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EVANGELICALπLUTHERAN

CHURCHOF FINLAND

Real Stories about the Church

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Publisher: Kirkon tiedotuskeskus 2013Graphic design: Tin can Oy, Seija NikkiläPrinter: Unigrafia OyUnigrafia is a Joutsenmerkki-certified printerPhotography:Aarne Ormio: pp 1, 5, 8, 11, 13, 15Juha Eklund: p. 16KUA / Laura Soini: p. 17Markku Pihlaja: p. 2Miika Sirkiä: p. 19Vesa Ranta: pp 1, 7Vilja Tamminen: p. 12Translation: Rupert Moreton

Real Stories about the Church

EVANGELICALπLUTHERAN

CHURCHOF FINLAND

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There were a handful of us in the church. It was a Sunday during the summer holidays. Each of ussat alone, separately contem-plating his or her own life, with serious, introspective faces. The service went on as services do. The singing was lukewarm and slow; it sounded tired.

The vicar climbed into the pulpit. Just as he was beginning his sermon, a little bird flitted through the arches. It had prob-ably strayed inside at the end of a summer Saturday, when it had been pecking at the rice thrown at the bride and groom at the doors of the church. The bird settled on the edge of the pulpit and began to chirp.

Throughout the sermon it sang clearly next to the vicar. At the end of the sermon, the bird flew to the top of the hymnboard and silently watched from it as we knelt at the altar rails. As we left the church, we smiled at each other as if some weight had been taken from us. Our hearts sang within us.

Kari, Archbishop, Turku3

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The Christian church has always been involved in the turning points of people’s lives. Parents and godparents seek God’s blessing on a child in baptism, marriage is solemnised before the congregation, and at the end of a loved one’s life, consola-tion is sought in the promise of eternal life.

Our common prayer brings the sacred into the important moments of a person’s life. For example, a church worker might be asked to attend a housewarming party to bless a new home and its occupants. Just as easily, the housewarm-ers may have a moment of prayer amongst themselves.

The foundation of the Christian life is baptism, which unites our humanity with God. Through baptism a person becomes a child of God. He or she becomes a member of a parish and joins in the task of building a community that pledges itself to the promotion of goodness. Baptized parish members make small but significant things possible in the daily life of the parish.

Special Occasions Call to Mind God’s Blessing

At the end of 2012, 76.4% of Finns belonged to the Evan-gelical Lutheran Church. The Church baptized three in every four children, and married every second couple.

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Dear friend of children all,Look down on me, so small.No matter where I am,you love me as a lamb.And through all my earthly tests,my soul in your love rests.

Hymn 492from Finnish words by Lauri Pohjanpää

I wanted my children to be bap-tized, because it’s what Christian parents ought to do. And bap-tism is a gift for children. We are wise parents, but we still need the help and support of God in raising our children. Each of our children also has a Burmese name. So when they are adults, they’ll know about the culture and background they came from.

We celebrated our youngest son’s christening at the same time as the birthdays of other members of the family, and the pastor blessed the birthday he-roes too. It’s a tradition in Burma. Why, life is a gift from God! My husband laughed, because he’d never celebrated a birthday party with a pastor before.

It’s truly a great gift that a pastor can come to a family celebration for free. I’m happy to pay churchtax!

Zar Zar, Espoo

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God is present in every moment, but people need a distinc-tion between the everyday and the sacred. Our busy lives are eased when we have a place set aside from our daily routine for encounter with the sacred and for times of stillness. Wor-ship, the regular gathering of the congregation, is the very heart of the church’s life. Scriptural texts, our prayer together and music, along with the celebration of Holy Communion, give us strength for the week.

One person may go to church for a quarter of an hour on a week-night, for someone else the main Sunday morning service is the important thing. A third may grasp the church’s door handle once or twice a year. There’s lots to choose from what parishes have to offer, whether it is silence, singing to-gether or the beat of heavy metal that inspires a person most.

Everyone who takes their place in the pew builds community. Worship affords the opportunity to serve others. There are many tasks volunteers are welcome to undertake.

