Perspective beyond Assumption

When we left the Midwest was experiencing extreme cold weather and upon our return last week, we experienced more of the same. The time spent in Iceland on the other hand had weather that was quite nice compared to what we left behind. This is one of many things that prior to preparing for and traveling in Iceland, that I would have assumed was the opposite or different way from how it turned out to be. Though I am glad to be home for multiple reasons other than the warmer weather, I would love to have spent more time experiencing the church, the culture, the people, and the landscape. This is how I often feel about travel and places I visit. However long I may be in a place, that seems to just spark an interest to experience and see more of that place. Here's hoping that I have more opportunities to visit and experience all that is Iceland (along with many of the other places that I have visited already).

Another of my assumptions that I found to be incorrect was the presence of big old churches. Based on my travel in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as reading lots of books set in and amongst old churches and cathedrals, I was expecting much of the same in Iceland, a place officially converted to Christianity around the year 1000 A.D. I learned during our travels that such is not the case. while there are a few older country churches that still remain, the large churches have all been built since the 1940s. This was surprising to me as my own hometown in Montana(which has been "settled" for far less time than Iceland) has had a cathedral since the early 1900s. Iceland didn't have the same access to resources as stone and wood that was available in Montana and other places where there are large grandiose worship spaces. Most of the churches(and houses as well) up until the middle of the 20th century were made primarily of turf because that is what was available. The awe of these buildings is still there though despite their younger age.

I very much enjoyed the opportunity to meet with so many Icelandic pastors during our time there. The hospitality they and others offered was such a gift and chance for us to learn. We were welcomed into many homes and treated to good food and even better conversation. It was a wonderful way for us to get to know many things about Iceland and one another. Hospitality is so often spoken of  within church culture here in the US, but I would guess on average we speak of it much more than we actually practice it. This experience in Iceland increased my desire to practice hospitality more than speaking of it as an abstract practice.

These are a few reflections that I've had since returning and I could probably keep going. I am also sure that more thoughts and reflections will continue to emerge as I process continue to process this experience and its impact in my ever broadening horizons.

Gracious and loving God, Thank you for the chance to learn from and meet new friends as well as gain a broader perspective about the creation and people and Iceland in general that are just as much yours as those in our own community. Bless all those who shared their lives and callings with us in ways that provided much wisdom and insight into ministry and other things. May we continually be open to learning from those who come from different places, cultures, and experiences than our own because through your children we learn more of you. In Jesus' name, Amen

Iceland: See you later?

So, I know that I promised that my next blog post would be about my top-ten water related moments of the trip. I’ve been reminded that in order to receive credit for this class, I need to write some sort of general reflection on the journey. In many ways, my previous post is a reflection on the trip itself. This is more of a reflection on a change in my own self-awareness because of the trip. If you’re looking for exciting travel stories, read something else. Part of the point of traveling is to learn some things about yourself, and the place that you come from. In this case, I’ve been reminded once again about something that I already knew.

I rarely get homesick. I do sometimes get away-sick.  Now that I’ve been back in the U.S. for a little more than a week, I’m realizing just how small Dubuque feels. I got a little taste of Iceland, and now I desperately want to explore it more. As soon as I was back on campus at Wartburg, a number of people greeted me with “Welcome home!” Though out loud I just said, “thanks,” in my head I was thinking, “Am I? Is this home? Or is this just a place where I’ve put down roots long enough to accumulate a little more stuff than usual?” Dubuque is really just one stop along the journey to wherever it is that I’m going. Home for me could be almost anywhere in the world. Iceland had started to feel very homey by the end of those two weeks.

I’ve often mentioned to folks here that I sometimes feel out of place among all of the married couples and families at Wartburg Seminary. The real issue, I think, is not my being a bachelor surrounded by paired-off people. What makes me feel out of place is that I’m surrounded by people who are more settled than I am, in one way or another—people who seem to have a strong sense of "home." I’m not settled. I’m not done exploring, and I’m especially not comfortable with the idea that I could spend the next few years here, and then be sent to a first call in some quiet suburb. I can only hope that the call to ministry doesn't mean an end to my adventures.

All of this raises other concerns. I’ve had discussions with a good friend here at Wartburg about how we both feel that our external call (that is, the affirmation we receive from other people about our vocation) is much stronger than our internal call. All of my worrying about whether I’ll get to explore the world more has me wondering whether my sense of call to ministry is really as high of a priority as it ought to be. In Iceland, we saw that pastors can be a lot of different things, and I took comfort in Gunnar’s wisdom that a person doesn’t stop being who he or she is by entering the ministry. Still, there are a lot of questions on my mind, and I’m not sure how well I can articulate them all just now (or whether I even want to).

