Mindekirken July-August 2017

COMMUNICATOR No. 162 Newsletter of the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church - ELCA

The Communicator is published monthly (except for August) by the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church 924 East 21st Street, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 www.mindekirken.org Office (612) 874-0716

Norway’s “Got Talent” 2017 Winners Music & Dance Group “Tinndølan” at Mindekirken Sun., July 30

Join us for a Folkemusikkmesse (folk music worship) on Sun., July 30 (Olsok) for the 11 a.m. Norwegian wor-ship service. This award-winning group of Norwegian youth will participate in the service, and offer a pro-gram of dance and music following the coffee hour. Immediately after the service in the sanctuary there will be a brief new release of the photo booklet “The Stained Glass Windows of Mindekirken” with text by Gracia Grindal and Paul Ofstedal. See more on page 3.

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From the Summer Pastor: Belonging, and one foot on each continent

I remember well returning to Norway after several years of student life in the States. It was 1993 and I had learned to love “everything” about America; the tasty burgers, the highway driv-ing, the small-talk gatherings and the four-part hymn singing. All the same, I longed for home and could feel quite sentimental about songs like “Nidelven stille”, not to say “Norge, mitt Norge”. I had a hard time leav-ing, but also couldn´t stay. I loved where I was and missed where I was not. It was indeed a one-foot-on-each-continent ex-perience. Where do I belong? The question has not only to do with deciding on which continent to live. In so many ways, life is a long search for places to belong and people to belong to. As chil-dren, we depend on belonging in someone’s loving arms. In school, finding friends seems determinative for everything. As we grow up, we long for com-panionship and mutuality, peo-

Hope starts with food. Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) is a Christian non-profit that provides nutritionally complete meals specifically formulated for malnourished children. There are three ways you can support this popular mission:

1) earmark part of your of-fering to Mission of the Month

2) shop for FMSC Market-place fair trade products dur-ing church coffee hour on se-lect Sundays in June and July

3) participate in a food pack-ing event

Mindekirken members, friends, families and Tuesday Open House attendees are all invited to volunteer for a fun hands-on food-packing event. We will be working together adding dry ingredients into bags which will be shipped through-out the world for those in need. The first food-packing event will be held at the FMSC Eagan location from 12- 2 pm on Tues., July 18. Our August date will be Friday the 11th, time and site TBD. You must pre-register no later than 2 days before the events. Send an email to the church office to register.

Mission of the Month Feed My Starving Children

ple to share with and someone to laugh with. Sometimes, however, life does give us one-foot-on-each-continent experiences; we may live well where we are but still miss someone – somewhere – to belong. I think of Mindekirken as a place for belonging. One could almost say it bridges the gap be-tween continents! With foods and hymns and rosemaling from Nor-way, Norway it is! With the in-troducing of guests at the good and long church coffees, and the selection of chips and baby car-rots along with the sandwiches, we are also in America. Per Dag, Josefine, Johannes and I feel very fortunate that we will again be able to stand with both and all feet in Mindekirken - in America, and also at home. And at home in a particular way, of course. “Vi kommer til din kirke, Gud, din dør er alltid åpen,” starts one of the hymns in the newest Norwegian hymnal: “We are coming to your church, o God, your door is always

open.” God is not about to be left behind when we travel or move or changes happen in our lives. The house of God is always a place to belong, the church a visible sign of God´s presence among us.

A presence with roof, and walls and fellowship and even food. Thank you for your always open Mindekirken-doors and for being a place for belonging! Jorunn Raddum

