Issue 1, Volume 4

Trans - European D iv i s ion newsletter

Church of refuge

AALBORG ADVENTIST CHURCH – A CHURCH OF REFUGE, A CHURCH OF HOPE

A n n a C o j a n

Aalborg Seventh Day Adventist church is a very active church in the heart of a town with people who need acceptance and a family’s warm touch. The Adventists here focus all their efforts in making the church a home where everyone can come regardless of the circumstances. The small community in Aalborg has been a church of refuge long before its members were familiar with the term “CORe church”.

The church acts like a family, sharing experiences, getting to know each other better, and making an effort to get everyone together at least once a week at the service and have lunch in the back room of the church. Often the members organize outdoors activities for everyone and include activities like riding a sleigh in the winter, or having a picnic at the beach in summer.

One of the important projects the Aalborg church has been investing effort and prayers into is the youth association known as AUF (Aalborg Ungdoms Forening), which at the moment has contact with about 20-30 people, a Facebook group, and lots of activities meant to provide young people with social and spiritual guidance. The AUF members are young people who are interested in doing something positive for their town. As a result, the group has been actively developing projects like: “Natkirke” - a church evening were people are offered, besides hot beverages, a place to meditate and rethink life; “Youth Sabbath”, and of course regular meetings with the group members and their friends for fellowship.

The “Natkirke” or “Evening Church” took place during spring last year. On a warm Friday evening the church’s doors were opened wide till late in the evening with music coming from inside. Invitations to the event were spread in Aalborg the week before and people had the chance to meet the Adventists in a friendly environment. “Youth Sabbath” is usually held once a month and young people are responsible for the service, the local band offers an inspiring worship and of course “church tea” together afterwards.

On the AUF list of activities are visits to church members and families, social evenings both indoors and outdoors for different group activities. The group meets once every two weeks, sometimes for no other reason than to have some cake together and listen to each others thoughts. One of the advantages of having a Facebook page is the possibility to keep track of everyone, and keep people close no matter where they are. Aalborg is a small student city, both Danish and international, and so it is common that people come and go, but through this media we can be sure that we keep in touch with our friends no matter where they are.

The AUF group is thankful for the churches support and for the fact that we, the young people, are taken seriously. The elders ask for our help and advice in the matters of church development and we have a youth elder who is always available to offer any kind of help and to represent the interests of the youth. We thank God for this opportunity of coming together as a second family.

In this issue

Aalborg—a

church of Hope 1

CORe training

in Norway 2

Events 2

A production of the

Trans-European Division Youth Department

119 St Peter’s Street

St Albans AL3 1EY

England, UK

www.churchofrefuge.eu

CORe TRAINING IN NORWAY

Five churches were represented at the recent CORe training event at Generall Hotel, close to Tyrifjord, which is about one hour north of Oslo. During the weekend, the 23/24 March, Betel (Central Oslo), Grenland and Mjøndalen churches were represented at a CORe event for the very first time, while Cornelius and Kristiansand, two of our pilot churches of refuge were there to evaluate and to help with the presentations together with Victor Marley from the Norwegian Union and Paul Tompkins from the Trans-European Division.

The Grenland team had a particularly strong representation and were very excited to learn about the CORe values which fit very nicely with the direction the church has been wanting to go.

Arne Pastor, the church pastor, noted how CORe articulated much of what the church had already begun to talk about together and gave them a framework on which to build. As a result of the weekend Grenland will now be listed as a CORE church with green status.

The CORe criteria were presented via the website – with the Norwegian translation - and also using training manuals. As a result of feedback at the end of the weekend, the training manuals are now being translated into Norwegian so that they can also be used in local church settings. Some other key points that were shared in the various presentations were:

The whole church needs to know that they are a CORe

church – not just the leader group (Cornelius presentation)

It is important that youth know the principles – not just the name. (Kristiansand presentation)

Youth need to know that a CORe church is a safe place for young people. (Kristiansand presentation.)

Victor Marley commented at the close of the weekend that, “In Norway we are taking things step by step, working with the churches who show an interest and commitment to young people. The Norwegian Union is very committed to CORe because our Union Session asked us specifically to focus on youth retention as a priority. As more churches come on board, the more we will see young people being brought into church leadership and shaping church culture. This has got to be good for both retention of young people and church growth as we become an organization shaped by today’s generation”.

CORe One Day Summit

Sunday 4th November 2012 in Denmark

following the One Project. More details will follow.

Grenland team working on their strategy

Victor Marley presenting the CORe values

Gry Beate Marley and Sissel Brekke from Cornelius present their experience of being a CORe church