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Spring/Summer 1998, Vol. 60, No. 3

Youth and Family Institute
meets church leaders in Norway and Sweden

In May Youth and Family Institute staff members Dr. Dick Hardel, executive director, and Dr. David Anderson, The Child in Our Hands initiative director, were the keynote speakers at a major meeting of the Church of Norway. The conference, "Family and Congregation Hand in Hand: A Strategic Conference on the Family" reflects the current emphasis in Norway to work more closely with families to nurture the faith life in the home.

The conference, held at the Granavolden retreat center, brought together a diverse group of nearly 30 Norwegian church leaders, including theologians, pastors, deacons, educators, researchers and executives from a variety of church organizations. "The diversity of the group says a lot about the value placed on the conference and the scope of the work envisioned by the leadership of the Church of Norway" says Hardel.

A primary goal of the May conference, according to Erling Pettersen, executive director of the National Church Council of the Church of Norway, was to establish a long-term relationship with the Youth and Family Institute in order to assist the leadership of the Church of Norway in further development of their ministry with families. Pettersen believes Norway's strong faith life is due to teaching of the Christian faith in the home through evening prayer, table grace, and the singing of Norwegian Christian folk songs. He sees that tradition in need of support as the church moves into the 21st century. As a former missionary in Brazil and a major contributor to the work of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Pettersen wants the work of the institute to influence not only the Church of Norway, but also the global Lutheran community through LWF.

Oddbjørn Evenshaug, chairperson of the National Church Council of the Church of Norway, the top elected official of the Norwegian Church, was also in attendance at the Family Ministry Conference. He sent a video-taped greeting back to Augsburg College and expressed his deep appreciation for the work of the institute and desire to work with the College and institute in the years ahead.

Anderson traveled on to Lund, Sweden, where he gave three lectures to the seminary students at the Pastoral Institute. His work also included a presentation with the dean of the School of Theology at the University of Lund as well as discussions with leaders from the Lund Diocese and staff from two congregations. Dr. Roland Persson, president of the Pastoral Institute, pledged that his institute would move forward in the ministry outlined by Anderson.

Plans are already underway for Hardel and Anderson to return to Scandinavia. Anderson states, "One sign of the success of our recent trip to Norway and Sweden is that both countries are sending representatives to our Youth and Family Ministry Leadership Conference being held at Augsburg College this July."

David Anderson contributed this article to the Now.

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