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11 a.m. Worship

Olsok is the commemora-

tion of the death of King Olav Haraldsson during the battle of Stiklestad on July 29, 1030. Attacked by an army of peasants from Trøndelag who opposed Olav's reassuming his royal pre-rogatives over Norway, Olav per-ished when one warrior cut off his leg with an axe, another pierced his chest with a sword, and another cut his neck with an axe. His body was brought for burial to the place where Nidaros cathedral in Trondheim now stands. In death, Olav persuaded the entire country to convert to Christianity. His body, even af-ter a month, remained fresh and those who approached it were healed of various diseases. This made him a clear candidate for sainthood which occurred in 1031. Olav's martyrdom as a Christian lived in the memory of Norwegians who have since used the two axes around the cross as the emblem of the Norwegian church. Mindekirken will remember this day by hosting the Tinn-dølen folk dancers and kick off the appearance of the new book of the stained glass windows in the church. Tinndølen will sing Norwe-gian folk hymns during the 11 a.m.service, and then be dis-missed for their lunch as the con-gregation remains in the sanctu-ary to observe the kick off of the new booklet. After a brief intro-duction of the bookby Gracia Grindal, the congregation will retire to the fellowship hall for Kirkekaffe while the dancers set up a space for their performance, either in the Fellowship Hall or the parking lot. Ice cream will be served during the dancing which will begin at 1:00 p.m.

At 12 p.m., “The Stained Glass Windows of Mindekirken.”

immediately following the 11 a.m. Norwegian Folk music wor-ship in the sanctuary, Gracia Grindal will introduce the new color booklet The photos are by Jerry Mathieson, with graphic design by Tom Maakestad. Written by Gracia Grindal and Paul Ofste-dal, the text leads the reader through the New Testament sto-ries and symbolism in Minde-kirken’s magnificent windows, which were made when the church was built in 1929. Booklets will be available for $10 each, and signed copies may be requested.

Tinndølan Performance at 1 p.m. Tinndølan is a folk music group from Tinn in Telemark, Norway, consisting of youth and young adults, performing Norwegian folk song (kveding), folk music as well as dance. Tinndølan be-came well known to all of Nor-way when they made it to the final of the popular TV contest "Norske Talenter 2017". Several members of the group have a high ranking in national contests for folk music and dance, and is a well renowned group in the Norwegian folk music milieu.

“As a group we perform at sev-eral local events, as well as al-most each individual is actively

participating in kappleiks” (competitions) Our intention is to keep our traditions alive so the next generation can experience the joy and value of our cultural heritage. We are also involved in teaching dance, song and fiddle

to big groups of children. “

Throughout the country there are several of these local groups. The national organiza-tion called “FolkOrg” awarded the “Organization of the Year” to Tinndølan’s parent organiza-tion Tinn Spelemannslag in 2016 for development of the folk mu-sic and folk dance culture in the local area.

Olsok Celebration on Sun., July 30 at Mindekirken with 3 Events

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Tuesday Open House Summer Special on July 25, 11 a.m.

Women of the ELCA Tenth Triennial Gathering

in Minneapolis “All Anew”

Women of the ELCA will be meeting in Minneapolis this sum-mer for the Tenth Triennial Gath-ering which will be held July 13-16, 2017, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. "All Anew" is the theme. Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Elizabeth Eaton, will lead the opening worship at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 13, and closing worship at 9 a.m. Sunday, July 16 . Both services are open to the public. Seating is subject to avail-ability. Day registration—either Friday, July 14, or Saturday, July 15—at the triennial gathering is $175. One-day registration gives you plenary sessions, including music and speakers, workshops and servant events, and full access to all the exhibitors and vendors. It also offers you fellowship with 2,500-3,000 other women of faith. Visit www.welcatg.org under the registration tab to learn more.

On the 25th of July we will have a special program given by Pr. Jorunn Raddum.

As you may recall, Pr. Jorunn Raddum resided in the Twin Cities for two years and is an associate member of Mindekirken. This summer she will be in Minnesota with her husband Per Dag Hole and two young children. Mindekirken will be privileged as she will be our vol-unteer pastor for the summer. Pr. Raddum will present a program about church activities in Norway.

Lunch is available 11—11:30 a.m. 11:45 Announcements and Devotions

12:00—1:00 p.m. Program— “The Church in Norway” A $7 donation per attendee is received at the door

John Hegge Memorial Charlotte Breivik Harriet Broin Marie & Lee Brown Magne & Cindy Hatlevik Rodger & Beatrice Hole Inez Jukulen Marit & Orlyn Kringstad Kristine Rafshol Kathy & Hans Sandom Marilyn Starr Mary Jo Thorsheim

Aase Mathiesen Memorial Aina Kretchman

Aileen Torrence Memorial Harriet Broin Mary Martin

Special Gifts to Klubb 500, Mindekirken Foundation January 2016 through May 2017

Save the Date! Sun., Sept.17 1:00 p.m. at Mindekirken: Estate Strategy Essentials Semi-nar with Attorney, Laurie Han-son (Long, Reher, Hanson and Price, P.A.) and Financial Asso-ciate, Ann Kirchner with Thrivent Financial. Details to follow closer to the event date, but please plan to attend.