So, that’s a brief personal reflection that stems from our trip to Iceland, even if it isn’t really about that trip. It’s something that’s significant to me, anyway. Part of what I’m getting at is that I don’t think I’m done with Iceland. As someone ostensibly preparing for ordained ministry in the ELCA, I think that there is still quite a bit more to be learned from the church in Iceland—how to be a church that is really integrated into the surrounding community, how to be the church in an increasingly secular culture, how to be a church that is deeply connected to its culture and its people.  WTS faculty, if you’re reading this, let’s figure out a way for me to get back to Iceland, eh? If not, I might just repeat my (totally empty) threat to transfer to Philadelphia.

God of all wisdom, I give you thanks for the gifts of questioning and discernment. May we seek to live our lives in ways that are pleasing to you, and may our many and varied paths lead us all to greater knowledge of you and the world you have made. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

It's about presence.

I wish I had more time. 2 weeks is too long to be away from my wife and daughter, and I am very glad to be home with them again, but also 2 weeks is only long enough for a taste, a small sampling of the culture, learning about Icelandic parish ecclesiology, the experience of the folk church, seeing first-hand the social contract that permeates the community, looking down from the tower at Hallgrimskirkja, touring a tiny bit of the breathtaking scenery this oasis in the north Atlantic has to offer, breathing the clean air, tasting the pure water...

This list could go on forever, as could the time I would love to spend in Iceland.  It has only been one week since I've returned home, and I feel only a bit closer to having complete, thoughtful reflection on the experience. Having only a crash-course in the culture, structure and practice of the Icelandic church, I will offer a few (certainly incomplete) observations and reflections on a variety of topics and places we encountered.

How the church is structured and how it functions is different in Iceland. It is a parish model of church, one that is not very present in my experience of church in the United States. It has been popular in the churches that I have worshiped with here in the States to talk about "engaging the community" and being "neighbor" to the houses on the block. Rarely have I actually seen this happen. I've never seen a pastor "walk the beat" around the block, knocking on doors and talking to folks about their lives. As a youth director, I have ran several different events for the community around the churches I've been involved in, but rarely has this transitioned into functions by and for the adults in the community. What I see instead is the church serving the social, worship and communal needs of its members, as expected, and that is a wonderful thing. Things like bridge clubs and women's groups, etc., are all wonderful, community building groups, but what I have learned from Iceland and what I want to do as a pastor is to consider all members of the church's neighborhood to be under my care. If somebody requires a service that another church or agency does particularly well, I will point them in that direction. However, I will not ask a person if they are a member of my church before I offer them direct help or assistance.

The public-church relationship was fascinating to learn about. After a couple days in Iceland, we ventured to Haldora's home and had fantastic food (oh my gosh that lobster and horse was to die for!) and wonderful conversation about the role of the church in helping in national tragedy and disaster. I wish we had had an opportunity to meet with the same group at Haldora's a little bit later in the trip, as I was still very tired from the travel and thus was not as engaged in the conversation as I could have been. Anyways, the conversation was invaluable learning about the relationship between the national church, the government and municipal disaster response, and most importantly, how the church takes care of people. A ministry of presence is essential. Being there with somebody, whether your speak or not, whether the person you are present with speaks or not, simply being with somebody is presence, relationship, the sum of the Gospel. In the Lutheran church in the States, we have Lutheran Disaster Relief, a joint agency between the ELCA and the LCMS to respond to natural disasters and give aid and relief to people affected by them. Mission and service trips are also common in the States, notably in the response to Hurricane Katrina and again with the tornado in Joplin, Missouri. I have been fortunate in my experiences in the States with Katrina to spend time not only serving with my hands and feet, but also with my body and spirit in simply being present.

This leads me to probably my most basic, foundational and yet profound reflection. Gospel is presence. When meeting with a few of the pastors for special ministry near the end of the trip, Pastor
Guðný Hallgrímsdóttir shared an emotionally stirring story of her ministry to people with disabilities. She spoke about presence and the power of simply being with somebody. She spoke about the healing-, comfort-, and life-giving power of touch. This is a ministry of presence. We as Christians proclaim the God who is always present, the God of Love who holds an immeasurable, infinite well of grace and peace for all people. We proclaim the God of relationship, who seeks to restore the broken relationship that we have with God and creation through the sending of God's son Jesus. God became like us in ultimate relationship, even unto death. This is presence. As we proclaim a Trinitarian God in perfect relationship with God's self, so God calls us to be in relationship with one another. Presence is one foundational aspect shared by all of creation. It does not matter what language two people speak; they can always be present with one another. In the story that Pastor Guðný shared, it does not matter if one person is paralyzed, blind and deaf, one can still share presence and touch with that person and in so doing, bear God to that person.

