Faith Fostered in Fellowship

What an amazing blessing to have been given this opportunity to engage in fellowship and experience the culture and faith of Iceland. I continue to marvel at how warmly we are welcomed, and the rich hospitality that is a part of the culture here. It did not take more than a few hours to feel at home in this country, and the genuine hospitality we are shown each day makes my heart warm even when the cold wet outside begins to sink a chill in my bones.

Gunnar speaks of his parish, as I believe some have noted below, as the entire community in which the church resides - and not just the small 50 or so who gather on Sunday mornings for worship. Attending worship together is not a strong part of the culture. However, it is not difficult to see the love of God lived out in the daily lives of those whom we meet. Ministry is so strong and vibrant in a variety of ways, whether it is at the Salvation Army day shelter or Gunnar visiting a local bikers club and being asked about doing a blessing for the members.

The sense of care for one another and recognition of the bond among all humanity is stronger here than anywhere else I have traveled. The deep, rich history and connection with the sagas provides a framework for experience that pervades everyday life and greatly impacts the experience of the people. And how cool to live among that? Pastor Gunnar (a different one) was telling us about the stories surrounding what was thought to be a made-up tomb, until they unearthed it when they dug out the foundation for a new church at Skalholdt. How fascinating and wonderful to have a legend you've been hearing about be proven true randomly one day.

Icelandic identity is rich and strong. It comes forth as we sit and listen to the vibrant singing of melody after melody, an endless repertoire of songs that each Icelander knows - ours having been exhausted after a few short minutes. A part of me mourned this lack of shared experience in our own culture back home, while another part of me recalled signing old camp songs on a mission trip while painting houses, and the camaraderie and joy and that it produced. It is a beautiful thing when people can join together in spontaneous song. There are benefits to being a small, united group of people.

Iceland has only ~320,000 people. Reykjavik, the capital city, holds nearly 40% of the population. Thus, when we mentioned seeing a massive strongman wearing a t-shirt walk up beside us to grab a hotdog at the vendor/'best restaurant in all of Iceland' - Gunnar and Thorgrimer knew exactly who we were talking about. And the boys who were throwing stones in church windows until Gunnar's motorcyle buds scared 'em off - his daughter Ana knew them, too. Not only this, but everyone knows their lineage back a thousand years - despite taking the father's last name rather than a family name. Maybe we have a lot of Smiths and Johnsons back home, but Iceland has us beat on Thorssons and Gunnarsons and Jónsdóttirs.

Gracious God, thank you for this opportunity to engage in fellowship here in Iceland. Thank you for the rich heritage and sense of identity in this place, and for encouraging me to reflect upon my own history and connectedness with others, and marvel at the beauty you have bestowed upon your beloved humanity. Thank you for the unity of humankind that is a reality in You. Absolutely beautiful, Lord.