Klubb 500 continues to be the fund raising arm of the Mindekirken Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to raise and administer funds in support of Mindekirken, separate from the church’s general operating budget. Each year the foundation sponsors a grant program based on earnings from its investments. The accompanying listing acknowledges those who have chosen to support Klubb 500 through memorials and honorariums. Gratitude should be also be expressed to many others who continue their support to Klubb 500 or the Foundation directly. The original membership program was a pledge of $100 per year for 5 years. A number of members have continued with an annual donation. Not a member? Call the church office at (612) 874-0716 or e-mail Foundation@mindekirken.org.

The future of Mindekirken

can be strengthened by your participation.

Elaine Graham Memorial Harriet Broin Charles F. Graham In Honor of Ruth Lyngaas 80th Birthday Kristine Rafshol In Honor of Harriet Broin’s 90th Birthday George & Leslee Hoyum 100th Anniversary History Book Nancy Olson & Lowell Edlund

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WILLIAM K. WANGENSTEEN ATTORNEY AT LAW

900 EAST WAYZATA BOULEVARD • SUITE 110 WAYZATA, MINNESOTA 55391

Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Real Estate Telephone FAX

(952) 473-0130 (952) 473-3219 EMAIL: wangen900@qwestoffice.net

Thurs., July 6 11 a.m. Ingebretsen’s waffle lunch $7.55 12:00 p.m. program “A Norwegian/American Indian Connection” presented by Rev. Doyle Turner, Episco-pal Priest and former Chief of the White Earth Reservation , and Mary Martha Turner, a descendant of the 3rd Lutheran Bishop of Stavanger—called “Norway’s Luther” 1535-1604. RSVP to Arlene Wilson 952-922-5384

Thurs., July 13 11 a.m. Ingebretsen’s waffle lunch $7.55 12:00 p.m. program “The Life of Norway’s Most Famous Artist: Edvard Munch”, Happier paintings like “The Sun” and “Girls on the Bridge” (pictured here) will be featured, but we’ll also analyze “The Scream” and “Melancholy”. Update: The latest news about the new Munch Museum in Oslo. presented by Mary Jo Thorsheim, Ph. D. RSVP to Arlene Wilson 952-922-5384 Thurs., Aug. 3 11 a.m. Ingebretsen’s waffle lunch $7.55 12:00 p.m. program “Tell Us About Your Interesting or Famous Nordic Ancestors”. Included will be the two famous viking kings—Olav I Trygvason—ruling Norway 995-1000 and was probably the most reknowned Viking of his age, and Olav II Haraldsson—Saint Olav. Please RSVP to Arlene Wilson 952-922-5384 in order to be included—there will be time for just a few.

New this Summer at Norway House: Thursday Open House!

Norway House is located at 913 E. Franklin, across the parking lot from Mindekirken in the blue brick building.

Concert Wed.,

August 9 6 p.m.

at Norway House in the

galleri

Bjørn Bolstad Skjelbred Quintet for Flutes World Premiere

THE NORWEGIAN FLUTE QUINTET 5 PÅ TVERS

$5 dollar suggested donation.

Munch self-portrait

Thank you to these business sponsors below for your support!

Den Norske Lutherske Mindekirke, ELCA 924 E 21st St., Mpls MN 55404-2952

(Located 1 block south of E. Franklin & 10th Ave. S.) office phone: (612) 874-0716 E-mail: office@mindekirken.org

Web page: www.mindekirken.org

Pastor: Jorunn Raddum will be acting pastor June 18—Aug. 27

Office Secretary: Kaia Knutson office@mindekirken.org Open Office hours: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tues - Fri Kaia will be out of the office July 10-14

Bookkeeper: Herb Nelson bookkeeper@mindekirken.org

Choir Director: John De Haan choirdirector@mindekirken.org

Organist: Jessica Schroeder organist@mindekirken.org Custodian: Joe Jensen, Jr. Kitchen Coordinator: Terry Parker kitchen@mindekirken.org

Tuesday Open House chair: Marilyn Sorensen

Communicator Staff: Kaia Knutson Deadline: 15th of August for September issue

No subscription fee – suggested $25 per year supported by your donations.