For where two or threeare gathered in my name,I am there among them.

Matthew 18.20 (NRSV)

Worship Provides a Pause at the Heart of Every Day

In 2012, on average 85 peopleparticipated in each service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.The total number of worshipperswas more than 6 200 000.

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Last year at the tea after the Thomas Mass I was asked to take the collection at the next service. That’s how it all start-ed! Now I’m involved in a vari-ety of tasks: setting up prayer altars, making visitors welcome, washing the communion vessels, singing in the choir, leading the intercessions...

Thirty or forty people of all ages help with every Thomas Mass. Some people remember me from the time I used to go to church with my parents. Now I’ve become part of a group in my own right, I’ve found my role and I’ve got to know people better.

I may soon be moving to Helsinki to study. I’m definitely going to be looking for a com-munity where I can be involved in putting on worship. I don’t think I can ever go back to sitting silently in the pews.

Andreas, Tampere

Children are welcome to bring their favourite toys to the family service at Oulu’s Karjasilta parish.7

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Music is part of God’s creation. Through music, the church com-municates the Gospel and assists the congregation to give thanks and to pray. And in a choir you can develop your interest and talent in music.

Music brings together people of different ages and cultures. Mu-sic can assist us to participate, to be creative, to interpret. Music is like an icon, a door to what lies beyond, a window to heaven.

The furnishings, artefacts and visual art of churches are an essen-tial part of Finnish cultural heritage. Parishes conserve this sacred heritage and hand it on to the next generation.

There are about 800 churches in Finland, of which 580 are protected structures. The church is often the most valuable and cherished building in its locality. In church you can keep silence and pray, or take pleasure in the stillness and beauty of the building.

It is rare for new churches to be built now. A fresh expression of ecclesiastical architectural culture can be found in the chapel of Kamppi, completed in the spring of 2012. It is a place of silence, built in Finnish timber, on Helsinki’s Narinkkatori. If the visitor wishes, he or she can meet parish and municipal social workers in the ecumenical chapel.

In 2012, there were 1287 music groups working in the parishes. They had 16 277 members. There were 1994 choirs with 33 380 members.The oldest preserved churches are to be found on the Åland Islands. Built from grey stone, they date from the 13th and 14th centuries. About ten new churches have been completed since the begin-ning of the millennium.

The Church Supports Culture

Kamppi Chapel is located in the heart of Helsinki.

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We were told about the Vox Edeni choir at confirmation camp leader training. My friend said that itsounded fun, we should go and give it a try. It seemed like a really nice idea, because I like singinga lot. Then it became my thing.

I thought it was really cool that when you were new they were all so friendly. We know how to takethings seriously, but it’s really relaxed, and everyone finds it easy to join in.

Henna, Espoo

Sing of the Maker’s glorywith songs of grateful praise,who unfolds a wondrous storyand keeps us all our days!

Hymn 462after Aukusti Waldemar Koskimies

Sing of the Maker’s glorywith songs of grateful praise,who unfolds a wondrous storyand keeps us all our days!

Hymn 462after Aukusti Waldemar Koskimies 9

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Work among children and young people is a visible feature of the working day of every parish. The church’s youth work is founded on the right of every child and young person to meet with the joy of success and to be supported in their growth on the basis of the gifts received in creation.

There is no one way to grow up. There are no ready-made answers, nor do the questions always come easily. The most important thing is that everyone has an opportunity to meet and to chat. Even difficult issues can be discussed with a skilled youth worker.

Every young person is welcome in parishes and Christian organisations just as they are. There are no entrance exams or qualifying rounds, and no one gets voted off. The best remedy for loneliness and a sense of helplessness is a safe community.

The church collaborates with the school, the municipality and with families. In addition to traditional camps and youth nights, the church is available at festivals and on Facebook, doing theatre, repairing cars, building a better world...

Young People Grow Up as Part of the Parish

In 2012, more than 140 000 children and young people took part in group activities organised by the church.Parishes organised more than 6000 camps for children and young peopleand tens of thousands of other events.85.6% of Finns take part in confirma-tion preparation.

