A Visit with the President

After our evening of delightful and insightful conversation at Halldora's home, we all had a chance to get a better night sleep then we had been having the previous few nights. This was  good as we had a fairly busy day on Friday. In the morning we went to Kopavogskirkja where we had breakfast with Pastor Sigurdur Arnarsson. From the pastor and others  affiliated with the parish we learned about how following the financial crisis of 2008 the church was able to not just survive but thrive and continue its work in the area. Especially interesting to hear was from  an older gentleman who shared with us about a weekly program the church holds for senior citizens. It sounded like a wonderful time of fellowship and learning amongst other things. These conversations were followed up by a wonderful lunch there at the church.
We then headed back to Gunnar's so that we could change into more formal attire as we were going to meet the president of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, at the presidential residence Bessastadir. We had a quick review of ettiquette in the car and soon arrived. We were first led to the cloak room and then all signed a guest book before being led into another room. This is where we waited until the president was ready to see us.
After greeting the president and having a few pictures taken went into a library and had tea and coffee with the president. He shared with us about the Church of Iceland and its role in society and how that has shifted some over time. Someone asked a question about the role that religion plays in Icelandic politics being that the church is a state church. It was interesting to find out that unlike in the US, religion is not brought into politics. To parapharse the president,God is not used in Icelandic politics like a football. He said that Icelanders would be surprsed and wonder what had gone wrong with a politician if they started talking like those back in the US. He had very good insights about how Iceland amongst other countries view how religion and scripture are used as a weapon and such inthe politics of a nation that constitutionally has a seperation of church and state. He made good points about how it can (and has in history) lead down a disastorous road.He encouraged us to consider what we learn and observe about the church in Iceland as we continue our time  here and how that differs from what we experience (and many are fed
up with) in the political system back home. Hopefully I'll have more to share with you about that as this journey continues.
God of power, thank you for all that we have learned so far and all that is yet to come. We give thanks for leaders of institutions both small and large who lead with courage and foresight even in difficult times. Amen

Through the wilderness, briefly . . .

As I write this, we’re watching an Icelandic movie at Gunnar’s house. I think it’s about a gang stealing cars, but since the movie is in Icelandic, and I’m writing a blog instead of reading the subtitles, I’m not following it all that well. You had a chance to hear a bit about our travels here from Paul, as well as our trip to Skalholt.  It might be worth mentioning that

Skalholt is the historic cathedral of the Icelandic national church—in the Icelandic mind, it’s one of the holiest sites in the country. It’s also where the last Roman Catholic bishop of Iceland was beheaded, along with two of his sons (apparently Iceland was far enough from Rome for the clergy to ignore certain regulations, like celibacy). We spent a very enjoyable day and a half there. A group of Icelandic pastors gather at Skalholt during the week of Epiphany each year for the Priests’ Academy*, and for “Holy Chaos” in the evening, which Paul mentioned. Icelandic Lutheran pastors, like American Lutheran seminarians, enjoy a drink or two with colleagues when they get the chance, and we gladly joined in the fun (even the Theisses, who, as you read in Paul’s post, turned in rather early and were in bed by 3 AM).  Among the pastors we met was Gunnlauger, an elder statesman type, with the rich English accent of an Oxford don (Icelanders generally speak excellent English, but Gunnlauger's speech is distinctive), an apparently encyclopedic knowledge of Icelandic history, and plenty of strong opinions. He also had some good cigars and a deep interest in liturgics, so naturally Gunnlauger and I were instant friends. For that matter, everyone we’ve met in Iceland so far has been impressive, and wonderful, and I regret that I won’t get the chance to write about more of them. On our way from Skalholt to Halldora’s farm (via Geysir, Gullfoss, and Hekla), Steven and I rode with Axel, a country pastor with a bone-dry sense of humor and a passion for the natural landscape of southern Iceland. He told us about the proposed hydroelectric dam near his farm that would drown an almost unimaginable swath of the wilderness under a reservoir, and the other environmental impacts of Iceland’s “clean” hydroelectric energy. He drove us over another hydroelectric dam, high in the mountains, and showed us a gigantic dry canyon, the former riverbed that had been diverted for that dam.  There are voices in Iceland that would even have the

