Epiphany at Skálholt

© Sarah Wyatt 2015.  All Rights Reserved.

The first stop in Iceland was Skálholt.  Skálholt is considered by many Icelanders to be a holy place.  This location is where the Bishops were located for over 700 years.  During the three days at Skálholt, we have had five lectures, four worship services, and plenty of time for fellowship over meals and coffee.  Of the four worship services we have had, two were morning prayer, one evening prayer, and one communion service (they actually call it mass) on Epiphany.

Worshiping in a foreign language is rough.  During our Communion service on Epiphany, I could tel the flow of the service as it was very close to the ELW liturgy.  While I could tell where we were at in the service, it was hard to follow because of the language barrier and not knowing where to go for the liturgy itself.  I think this holds an important lesson for others.  Even though I know which part of the service we were in based on my previous experience in the US, not knowing where the liturgy was a bit off putting.  It made me feel a bit lost and a bit like an outsider.  I think this is probably how people feel when they walk into a church to look at it and if there is no direction on where to go or what to do.  This impacts how someone would feel in our church and how welcome or unwelcome they would feel.

Aside from the worship language, the service itself was amazing.   Being in a location that has always had a church in the same spot for over 1000 years is a truly a phenomenal experience.  In the US, there is no religious site that has the length of history as Skálholt.  Because of this, it is a completely different experience worshiping in a place like this. This experience made me feel the communion of saints and the Holy Spirit as closer than normal during the Epiphany service. 

O Lord,

You are truly holy and all-loving.  Thank you for this experience.  Thank you for those that we have met and those we will meet in the future.  For all of this comes solely from you.  Be with the six of us as we continue this journey and bless all those who will meet in the coming days.

Amen.

Hallgrimskirkja

Yesterday we attended Mass at Hallgrimskirkja, the beautiful landmark church in downtown Reykjavik. It’s easy to find pictures of this famous place. It’s easy to take pictures ther. In fact, when visitors come, we the place takes our breath away. The church towers above the city, its tower steeply ascends above everything around it. When I saw pictures of this place at home, I imagined a stark coldness. The lines are sharp. It’s a hulking grey structure. But...like so much here, Hallgrimskirkja is not what it seems from the other side of the ocean. It is easy to talk a picture of Hallgrimskirkja. The picture doesn't tell what it is to be in Hallgrimskirkja. This is a space that changes you.

See, in the pictures I saw only straight lines, arranged in a climbing curve to the peak, but here, well, here the straight lines serve the roundness of the place. When I enter Hallgrimskirkja, I can't help but lean my head back and gaze at the ceiling. The columns, the windows, pull my vision up to the graceful sky of curving arches. The perspective is such that everywhere I stand, it feels like I am in the center of the place when I look up. Although the sight of the organ took my musical colleagues’ breath away, I was floating high above the floor. I could not stay focused on the walls or on the ground. The pull upward is too strong. I can breathe in Hallgrimskirkja.  The space is expansive, but not in the least way cavernous. 

See, it is easy to take a picture of Hallgrimskirkja. It is impossible to say how it is to be in Hallgrimskirkja. The space changes me. The space makes me feel free. I breathe easy in Hallgrimskirkja. 

The chancel is lovely, simple, and surrounded by small windows. Unlike many other cathedrals, there is no fancy altarpiece or colorful stained glass. There is no huge crucifix, no elaborate altar. On the chancel sits a table, some graceful chairs, two golden icons, all surrounded by those humble windows, so small in comparison to the reaching windows of the nave, that they look more like square portholes. 

After Mass, Pastor Sigurdur Arni Thordarson told us to notice how one can only see the sky and a bit of the mountains while sitting in the pew or standing in the church. He invite us to walk up the steps to the chancel, and to notice that when one is standing at the altar, the view is very different. From there, the pastor looks out on the neighborhood. The view from the altar is of buildings and cars, a little graffiti. This, he said, is to remind us that even as we look to heaven to see God, God’s eye is on us in this world. I imagine that, as a pastor, this would keep me humble. The work we are called to do in the name of Christ is for the sake of the world. Here is our place, in the grit and beauty of the everyday stuff of life. Here is where Jesus resides. Pastor Siggi said that it gets him every time, this reminder of his work. He is reminded of God’s presence in the real life of the world. 

God of gentleness and strength, thank you for the ways You show your face to us.  Thank you for the straight lines and graceful curves of this world. Thank you for the gift of imagination and the genius of artists and architects and all who strive to proclaim the wonder of Your love in various ways. Open our eyes to Your presence in everything we see, and every person we meet. Amen.

Greetings from Katie :)

Hello! My name is Katie. I'm one of the seminarians on this trip. I'm in my second year at Wartburg, pursuing a Master of Divinity degree with hopes to be a pastor.

I am from Iowa -- the only one in the group who can truly call Iowa home! :) I come from a large family, and enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephews, sisters and brother-in-laws, and parents. We're a pretty tight knit group of people, and even though I don't get to go home very often, I am always happy to see my family.

Previous to seminary, I was a graphic designer, among a few others things while discerning God's calling in my life.

I am excited to see what this journey holds. So far, the hospitality we've received has been immense. There's truly something to be said for the coffee, too!

Gracious God, we give you thanks for the journeys and paths to which you call us. Guide us on this journey as we learn about your work in the Nordic Lands. Open our hearts and our minds to the ways in which you work in these lands and these people. Help us to be good stewards of the gift that this experience is to us. Amen. 