This I am convinced is the heart of the Gospel. The Gospel is God's love for all, love experienced in relationship with God and with creation, and relationship means presence. It does not matter if the model of church is parish or congregational, if one speaks Icelandic to a person who only speaks English, if a family is separated by an ocean and only sees each other on Skype, our presence with one another bears God to each other. Presence, I feel, is the ultimate translation of Gospel and it's language and dialectic knows no boundaries in creation. 

Thank you so much, Pastor Gunnar and our hosts and new friends, for showing me this translation in action. I absolutely can not wait to visit once again, family in tow, to share more life with you and maybe hike a glacier (or two!)  

Love you all!

Gracious and loving God, I thank you so much for my time spent with my new friends in Iceland. I thank you for an expression of church that is beautiful, and the sharing and immersion that I was able to experience. Help us all to reflect on our time together and learn from each other. Strengthen our relationships, keep us in touch, and hold us together for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lessons learned

Having traveled to Nebraska, Texas, and Iceland, all since November, it is good to be back home and dare I say it, yes even good to shovel some snow again. At the same time however I'm reminded how much fun and joy these places, and the people there are able to bring into my life. Because of this I miss them, the atmosphere, the nature, the geography, and I wonder now that I am gone, what else am I missing. So one lesson I have learned is that while traveling broadens ones horizon, it also will cause a longing in the heart for where you have been and for those you have become good friends with.
Those you have traveled with though become more than just a friend, but more like family, especially when you have lived with them for two weeks. Upon return I have found myself in Stevens house more in the past week than I had all last semester, and helping out Will in a heart beat. As for Sam, well I just hope the classes dont get to carried away.
Just a day and a half ago I had an interview for a CPE site at a children's hospital. During this interview I was able to look back on the trip to Iceland, and pull upon the lessons we were taught from the pastors there to help me answer questions that arose during the interview, as I am sure they will be helpful in the coming semester. For this, thank you friends in Iceland for all the words of wisdom, examples, and lessons you passed on to us.
There have been a few changes since I have arrived back from Iceland, for example, I've eaten more hotdogs in the past week than I had all year before going to Iceland. When guests come over they are served coffee (kaffi) in a small cup WITH a saucer, and I am making my kaffi much stronger than before. Having been motivated by a wonderful pastor by the name of guðni, I have been walking more to the castle, even if its cold, and Steven and I even went to the gym for strength training so we are better equipped for climbing mountains, glaciers, and frozen waterfalls. I also learned the Y has a hottub, so a membership to the Y is likely in my near future.
Thank you friends in Iceland for taking us in, feeding us, and teaching us, housing us, speaking to us late into the nights, and for an overall wonderful experience.

Gracious God, thank you for friends near and far. For the folks in Iceland and for those here at Wartburg Seminary. Bless the hands serving your church here, there, and everywhere. And thank you for the opportunity to travel, learn, and experience your creation. Amen

Immersion

I had meant to write this post a day or two ago, but during those last few days it was hard to take time away from conversation with our Icelandic hosts in order to blog. That means that this post is coming to you from Dubuque, Iowa, and not from Iceland.

Paul told you in his last post about how Pastor Guðný Hallgrímsdóttir, the pastor for people with disabilities in the Icelandic Church, took us for a swim in the sea at Nauthólsvík Monday night. That experience was both an actual immersion and a cultural immersion. For some Icelanders, swimming in the sea is a regular thing, and the hot tub at the beach (they have hot tubs at the beach!) was almost full with people relaxing, and then occasionally putting on neoprene booties and gloves and walking down the beach to take a dip in the North Atlantic (35° F). For the record, Guðný and her sister, who was also there, both said that we Americans were “heroes” because we went into the sea without gloves and socks. Anyway, the point of the story is that we were able to experience something that was very foreign to our culture, but a part of Icelandic life.

Throughout our trip, we were privileged to have that kind of inside look into Icelandic culture and the Icelandic church. As guests of the National Church, and of Pastor Gunnar Sigurjónsson (the world’s strongest priest!), we were able to visit pastors (or priests, to follow the Nordic usage) in their homes and at their work, and talk with them about life and the church. We were able to worship with them, and we even were invited to attend a funeral. Going to a funeral was an important part of the experience, since we had been talking quite a bit since our visit to the funeral and cemetery office about how the Icelanders seem to have a much healthier and more natural attitude toward death, with none of the chemical embalming and fancy concrete vaults that we in the U.S. use to deny the reality of death. The funeral of Sigríður Jónsdóttir at Bústaðakirkja, even though none of us knew her or anyone else at the funeral, was crucial to us having a more complete picture of life in the Icelandic Church, and it was moving to be surrounded by strangers, and at the same time sisters and brothers, grieving and celebrating the life of a loved one.