magnificent waterfall Gullfoss turned into a dam to generate electricity. As an environmentalist, it’s a difficult debate for me. Is it worth sacrificing part of the landscape to generate energy more cleanly? I don’t have a good answer, but I can say that Icelanders see the value of their incredible landscape—there is a sacredness to places like Geysir, Gullfoss, the vast, empty fields of lava and ice, and wide open valleys between severe mountains. I can’t do it justice in writing, so I’ll suggest that you visit.

O God, creator and sustainer of all things, we give you thanks for wild places and new friends. Give us open eyes, ears, and hearts as we explore this land, and grant that we may continue this journey in a spirit of adventure and curiosity. In the name of your Son Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

*In Iceland, like in other Nordic countries, Lutheran pastors are usually referred to as priests (prestur). 

Holy Chaos, Trolls, Silence

     After 30+ hours of traveling we made it to Iceland, however there were many delays, and a side trip that was unexpected. Instead of arriving in Iceland from Toronto, we flew past Iceland and landed in Copenhagen, Denmark. Once in Denmark we were kindly given food vouchers, and tickets to Iceland, and after 10pm something landed in Iceland. Thankfully our entire group is filled with wonderfully patient, smiling individuals who despite the delays, re-roughts, and possibility of not being able to fly at all, kept our smiles and positive attitudes. So to the group I say Thank you!
     Our next challenge was learning our bags had not arrived in Iceland with us, nor had another 140+ people earlier in the day. Luckily, 4 of the 6 bags were delivered today so the majority of us will be presentable for the Presidential visit tomorrow afternoon, with any luck my bag, and Sam's will arrive too. Despite the news of no bags we walked out of the airport, still smiling, happy to be in Iceland, and were met with the smiling, welcoming faces of our hosts. After a quick stop at the Iceland version of Wal-mart for some basic essentials, we arrived at Gunnar's home, sometime after midnight and eventually made it to bed around 2am. The lesson in all this? 1) be patient. 2) Pack a change of clothes and basic toiletries in your carry on bag.
     Our first true day in Iceland consisted of breakfast, quickly followed by lunch, then on to Skalholt where we met with pastors who serve in the Iceland perishes. We attended worship, and despite the language barrier, we were able to follow along with the service knowing more or less what was going on, thank you Lutheran Liturgy. After the service was dinner and after dinner, Divine Disorder!!!!!!
     Holy Chaos or Divine Disorder is the time at night when the Pastors sing, swap stories, and have a good time... late into the night. Icelanders know a large collection of songs where everyone sings, in parts, together, one after the other. It was beautiful. Through the stories we were taught of trolls and elves, the old stories and possible lessons from the stories. We touched on biblical stories, understandings, and which are our favorite. Around 2am something I called it a night, walked up the road, searched for Northern Lights, then decided to make use of the Hot Tub and sit in the silence watching the stars, it was great. Finally going to bed around 3am?
     The morning came quickly, with a short worship, then breakfast, and a meeting with the vice-bishop. We learned about some of the struggles of the area we were in, struggles in the churches, like having very small attendees, and retaining the younger age in the church. A wonderful lesson from Sam followed, imagination and the 8th day are important, then Lunch. Then a trip to the geyser, waterfall, and the Hekla museum, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland. Not far from Hekla lived our evening host, Haldora (I apologize if my spelling is far from correct) and her Husband Noni. They fed us an array of meats from Lamb, Salmon, Reindeer, and Horse along with a Lobster soup, everything was splendid and tasted great. We learned of the normal day for the Icelandic farmer, not much different from ours back home, and the experience of the Pastors during past volcanic eruptions.
     During the conversation I had some of the greatest advice. The pastor is one who is to be present, who does not have all the answers, and this is ok, is to listen, and is to do their best to connect the person struggling, or questioning to themselves, not spoon feed them something wrong or irrelevant. Thank you! It is now after midnight, and time for bed. While I was soaking in the hot tub last night, I had planned on a much more creative way to write all this, but the long two days with little rest in-between has the gears in my head turning very slowly. Once refreshed, Hopefully I will add to this, and make it well, better.

