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This summer Karin and I were happy to attend a Sunday service in Vatne
church, Norway, where I worked as the pastor for 13 years before we came to
Minneapolis. I was also invited to give a little temple talk to the
congregation, telling about my work at Mindekirken. I did so, and Karin was also
present, adding the things she is involved in here in our church, such as
quilting, text reading, church coffee maker, and so on. So now Mindekirken has
new friends in Sunnmøre, who know a little bit more about the daily life here in
our church.
After the service, a relatively young man that I had the feeling I had met
before, came up to me, introducing himself as Geir Olav Otterlei. He told me
that he was baptized as a baby in Mindekirken in Minneapolis! That happened on
March 23rd in 1969, and the pastor was Ivar Aus. One of his sponsors was
Mindekirken member Jon Otterlei, the inventor who was pictured in the
Communicator’s May issue this year. Geir Olav’s parents lived in Minneapolis at
the time he was born. But the family moved back to Norway when Geir Olav was
only two years old. So he does not remember anything from his years in
Minneapolis. But he would like to come and visit some day, especially after
getting the fresh information report that Sunday!
Furthermore Geir Olav could tell me the reason why I recognized his face as soon
as I saw him; I had married him and his wife, as a stand-in pastor at their
church. That happened in the summer of 1999, just after I had returned to Norway
from my 3 months in Minnesota, studying at Luther Seminary.
Mr Otterlei also asked me if I had the custom of keeping the manuscript of
wedding speeches. If so, they would very much appreciate having a copy of the
one I delivered to them eight years ago. When I came back to Mindekirken, I
found the manuscript in my files, and I was happy to send a copy to Siv and Geir
Olav. Imagine, a copy of a sermon held in Haram Church in Norway, sent from
Mindekirken’s church office back to Haramsøy…
Let me also take the opportunity, even if it is a bit late, to thank the pastors
who covered the summer at Mindekirken in my absence, Michael Edwins (on-call
pastor), Lloyd Thorsen, Paul Christenson and Lisa Richardson (holding the Sunday
services)!
By the way, since this is a very special issue of the Communicator, I would like
to add that we went by Icelandair through Reykjavik to Norway and back
this summer, a very convenient route. In Reykjavik on my return, as I boarded
the plane, my eyes in a short glimpse caught the name of the aircraft, printed
behind the cockpit: “Leifur Eiriksson”! I found it meaningful to be brought back
to the US by this very first pioneer of ours.
Strange how many connections there are in our lives…
In the next issue of the Communicator I would like to address our connections
from another perspective. This fall we face some challenges in our congregation,
like the damaged church tower, the aging roof, the worn out stove, differing
opinions about he kitchen project, diversities in theological viewpoints. Are
our connections in Christ so strong that we can appreciate each other as
brothers and sisters? I hope the answer is “yes”!
Per Inge Vik
vik@mindekirken.org
Per Inge Vik (left) with Geir Olav Otterlei in Vatne Church, Norway |
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