • • • • •
There are several ways to make donations: You can send a check in the envelope included in this publication. If you use this method please write “building restoration” on the memo line of your check so that we can direct the funds to our restoration account. The church has established a Charity Go Fund Me site at https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/for-thenext-century-far-det-neste-arhundre You can go to the church’s website or to its Facebook page where you can find links to Charity Go Fund Me opportunities. You can direct memorials to Minnekirken’s building restoration fund. If you receive income from a 401K or similar program, you may have the opportunity to donate a portion of your income to charities such as Minnekirken.
Please know that all your donations to the building restoration fund are gratefully received and are tax deductible. Also, please consider the need to preserve the Norwegian presence in Chicagoland. We don’t want to end up like St James Armenian Apostolic Church in Evanston, pictured above!
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Another opportunity to support Minnekirken – donate shares of stock! I received an email from a potential donor to the “For the Next Century, For det Neste Århundre” capital campaign. They may be interested in donating shares of stock to the church. With the US stock market at all-time highs, this is a great opportunity for some donors. I am in the process of opening a brokerage account to accept stock donations, and please check with your financial advisor as to the tax advantages of donating stocks with potential capital gains taxes versus making a cash donation. As always, if you have any questions or have an interest in donating stock to Minnekirken, please email me at treas.nlmc@gmail.com. —Matt Nygaard
Update on the Façade/Tower Restoration Project You may recall the background on the church restoration project. In the spring of 2019, a local restoration architect, Barnaby Wauters, pulled Beverly Covyeau aside to share some concerning news. Barnaby noticed that rainwater was seeping out from behind the brick above the Minnekirken 1908 cornerstone. At that point, the church council hired structural engineer, Ed Swierz, to assist Barnaby in assessing the condition of the church’s façade, and with their recommendation, a firm was hired to stabilize the structure in June 2019. We received an initial estimate of $527,000 for restore the façade and tower of Minnekirken, and we applied for an “Adopt a Landmark” grant with the City of Chicago to help pay for this work. In the fall of 2019, Minnekirken received a $250,000 grant for the façade/tower restoration project, and at the Minnekirken Annual Meeting, our capital fundraising campaign “For the Next Century, For det Neste Århundre” began. Since last fall, Barnaby Wauters and Ed Swierz were hired to create the scope of work and drawings for the façade/tower restoration project. Once their drawings and documents are ready, the City of Chicago Department of Planning will review the project plans, and the work will go out to bid with several restoration firms. Our goal is to select a contractor and to begin the restoration work by the spring of 2021. Beginning the restoration project early next year has two benefits for us: 1) many masonry contractors are very busy in the fall, and we may receive a better price for the work in the spring; and 2) the extra time will allow us to pursue other grant opportunities to help pay for this significant and mandatory expense. To aid the fundraising, I have personally researched and sent inquiries to over 35 foundations to begin an extensive grant application process. If you have any questions about the façade/tower restoration project, or to make a donation to support the project, please email me at treas.nlmc@gmail.com. It will be an exciting 2021 at Minnekirken.
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Norwegian Settlers Church and Genesis Trust, South Africa My Norwegian curiosity and wanderlust have been the inspiration to embark on fantastic travel experiences. In October 2019, I had the opportunity to join a serving team from Willow Creek Community Church to Port Shepstone, South Africa. Their global ministry offers short term trips for teams to support and encourage the work of their partners in local churches in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The mission is to “Serve, Learn, and Grow -- to be God's hands and feet to people around the world, as you get to know their culture, their names, their strengths, their needs, and how our partners are making a difference.” Imagine my surprise and delight when I learned that the partner church in South Africa was Norwegian Settlers Church! In his book Norske pionerer i sju verdensdeler (Norwegian Pioneers), Torbjørn Greipsland includes a section about this vibrant congregation. The church was established in 1882 when a group of 229 Norwegians arrived in the area. The group responded to a colonization scheme where each settler was offered free transport and given a 100-acre plot of land. There was also a parcel of land reserved for the church. The church was dedicated on August 29th, 1883, on the first-year anniversary of their arrival.