Gracious God, throughout our journeys you are with us every step of the way, thank you. Even in the midst of chaos, when plans do not go as planned you are there, thank you. In only two days you have blessed us with wonderful friends, food, and safe travels, thank you. Keep our hearts and eyes open in the days ahead. Amen

And last but not least: Kelsie!

Hey y'all! 

Paul and I at my graduation from TLU

My name is Kelsie Theiss, married to the previously mentioned Paul Theiss, and I am a first year M. Div. student at WTS. I'm from Goliad, Texas and have come to Dubuque via Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas. In my time at TLU, I traveled to Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. I also have gotten to spend time in Mexico throughout my childhood and some time in London in high school. At TLU, I earned a BA in Psychology, with minors in Dramatic Media and Theology...interesting combinations, huh?

When I'm not reading for school, I'm reading anyway...I'm a bookworm. Sci-Fi and Fantasy are my favorite genres, so I loved reading the Icelandic Sagas. I also love to cook, play games, watch Doctor Who, crafting, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, singing (I was in the TLU Choirs) and dancing when we can find the time and the right music.

 We have an awesome guinea pig named Nutmeg, that great friends at WTS have graciously taken in during our travels in Dec and Jan. I've really enjoyed my time at WTS, and cannot wait to see what else it has in store...especially this trip!

Gracious God, 
Protect us on this journey. Open our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts to see and feel you working through the church throughout the world. Grant us, Lord, your presence to help us through this time of fun, laughter, new adventures, and time away from family. Help us to dwell in you in our time abroad. Bless those who are housing us, and grant them peace throughout our stay and forevermore. In your heavenly name, 
Amen. 

From the Central Midwest to the Upper East Side

Me, Stef and Ady

     My name is Steven Neal. I'm a first year M. Div student hailing from a small town outside of Kansas City, Kansas, the land of wheat and the world's largest ball of yarn. My wife and our little 2 year old girl Adelyn are with me in Dubuque and we're excited to call it home for a bit. To the immediate left is a photo from Halloween 2012, Ady's first Halloween. It's probably the most adorable photo I've ever been a part of. We're sad to say goodbye for 2 weeks! But I go with their blessings and support.

     As I said, I grew up in Kansas and I did my Bachelor's degree at Hastings College in Nebraska, studying Religious Studies and Political Science. I'm keenly interested in the intersection of social- and governmental-politics and faith. Aside from academics, I enjoy watching Elmo with my wife and daughter, staying up to date with the latest in technology news, reading sci-fi / high fantasy, dabbling, babbling and scrabbling. Just kidding. I'm horrible at Scrabble. My wife is an artist, I am not. My daughter is a dancer, I am not. I am excellent at shoveling snow, they are... almost as good as I am.

     I'm excited to travel and learn, see and experience new things in Iceland. As a college student, I was fortunate to travel all over the United States and live in Mexico for a summer, but I have never crossed an ocean! I am eager to learn from my Icelandic brothers and sisters, to talk and share in our faith and love of Jesus together. I am from an ecumenical background, moving from a Methodist church as a child to a Nazarene church then finding myself at home with the Lutheran church. I'm excited to learn about the diversity of practical ministry as well as to worship in a different context.

     Loving God, I thank you for the opportunity to cross borders and share a bit of life with your people. Thank you for your diversity. Thank you for the people that love and support us. Thank you for friendship. Bless us on this journey together. Amen.

Introducing Will

Hello! Will Layton here. I’m a first-year M.Div. student here at Wartburg Seminary, and almost something like a local here in Dubuque- my grandparents grew up just south of the city in two small farming towns, Andrew and La Motte, and I still have an aunt and some other relatives in Dubuque. I grew up in Clinton, Iowa, and studied history and English at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where I fell in love with Nordic culture and spent three summers as an intern at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. After graduating from Luther, I, like Megan, spent a year with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, though I was in Washington D.C., where I was an Eco-Justice Fellow with the National Council of Churches. In D.C., I also became an associate member of Augustana Lutheran Church, a socially progressive, multi-ethnic, liturgically high-church congregation, originally of Swedish background.