Executive Committee 2017: President: Gracia Grindal Vice President: Jeannette Henrikssen Secretary: Mandi Kay Berndt Treasurer: Erik Pratt Chair of Deacons: Harald Huglen Chair of Trustees: Bob Worrall

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MNLCP programming is wind-ing down for summer and will be back in full swing in the fall. In the meantime, mark your calen-dars and consider joining us for one or more Sommer samtal-estunder!

The Communicator is posted in full color on the church website www.mindekirken.org (News & Media tab)

Sign up on-line to receive a weekly schedule and updates by e-mail, for free.

SOMMER SAMTALESTUNDER Samtalestunder (conversation sessions) provide learners of all levels with opportunities to inter-act på norsk in fun and meaning-ful ways. Participants will ex-plore the theme sommerferie and sessions will be designed using a theme-based, immersion style learning approach that challenges participants to boost their speak-ing and listening skills. Learners of all levels welcome!

Wednesdays 6 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. July 12, July 26, August 9, August 23 Instructors: Sessions will be facilitated by a variety of MNLCP instructors!

Cost: $70 for four, two-hour ses-sions or $20 for individual ses-sions Fall classes will kick off on Saturday, September 9, 2017. Vil du lære norsk? Learn more about our program and register online for classes at http://www.mnlcp.org Liker du MNLCP og det vi står for? Become our fan on Facebook. We always welcome new students regardless of your prior knowledge or experiences.

Velkommen skal du være! Krista Marie Schweppe Program Administrator norsk@mnlcp.org

Note from the Trustees:

I would like to thank mem-bers and friends of the congrega-tion who gave generously to help the Kitchen Committee toward making some needed equipment improvements. Also we very much appreciate the generosity of our friends in the Tuesday Open House program who donated the majority of the funds for these upgrades. The result will be more a reliable and user-friendly kitchen that will make volunteers and staff feel even more welcome and efficient. On that subject, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities of every sort at church. Even sharing a little bit of time now and then makes a wonderful dif-ference for you, for the other vol-unteers and especially for those on the receiving end of your ef-fort. Pastor Sundt did a lot of behind the scenes work and her absence has created many oppor-tunities to help in the office, visit-ation and lay ministry. Please contact Kaia in the church office or anyone on the Board of Deacons to find out some ways a little of your time could make a big difference. With thanks for you! - Bob Worrall, Board of Trustees

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From the President: Greetings in Jesus’ Name!

Welcome to Pastor Jo-runn Raddum who by the time you read this will have been with us for a couple of weeks. She arrived from Norway on June 16 and has since assumed pastoral leadership in the congregation. For that we are most grateful and welcome her with open arms. She is well known to many of us already. She studied at Luther Seminary in church music and later took a sabbatical from her pastoral duties in Norway for a year. During that time she and her family attended Mindekirken and she frequently assisted Pas-tor Sundt by leading services and preaching. So a warm welcome! And thanks!

This Communicator co-vers the activities of the congre-gation for two months. Those two months will be busy for us. Activities will continue at the typical slower rate that summer brings, although the congrega-tional leaders will be busy. We are grateful for those who are helping us with our pastoral needs in the absence of a regular pastor. Thanks to Tim Peterson for his preaching in late May and June, and to Kristofer Coffman for his help with Sunday services as well. He has also agreed to help with pastoral care needs that occur when Pastor Raddum can-not attend to them. If you know of anyone or you yourself who

needs pastoral care, someone in a hospital or re-hab center, please call the church office and our secretary Kaia Knutson will see that someone will attend to them.

During this time, the congregational leadership is working hard to see that the con-gregation continues to function efficiently and well. At its last meeting, the council heard from the Call Committee which has begun to advertise on line and in Norwegian newspapers for a new pastor. In the meantime, the Executive Committee is working to assure we have a suitable in-terim pastor who can serve the congregation. By the time you receive this, it is likely we will be able to announce who the in-terim pastor will be.