The church has a museum with things the Norwegians brought with them from home, including, bunads, tools, kitchen utensils, etc. The Norwegians also put their mark on place names in the area with names like Skogheim, Oslo Beach, and Fredheim. The Norwegian descendants will proudly make kransekake or wear their bunads on special occasions. Norwegian Settlers Church is not just about buildings and a growing church membership. It is a story of caring for a community and seeking to bring about real and lasting transformation in the lives of the people all around them. The Genesis Trust was established in 2002 as an outreach ministry of the Norwegian Settlers Church, partnering with local and international partners, including Willow Creek Global Missions. Their vision is to take the church outside its walls by serving their communities holistically, meeting physical, social, and spiritual needs associated with HIV/AIDS, poverty and other social issues. The ministries of Genesis Trust fall into the following categories: Children, Education, Gyms, Health, Skills, and Youth. On our trip, our team had opportunity to serve with the following projects: Khula Creche – a rural community about 45 kms inland from Port Shepstone. The community center runs a preschool for 120 children between 2-4 years old. They prepare approximately 300 meals daily for the children in the preschool and students who participant in various after school activities (on average 5,430 meals per month). Khula Community Center also offers skills training and a music program. There is a Mobile Clinic that attends to medical needs of the community. El Roi Baby Home – provides care for up to 12 infants and toddlers between the ages of 0-4. All children are admitted via a social worker. The children receive care until arrangements are made for adoption or foster homes. (El Roi meaning "The God who sees"). Murchison – community center located 20 km from NSC. It houses Genesis' first after school project and a community gym. The small, modest building and its grounds stand as a beacon of hope in a community that boasts one of the highest, per capita, HIV/AIDS rate in the world. An estimated 60% of the people living in this community are infect10
ed with the virus. Children come for homework help, to complete assignments and get assistance in understanding concepts. Many kids leave school hungry, making it difficult to concentrate on homework. Through the Go Hungry Campaign, they offer a healthy afternoon snack to all their kids. Safe Place – one of the newer Genesis ministries. There are three pillars of the SafePlace Model: Security, Safe Play, and Social Services that seek to not only protect people from dangerous situations, but holistically bring change by eliminating fear of violence and empowering leadership and community. Genesis Care Center – a 40-bed step down palliative care facility established in 2005 in response to the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS & TB pandemic. The Care Centre provides nursing, physical, spiritual, psycho-social and emotional care for patients with HIV/AIDS, TB and other Chronic Illnesses. Patients admitted to the Care Centre are referred by local government hospitals. Genesis Youth Center & Youth Alive – the local youth group that meets every Friday evening for a great time of worship, teaching and fellowship. There were 7 women in our serving team -- all who had been to South Africa at least once before. Our group leader Diane was returning for her 10th time! We selected passages from Ephesians 6 – “putting on the full armor of God” – and James 1 as themes for devotions and activities with the children. Travel to South Africa:
From Left to Right: Mary Alice Lindvall, Karena Dahl, Karen Bonenberger, Diane Vogelgesang (leader), Colleen Hewitt, Tracy Denne and Kelly Zea
Khula and Murchison
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Dubai Highlights Ramsgate Beach, Leopard Rock Safari – Nambiti Game Reserve
Anna Karena Dahl Minnekirken Secretary 11
Norwegian Sayings... Sayings and idioms are part of what make languages fun, surprising and unique, and they often say a lot about the culture that they come from. Below are some of the best and strangest Norwegian sayings – sit down comfortably in the middle of the butter eye, bury your battle axes and write one or two of these behind your ear.
an empty bowl makes when you tap it). Å få blod på tannen Translation: To get blood on your tooth Meaning: To become inspired/driven to do something.
Å ha bein i nesa Translation: To have bones in your nose Meaning: To be determined and capable.
Å stå med skjegget i postkassa Translation: To stand with your beard in the post box Meaning: To have ended up in a bad situation, possibly scammed into it.
Jeg har en høne å plukke med deg Translation: I have a hen to pluck with you Meaning: To have an issue with someone that you want to discuss with them.
Man skal ikke skue hunden på hårene Translation: You shouldn’t judge the dog on its hairs Meaning: You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
Å være født bak en brunost Translation: To be born behind a brown cheese Meaning: To be senseless.
Å skrive noe bak øret Translation: To write something behind the ear Meaning: To make a mental note of something.
