May 2002
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Thelma and the old painting On my very first day in the office at Mindekirken, at 10 o’clock on a Tuesday morning a little prayer group gathered in my office. We talked a bit about prayer needs, and read through the texts for the coming Sunday before praying together. This is exactly the same thing we would do in Gjøvik on a Thursday morning. It’s good to begin with praying and reading the Bible, even though the group is small. The text for April the 14th, which we read in the Bible group, was about the two men that went to Emmaus on Easter day. They had heard about the empty tomb, but were still filled with sadness. They had no understanding of the resurrection. Everything was dark. Then Jesus came and went with them. He listened to their grief and sorrow, and then he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. Maybe you remember what happened. Jesus went in to stay by them. When he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he vanished from their sight. I have come to serve as a pastor in Mindekirken. This text says something about what I regard as the most important in the church: To invite Jesus into our fellowship, to let him throw light on the scriptures and break the bread together with us. I’m looking forward to celebrating the Sunday services with you. My first experience in that respect was the last service pastor Ole Amund Gillebo conducted on April the 7th . To see more than 200 people coming forward to the Lord’s supper was moving. The farewell party in the fellowship hall was great proof of the warm fellowship in Mindekirken. It was wonderful. We need the feasts. But most days will be normal days. I have a picture of a normal day on the wall in my office. It shows the two men going to Emmaus, and Jesus walking in the middle of them. We talked about this picture in the prayer group on my first day in the office. I remembered such a picture from the bedehus in my childhood. Thelma said: "I have that picture at home. Actually I have got it here at Mindekirken." A few days later she showed up in my office with the painting. It’s not great art. But it has a story to tell. And it is a good reminder that Jesus walks with us, even if we are not always aware of it. Now the picture is on the wall in pastor’s office in Mindekirken. Thank you, Thelma. And welcome to a talk beneath the picture of the one who walks with us every day till the end of the world.
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The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church · 924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 · (612)874-0716 |