In addition, the Congre-gational council approved a quar-ter time position for a Faith For-mation minister who would teach Sunday School, coordinate with the pastor ways to make the 9:00 service more family oriented, as well as help with the production of other events such as the Bible play where children learn to sing and hear Norwegian songs and hymns. We are looking forward

to this new venture with prayerful anticipation. The congregation has to steward its work with the children in the Norwegian Amer-ican community so that they can learn to love Mindekirken in their youth and take care of it as they grow older.

We will celebrate the tra-dition of the congregation on Olsok, July 30, with a brief time of celebration in the sanctuary before kirkekaffe that the new book on the stained glass win-dows has been published and will be for sale at $10 a copy. Paul Ofstedal and I wrote the text, Pastor Kristin Sundt and Darlene Nordos helped with the proof-reading and looks of the booklet, ably designed by Tom Maakestad and supported by gifts from the Mindekirken Foundation and Bill Wangensteen.

Finally, in this time of waiting for a new pastor, we are asking the congregation to pray without ceasing that God will send us a pastor of his own choosing. Please note what Paul Ofstedal, the chaplain of our call committee, has provided for us to use in our daily devotions. (below left) As Christians we be-lieve God answers prayer and so we invite the entire congregation, its members, associates and friends to join us in prayer.

Thanks, and God be with you wherever your summer plans take you.

Gracia Grindal President

Mindekirken’s Mission Statement:

Mindekirken is called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with

all people,empowering service to others. Mindekirken practices its ministry through Norwegian tra-

ditions, culture and language.

Gracia Grindal

Your Call Committee has carefully crafted informative ads to be pub-lished in the four Friday issues of Vårt Land in June, in both electron-ic and print editions. The ads describe Mindekirken, our Minnesota setting, our challenges and needs based on the self-study in which many of you have expressed yourselves. This is a Call to Prayer at this crucial time when pastors in Norway will be reading about our search for our flock’s next shepherd. We have done what we can; now we commend this to the hands of God. Pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to a person of God’s own choosing, pique their interest and move them also to prayer. Please pray daily, remembering that it is God who calls us to pray, and gives abundant promises to hear with love, with wisdom and with power. Thank you.

2nd Tuesday— July 11 6:00 p.m. Deacons / Trustees 7:10 p.m. Congregation Council Norwegian Language & Culture Classes www.mnlcp.org p. 6 Newsletter Assembly (tentative) by volunteers Thurs., Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. — Please call to confirm this date when the time is closer. Volunteers are appreciated! Join us for an hour or two to help fold and label the September mail-ing. Coffee served—you may bring your lunch. Thanks! The Mindekirken Choir is on summer break

Worship schedule—Everyone is welcome! English transcripts provided for the Norwegian service Other Meetings

July—August 2017

Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church MINDEKIRKEN 924 E 21st St Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952

Find updates on Mindekirken” Facebook page “Like” us!

Nursery care provided during the 11:00 services

Sun., July 2 4 Pentecost Pr. Jorunn Raddum 9:00 a.m. English Worship with Holy Communion 11:00 a.m. Norwegian Worship with Holy Communion Sun., July 9 5 Pentecost Pr. Kristofer Coffman 9:00 a.m. English Worship 11:00 a.m. Norwegian Worship Service / visitors from Østfold Sun., July 16 6 Pentecost Pr. Jorunn Raddum 9:00 a.m. English Worship with Holy Communion 11:00 a.m. Norwegian Worship with Holy Communion Sun. July 23 7 Pentecost Pr. Jorunn Raddum 9:00 a.m. English Worship 11:00 a.m. Norwegian Worship Service / visitors from Norway

Sun. July 30 8 Pentecost Pr. Jorunn Raddum 9:00 a.m. English Worship 11:00 a.m. Norsk Folkemusikk Service with Tinndølan folk musicians (see pp. 1 & 3) 12—12:15 Release of new book “Stained Glass Windows…. 1:00 p.m. Dance Performance by Tinndølan

Velkommen!