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But the Lord said to me,‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”;for you shall go to all to whom I send you,and you shall speak whatever I command you.Do not be afraid of them,for I am with you to deliver you,says the Lord.’

Jeremiah 1.7-8 (NRSV)

Many people have a completely false impression of what the church does. They think it’s just sitting around in a candlelit circle and praying. They’d think differently if they knew that we even put together plays about school graduation cruises. We spend more time here thinking about life in general than we do thinking about Jesus.

You can be free here, you don’t need to spend the whole time worrying about what your hair looks like, or if you’re attractive. And when you do drama, you lose all sense of time. We have a kind of exercise where you make a bridge between two people, and you could just do that one for ever. In the crowd at church no one looks down their noses at each other. We’re all in the same boat, and bailing the water out with the same bucket!

Maria, Mila, Niklas and Sere,Hyvinkää

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The church’s diaconal work is founded on grace and neighbour-ly love. Anyone in need of help may discuss their concerns in strictest confidence with a diaconal worker or participate in the activities of various peer groups. Parishes also offer con-crete aid in the form of food packages and so on.

The aim of the parishes’ diaconal work is to assist people, to increase their resources and to strengthen the sense of commu-nity. This work is done in collaboration with municipalities and local organisations.

The church participates in public debate, and addresses sensi-tive issues that arise in the course of its diaconal work, such as growing income and health inequality. In 2012, the church’s rejection of marginalisation was exemplified by its network ’Who Listens to the Poor?’ (Kuka kuuntelee köyhää) and the ’Now that’s the Spirit!’ (Nyt on henki päällä) tour, among other initiatives.

Volunteers are also needed in diaconal work. A volunteer might befriend a lonely neighbour or become a group lead-er, work as a seller in a flea market, or deliver a longed-for Christmas gift to a child from a needy family. Many do their bit as collectors for or donors to the Common Responsibility Campaign. You can either commit as a volunteer for a longer period, or you can be involved in a single event.

On earth breaks forth God’s heavenand weak ones shall be strong,the sick one heal the whole one,the helped help helper long.

Hymn 428after Anna-Maija Raittila

Diaconal Work Helps in Many Ways

Diaconal workers had more than 634 000 client contacts in 2012.More than 30 000 volunteers assisted with diaconal work. Parishes allocated €7.4 million in financial assistance and distributed more than 100 000 food packages.

The church comforts the lonely.

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Two years ago my life was turned upside down. My daughter Milla was diagnosed with kidney cancer. And a year of painful treatments began.

To begin with, I was Milla’s primary caregiver, and then I had to go on sick leave myself. As a single mother with three children, I don’t know how I would have survived without the help of loved ones and the parish. The deaconess gave me food vouchers, she listened to me and she understood.

Last Christmas, Milla received a gift from an anonymous do-nor to the parishes’ Christmascollection. There’s goodness in the world, people who want to help. When Milla is asleep and I stroke her newly growing hair, I am happy that there is hope.

Janina, Vantaa

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The church’s family counselling service assists and supports couples and families in their problems and life crises. Family counselling is one of the most popular of the services devel-oped by the church in the post-war years. Today the demand for family counselling services exceeds supply.

At a consultation, a client may discuss in confidence exactly what’s bothering them. Those seeking help don’t have to be members of the church, and the service is free of charge. In family counselling work the protection of the interests of the child is essential.

In addition to couple therapy, family counselling centres organise group sessions and collaborate with other family support agencies. Alongside traditional practices, new meth-ods are continually being developed. For example, on the City.fi website church family counsellors help people to work through their problems on the ’Relationship Clinic’ page.

Family Counselling Supports Couples

In 2012, there were 42 family counselling centres. They were visited by a total of 16 500 clients, of which 42% were men.

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We knew the church had a family counselling service, and we found the contact details on the net.At the time, we were close to getting a divorce. A week went by, and then we were told that we had been admitted to a counsel-ling programme. Perhaps we got in quicker because we had an adolescent child.