Å snake rett fra leveren Translation: To speak directly from Å være midt i smørøyet the liver Translation: To be in the middle of the butter eye Meaning: To speak plainly/truthfully Meaning: To be in a great place (the smørøye is the lovely without sugar-coating. buttery hollow left by the melting scoop of butter atop a warm bowl of porridge such as risgrøt). Der er ugler i mosen Translation: There are owls in the bog Å koka bort i kålen Meaning: There is something secretive/sinister about a Translation: To boil away/into nothing in the cabbage situation. Meaning: When an idea or plan comes to nothing through waffling. It is thought to come from meat being reduced Å ta beina på nakken to nothing when cooked in cabbage stew for a long time. Translation: To put your legs on your neck Meaning: To run away from something. Å tråkke i salaten Translation: To step in the salad Å ha en finger med i spillet Meaning: To make a faux pas. Translation: To have a finger included in the game Meaning: To play a part in something (often sneaky). Å grave ned stridsøksen Translation: To bury the battle axe Det er helt Texas! Meaning: To bury the hatchet. And similarly… Translation: That’s completely Texas! Meaning: That’s crazy! (From associations Å røyke fredspipe with the Wild West from old Western Translation: To smoke a peace pipe movies.) Meaning: To make up with someone following a disagreement. Editor’s Note: My father used to say (in English) “I’m so Å være pling i bollen mad I can’t see the butter on the wall”. As a child I never Translation: To be a ping in the bowl Meaning: To be empty-headed (from the “ping”-like noise saw the butter either so I just assumed I was mad too! 12
Laugh a Little... Why do so many Norwegians choose to buy properties with access to Why did the can crusher quit his job? running water? It was soda pressing. Because those are the properties that are affjordable! I couldn’t remember how to throw a boomer-
Did you hear about the bike race that goes all the way across Norway ang, but it did come back to me. and Sweden? A book just fell on my head. It ends at the Finnish line. I’ve only got my shelf to blame.
What do you call a Norwegian party? A Fjord Fiesta!
Where did Noah keep the bees? In the Ark hives
Why does the Norwegian navy have barcodes on their ships? So when they come back to port they can scan-da-navy-in.
What did the judge say when a skunk walked in to testify? Odor in the court!
Last week I x-rayed a bird in Norway. Yep. Scanned an avian.
Past, present and future all walk into a room. It was tense.
A visitor to Minnesota asked a resident why everyone's car was named What does a thesaurus eat for breakfast? Harvey?? A synonym roll. Why do you say that, asked the resident? Well you get in their car, they put it in gear, and they say "har ve go". What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator.
Emergency Telephone Numbers —these are more effective than 911
What to hear a joke about paper? Never mind, it’s tearible. What did the clock do when it was hungry? It went back four seconds.
Just as we may have a list of telephone numbers to call in an emergency it is useful to have a list of Bible passages which are particularly appropriate for challenging situations. When in sorrow: call John 14. When people let you down: call Psalm 27. When longing to be spiritually fruitful: call John 15. When you have sinned: call Psalm 51. When you worry: call Matthew 6:19–34. When you are in danger: call Psalm 91. When God seems far away: call Psalm 139. When your faith needs stirring: call Hebrews 11. When you are lonely and fearful: call Psalm 23. When you grow bitter and critical: call 1 Cor. 13. For Paul’s secret to happiness: call Col. 3:12–17. For understanding of Christianity: call 2 Cor. 5:15–19. When you feel down and out: call Romans 8:31. When you want rest: call Matthew 11:25–30. When seeking God’s assurance: call Romans 8:1–30.
When you are depressed: call Psalm 27. When men fail you, call Psalm 27 When away from home: call Psalm 121. When you need courage: call Joshua 1. When you have sinned, call Psalm 51 When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67
For a great invention/opportunity, call Isaiah 55 How to get along with fellowmen, call Romans 12 When you think of investments/returns, call Mark 10 If you are depressed, call Psalm 37 If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37 If you are losing confidence in people, call 1 Cor. 13 If people seem unkind, call John 15 If discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126 If you find the world growing small, and yourself great, call Psalm 19
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Hurtigruten joins ‘Mission Impossible’ August 31, 2020 Hurtigruten’s vessel MS Fridtjof Nansen was berthed at Hellesylt in Sunnmøre in late August, chartered to serve as a floating hotel during the filming of “Mission Impossible,” which has received state support through Norway’s incentive program for movie-making. NRK reported that the filming will take place through September, both from Hellesylt and Åndalsnes in Møre og Romsdal. Hundreds of crew will be staying on board both the Fridtjof Nansen and Hurtigruten’s Vesterålen. Film star Tom Cruise, however, is reportedly staying at a cabin in the area and has been showing up at the nearby historic Hotel Union Øye, when not being flown by helicopter between various filming locations.—newsinenglish.no staff
1000 tonnes of NOx emissions per year, according to Norwegian energy giant Equinor. The investment costs for the project are approximately NOK 4.8 billion. According to Equinor, floating wind power is not profitable, and the project has been dependent on support from Enova and the NOx Fund. Enova contributed NOK 2.3 billion and the NOx fund with NOK 566 million.