A Whole New World

It is just before 9am here in Iceland, one would expect the sun to be up and the sky to be bright; however, the sky is dark and the city is bright via the artificial lights found on buildings. While I prefer to see the sun when I wake in the morning, there is beauty found all around.

The first several days were spent at Skalhot at the  Academy of Skalhot, which served two purposes in my mind. The first being a time of continuing education, Dr. Craig Nessan from Wartburg was the lecturer and spent time with the concept of Shalom Church. It was a powerful time learning from each other and it was a fruitful couple of days. The second purpose being a time of renewal for the pastors, it seemed as even though the lectures were thought-provoking, simply the time spent together with colleagues was even more life giving. It was neat to experience and reminds me of Theological Convention in the Nebraska Synod. 

From Skalhot, the trip took us south to visit the Geysir, which was beautiful to experience and learn about the history. A waterfall was also on the docket plus a church with a beautiful painting that pastors thought about while Dr. Nessan lectured. Dinner was soon arriving and the hospitality of Pastor Halldora was something unimaginable. The food was delicious  but the conversations is what I wanted second and thirds of. 

While the conversations ranged in talking about the volcano Hekla, which was close by, to the work of the church, one theme rang through the entirety that really struck me as powerful. The idea that the term parish is not talking about the individuals who are members in a specific church but rather the geographical area of the church and all who live in that area. Too often I have been apart of congregations that are focused solely on the the names on the roster and being blind to the community outside the church walls. While this model of congregation is widely used, I found deep comfort and joy in the idea that a parish is something much more then those in the pews each week. It is about being apart of the whole and being someone that is active and engaging. It really seeks the idea of "mission field" differently as the geographical area in which one resides is their community and church not their mission. 

Changing the way I think about the parish and the community has been fruitful and challenging. The next several days in Iceland will be filled with the same conversations that not only renew my call to ministry but also to serve as a model when I graduate from Wartburg and serve a place. The sun may not be up here for another couple of hours, God's light is shining bright in this place. 

Heavenly Father, my life sings praises to you for creating such a place as Iceland. Thank you for filling my heart with joy as I engage in conversations with those who have graciously opened not only their homes but their lives as well to the stranger among them. Continue to bless the time spent being present with your servants and learning how to live out our call in a fruitful way. Grant us good health and rest so we may not miss an opportunity to learn from others. Amen

Greetings from Kristi Grieder!

Hi, my name is Kristi Grieder and I will be participating in the J-term trip to Iceland and Norway!

I am originally from Mankato, Minnesota but I also call Omaha, Nebraska and Northeastern Iowa "home." I am a 2nd-year student pursuing my Master's of Divinity Degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary. I am married to my best friend, Jonathan. He is a high school social studies teacher. We enjoy reading, spending time in nature, playing cards and board games, and spending time with family and friends.

Before seminary, I worked at a nonprofit resource center that provided health services for people in need. I also worked as a cashier in retail department stores and therefore, can say I have worked with thousands of people. ;)

I am eager to see what this adventure will hold. I hope to be present to the people and places we meet, to pay attention to the beauty that I see, and to be open to the experiences that will challenge me and help me grow as a person and pastor. Please join us in this journey as we share our reflections and joys from the Nordic Lands!

Gracious God, Open our eyes so that we may see beauty and behold your presence. Open our hands to receive this gift of travel and connect to others. Open our hearts so that we may embrace new places and the journey to which we are called. Amen.

Introduction to Sarah Wyatt

Hello!  My name is Sarah Wyatt and I am currently a first-year Masters of Divinity student at Wartburg Theological Seminary.  I am from a suburb of Kansas City called Overland Park in Kansas.  This adventure of going to Iceland and Norway is exciting for me and I am looking forward to learning as much as I can during this trip.  While I have visited Canada and Mexico before, this trip is going to be my first trip off the North American continent.  I am looking forward to the experience of being in a completely different culture and land.

Before I entered seminary in July 2015, I was working full time in a call center and going to school full time for my undergraduate work.  I have attended five different colleges and changed my major over thirty time over my nine years of undergraduate work.  After all of those changes, I am excited to be on the right path in seminary.

O Lord,

We praise your name for all you have done for us.  Thank you for a safe closure for 2015 and an exciting beginning of 2016.  Be with our group as we prepare for this journey.  Be with the other Wartburgers as they prepare for their J-Terms.  Please allow everyone to arrive safely and have a fulfilling experience.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.   

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

My name is Robin Luckey, and I am grateful to be part of the January, 2016 Wartburg Seminary cohort traveling to Iceland and Norway. 

I grew up near Chicago and moved to Seattle after college. I spent the last 25 years in the mountains, rainforest, and high desert of the west coast of the U.S., in Washington State.  I’m married to Michael, and we have a 14 year-old son named Jackson. They are amazing and very funny people! 

Before entering seminary, I worked as a funeral director. I never imagined I would like to care for the dead and their families, but listening to people tell stories about their loved ones, and helping families to mourn was wonderful work. Before that, I worked as a social worker and a studio assistant for artists. I am not a musician, but I enjoy music, and I’m slowly learning to play the ukulele. I enjoy looking for what God is doing in the church and in the world.  

In two days we will leave for our grand adventure to Iceland and Norway. What a wonderful way to begin this new year! I’m thankful to God for this opportunity. I’m excited for good conversation, new food, and experiencing the beauty of the people and places we will meet! 

Gracious God, You give us everything we need and more. Thank you for the ways You surprise us with Your love. Bless our conversations and our interactions with each other.  Prepare our hearts to meet You in unexpected places in the days to come and the year ahead. Amen.