Our discussions have changed our perspective. We had more than a year’s time-out to weigh thingsup and evaluate them from different angles. Now, at least we know we’ve put some effort into the relationship. You know you’re not throwing in the towel imme-diately.

We feel we’ve been helped, and we’re still going to family counsel-ling. The advice is professional,and you approach the issues from many directions. It really helps to get advice from an objectiveperson we’ve come to trust.

Tomi and Eeva, Vantaa

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three;and the greatest of these is love.

1 Cor. 13.13 (NRSV)

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland works all over the world. On holiday, people may become acquainted with ecumenism in expatriate congregations, and in their own home parish they may get involved in mission work. People from all over the world participate in parish work.

For many people living abroad the expatriate congregation offers important contact with other Finns. Church workers as well as volunteers in these congregations and seafarer’s churches assist in difficult situations, and they also facilitate finding a place in the church of the new country of residence.

Friendship parish activities introduce people to another country’s culture, church life and parishioners. Most Finnish friendship parishes are in Ingria (Russia) and Estonia, but there are also links with Hungary, Sweden, the United States and Germany.

It is part of the core mission of the church to proclaim the love of God and the saving work of Christ, as well as offering service to our fellow human beings all over the world. Seven mission organisations undertake the mission work of the church. Finn Church Aid specialises in international diaconal work.

The Church Does Inter-national Work both at Home and Abroad

There are 1.4 million Finnsliving outside Finland.140 church workers in 40 countries work among Finnish expatriates.

The Church is a gathering placefor Finns abroad.

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Mission work and international diaconal work have always been natural, everyday things for me. As a child, I used to write letters to my cousins in Nepal, where they lived with their parents, who were mis-sionaries. And since I too have been in Nepal as a trainee, I know that missionaries are justordinary Christians dealing with the same challenges and joys as anyone else.

I’ve decided to get involved in mission work, because I think it’s important. As Christians, it is our responsibility to work for peace and to help those in need.

There’s a lot of unimaginable suffering in the world, and sometimes you become desen-sitised to it. But if we can help someone just as we would help a friend or relative in Finland – that’s a great thing.

Mikaela, Helsinki

Finn Church Aid improves the livelihood of the poor in Nepal.17

We shall give praise to you O Christwith all claimed by your sacrifice -from south and north and east and westwe’ll sing God’s glory without rest.

Hymn 326after Laurentinus Paulinus Gothus

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The Saami are the indigenous people of Finland. In Lapland, which is home to the Saami, weddings, funerals and the other ceremonies of the church are offered in the Saami language. Once a year, a Saami-language confirmation camp is organ-ised in Utsjoki.

Most Saami live outside their homeland. The aim of the church’s Saami work is to offer worship in Saami throughout the country. But currently there is a shortage of Saami-speak-ing workers.

The church has translated written resources into Saami. The most recent translations – the Catechism in Northern Saami and Kauneimmat Joululaulut (a volume of Christmas carols) – were published in 2012.

Community Is Important to the Saami

There are about 9000 Saami in Fin-land. Five clergy work in the Saami language. Most Northern and Inari Saami belong to the Evangelical Lut-heran Church, while most Skolt Saami are members of the Orthodox Church.

In my childhood in Nellim, we used to be brought to specially organised diaconal meetings inpeople’s homes. The coffee table would be nicely ar-ranged, and everyone would bring socks they had knitted to be sold there. A pastor who knew the Inari Saami language would come. We would sing hymns, and the pastor would lead us in a short time of prayer. Everyone would have a smile on their face. It brings back warm memories for me.

Now I lead the courses held in the Inari language, where we practise singing hymns and other songs. Many don’t know them in Inari. It is important to the community to worship in Inari, because speakers live far apart from each other. I long for a place where we can gather together. Teija, Inari

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Above the fellblue light blendsinto the horizon of the wilderness.Dwarf birch’s mean handbreaks water’s skin,its shadow small on the stream’s yellow sand.Your facein this light, dappled, your feet on the water, poised.The veil is but thin -were I to see it allI should be blind.My faithhangs on the horizon of the wilderness,in cloud and willow’s shade.

Niilo Rauhala

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