Svalbard breaks the highest temperature record. Saturday night the temperature was 21.7°C (71.06°F). It is 0.4°C above the old record from 1979. Meteorologist Sjur Wergeland says to NRK this unusual experience is a result of climate change. The reason for the high temperatures is hot air currents from Russia. Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole. One of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, it’s known for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers and frozen tundra Norway is now working with the US to develop satellites in sheltering polar bears, Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes. order to monitor the Norwegian seas. The satellites should As a result of the hot temperatures, a lot of ice has melted be able to find ships that do not want to be spotted. on Svalbard. In the Longyear River, which flows through This autumn, a Norwegian satellite will be launched from Longyearbyen, the water level is unusually high according French Guiana in South America. NORSAT-3 will provide to field biologist and photographer Eirik Grønningsæter. support to the Coast Guard and for crisis management, reports NRK. Unlike previous Norwegian surveillance satellites, the new satellite does not depend on the reception of Maria Navarro Skarange (26), wins 2020 EU Prize for Literthe ships’ AIS signals to detect them. The AIS provides in- ature with her book, Bok om sorg (Book of grief). Skaranger (born April 27, 1994 in Oslo) is a Norwegian author, formation on the identity, position, and course of the raised in multicultural neighborhood of Oslo, Groruddalen. ships, but can be switched off or falsified by the ships themselves. In this way, the new satellite can detect ships She debuted in 2015 with the novel Alle utlendinger har that are actively trying not to be seen. The FFI and the Nor- lukka gardiner (All foreigners has closed curtains). The critically received novel was about the author’s upbringing enwegian Space Centre are currently collaborating on the vironment, the multicultural Romsås. The book- Bok om project, among other things, with an American defense institution. The planned launch of this satellite is in about sorg, which Skarange won the prize for, was published in 2018. She was also awarded with the Bjørnson Scholarship two years from now.—-© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today in 2019 by Den norske bokhandlerforenings. Fall 2020 Kontakt Kontributors:
The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy approved the development plan for the offshore wind project Hywind Tampen in the North Sea. Hywind Tampen is the world’s largest and the first floating Wind Farm. The project is planned to start in 2022. Hywind Tampen is an 88 MW floating wind power project intended to provide electricity for the Snorre and Gullfaks offshore field operations in the Norwegian North Sea. It will be the world’s first floating wind farm to power offshore oil and gas platforms. It will also be the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm and an essential step in industrialising solutions and reducing costs for future offshore wind power projects.
Pastor Schoenknecht Bev Coyveau Kari Diesen-Dahl Karena Dahl Betty Geilen Kay Long Matt Nygaard Lynn SoveMaxson
The wind power solution will help reduce the use of gas turbine power for the Snorre and Gullfaks offshore fields, while also offsetting 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and 14
Our pews may have been empty all summer, but our faith, our hearts, and our spirits are alive and engaged (on Zoom and Facebook). Join us every Sunday at 11a.m.—virtually or (when possible) in church! We look forward to seeing everyone soon.
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BACK PAGE KONTAKT NEWS FLASH! From Hardwood to Holy Communion, It's Been an Epic Summer for Frida and Sunniva Rotheim!
Not only did the whole family don their bunads for the twins' September 6, 2020 Confirmation in Norway, but according to papa, Bengt: "Sunniva has been picked out for the Norwegian National Team in basketball for girls, 15-16 years old. She attended her first training camp with the National Team, also in Oslo. She is a proud member of Minnekirken in Chicago, representing both Oslo and Chicago when playing her game!" This exciting news came on same weekend as she was confirmed in Vestre Aker Church in Oslo (Ullevål)!