A couple of us were further immersed in a different side of Icelandic church life and culture when we were invited to a party with theology students from the University of Iceland, where all potential pastors in Iceland study. It was a pretty typical student party, except that shortly after we arrived the students held a house blessing, because the host of the party had recently moved in. There were a few prayers, a scripture reading, and some hymns, including the immensely popular “Heyr, Himna Smiður” (“Hear, Heaven’s Creator”), which we heard in several different settings over the course of the trip. It was written by a chieftain named Kolbeinn Tumason shortly before he died at the Battle of Víðines in 1208. In the U.S., we rarely sing 800-year-old hymns at parties.

Some of us even got first-hand experience with pastoral care in Iceland, by receiving it from Gunnar. Gunnar was not only our host, teacher, and tour guide for the time we were there; he was also our pastor.

In the public swimming pool, the Blue Lagoon, Gunnar’s hot tub, and the icy sea, we were immersed not only in water, but in the community life around us. It’s fitting that a group of seminarians traveling to learn about another church in another culture should spend so much time in the water: we have been called into community with our sisters and brothers in Iceland through the waters of our baptism, and that so much of our trip was spent in, around, and thinking about water in one way or another is a powerful reminder of that. With that in mind, my next, and probably final, post will be about my top ten water-related moments of our trip to Iceland.

God of all people, we praise you for the gifts of cultural exchange, conversation, community and communion. Draw us together across all boundaries, and grant that the bonds we have formed with our sisters and brothers in Iceland may grow stronger, even as we find ourselves once again far away. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

Modern day miracles and cold cold water

We met with three special pastors. They are considered special because they do not serve in a "typical" congregation, but to those who are typically pushed aside in everyday society, for example, those with mental illness or disabilities, the hearing impaired, and immigrants. These pastors work with these folks everyday, they are their congregation. After hearing what they said and the stories they shared, I came to the conclusion that these special pastors are serving in a way that models Christ's work we read about in the gospels. They are bringing the marginalized people and helping them to become functioning members of society. They are helping bring these wonderful people into society as well as bring the society to these wonderful people.
From my experience in the church, which I will admit is somewhat limited, I have witnessed good works done for people in these situations. However, never have I seen the work done in this manner. From what I have witnessed the work is done in the ways of clothing drives, visits, or "mission trips", short, quick trips that end in separation and little to no change between the two "different" worlds. This is not the case here in Iceland. Those who are commonly viewed as "different" are empowered, have jobs, are assisted to have independent lives, are allowed to make choices for themselves, and the work is being done every day to incorporate them into society. In fact we learned a new perspective, those who are considered disabled do not consider themselves disabled. It is those of us who are the "norm" who place this label on folks.
I have been so blessed to have the chance and opportunity to speak with these three pastors in specialized ministry, and I am so thankful for their work. Not only did we spend time hearing from them, but we also visited centers where there are job opportunities available, activities, and support for those "normal" society labels as "different". It is at these centers where miracle are taking place, and by the work done with the deaf who are given a voice and who are able to hear, or with the immigrants being brought in, sought out and cared for.
Now for something completely different.
One of the pastors invited us for a swim in the sea, yes in the middle of January, in water that was just above freezing. Our swim was more of a quick run in, count to 30, and then quickly go into the hot tub. But, I can say that I have done it. Coming from Texas I don't think I have ever experienced that kind of toe tingling cold. But there must be something to say for it because we are learning of Icelanders who are living well into their 90s and beyond. Who never need to go to the doctor or hospital. Those who are nearly 50 look 30, and those who are 18 look 14. Maybe it's something in the water, or the lack there of. Or maybe it's getting into the water, hot and cold that does it. But whatever it is, it's working.

God of blessings and gifts. Thank you for this opportunity to expand our horizon, for the hospitality of the people, and the wisdom that has been shared with us during this adventure. Bless our journey home and help us use what we have learned in our ministry that is to come. Amen 

A quick thanks

                I’ve seen God’s kingdom created and lived in in many different ways in this world. I’ve seen the hungry fed, a blind man healed and relationships restored. I am glad that I now have seen a little bit of Iceland.

                It’s a bit difficult to compare the national church in Iceland to my experience of the church in America. If I were to tell people that I visited a church with 8,000 members, their jaws would drop! If I left out that detail and told them that I visited a church where 5% of the members worship, they might think that makes our attendance numbers in the United States seem pretty good! And that is the danger of comparing the institutions without a keen eye towards context and without a personal experience of cultural sharing.

The national church in Iceland is a beautiful and wonderful church, modern and with a fantastic history. But there’s so much more to learn about actually experiencing the church in a place where a pastor’s salary is paid for not by collecting an offering or a bi-annual capital campaign. The experience of church here in Iceland is a different rhythm. It’s always there. It’s always on the front lines of disaster response. The pastors take care of their members beyond a sermon and work together in many different ways. I’ve seen a gracious and wonderful part of the global church in my way-too-short 2 weeks here, and my perspective and ministry are better for it.