     Academically, I’m especially interested in the history of Lutheran doctrine, the history of Lutheranism in North America, liturgics, and Anglican-Lutheran relations. My interest in liturgics, particularly, has led me to become a kind of “worship tourist” whenever I visit new places, and one of the things I’m most looking forward to about visiting Iceland is the chance to experience worship in a unique context. I also collect hymnals and worship books, and you can bet I won’t leave Iceland until I can get myself a Sálmabók. In my spare time, I repair old bicycles, spend time outdoors hiking, fishing, skiing, and canoeing, and play the banjo.  

     This trip will be my fourth to Europe. As a student at Luther College I was able to spend a semester in Münster, Germany, and more briefly visit the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Spain, and Austria. Iceland has been at the top of my travel wish-list ever since I read The Sagas of Icelanders as a teenager and around the same time started listening to bands like Sigur Rós. I’ve dreamt about visiting Iceland for so long, I can’t wait to see if the real Iceland is anything like the one in my imagination, which looks something like this: 

     That’s probably enough for now. Since we’re flying on Monday, I’ll close with my slight adaptation of a prayer, “For Those Who Travel by Air,” written by the pastor and liturgiologist Paul Zeller Strodach for the United Lutheran Church in America’s 1935 Collects and Prayers:

Eternal God, whose almighty power has created, and who orders, this world in which we live; whose all-guarding love surrounds your children in all their goings and comings: Into your keeping we commit all those who travel by air, and all those whose daily tasks bring them into the perils of the places above the earth, that you, without whose knowledge not even a sparrow falls, may preserve them from all harm and accident to body and life; and as we fly through the realms above the earth, uplift our hearts to you in trust and praise; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Hola! Buenos tardes, here is a brief intro to me: Paul Theiss

Howdy Y'all!!!!

     My name is Paul Theiss, and I was born and raised in the great country of Texas, in the city of Seguin. I have grown up spending most of my time outdoors hunting, fishing, gardening, making music, playing games and working. Currently, however, I have recently immigrated to the Northern Tundra known as Dubuque Iowa where I am attending the wonderful Wartburg Theological Seminary. I live with my wife, Kelsie Theiss, and our Guinea Pig, Nutmeg. Before the move I was working as a roofer during the day, and playing music around the New Braunfels area (a city to our north) with a great friend named Daniel Thomas Phipps, in his band called the Kinfolk (look him up, his stuff is really good). But now that we have moved I sit inside staring out at our frozen world longing for the days back in Texas... Just kidding... but its partially true.
    I graduated from Texas Lutheran University with a B.A. in Theology. During my time in school I was in the band, involved with Campus ministry, social and honors fraternities, playing percussion for the TLU choir, and traveling. In my free time I stayed involved with the hunting, fishing and gardening. I had the privilege of traveling each of my four years and the destinations included Mexico's border and Yucatan peninsula, Costa Rica, Southern Africa including Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, Austria and Hungry. Each trip was filled with exploration, fun, adventures, challenges, and of course learning.
   Which speaking of travels, I AM GOING TO ICELAND!!! obviously, but hey, its exciting. Am I looking forward to this? YES! for one reason, it's warmer the temperature is closet to Texas' temp. than here in Dubuque. Another, its home to old old stories, and I love stories! I hear the people are wonderful, and I love meeting people. Plus its an adventure, and who doesn't love a great adventure. All in all, I can't wait. Oh and not to mention the foods that will be new to me.

Gracious God, as we prepare to leave this place, our homes, and our families, we ask for safe journeys from Iowa to Iceland. We thank you for this opportunity, and for those who are willing to take strangers into their home. May this trip be a blessing in our lives, and theirs, in the near future and throughout our lives. Amen