New appointments

It is going the wrong way if a goal is to have long appointments, at least for Lisbeth and me. We will manage exactly 11 months in our present appointments and then we are moving again.

Well, actually only one of is physically moving and then we are only talking about moving offices (just thought I would try and grab your attention!). Due to an unexpected move out of the territory for an officer, the Danish territory has decided to restructure and create 2 new departments. One is a merger of 2 present departments, the other a totally new one. Lisbeth and I have been asked (or is the right word "told"?) to take charge of the 2 new departments and so from 1. July Lisbeth will be Secretary for Personnel and I will be Secretary for Programme.

The Danish territory has never had a personnel department and it is long overdue. I hope you will forgive the nepotism, but I think Lisbeth is just the right person to not only head up such a department, but establish it and build up the structures and procedures for the future. It will be a huge challenge, but a much needed work, which in the long run will benefit the territory immensely. For my part the territory are merging the field and social departments to make one department that will cover all the operational work (church and social) in Denmark. Unlike larger territories like the UK where a programme department means there really exist 2 units, but with one person in charge, this will literally be one department, working with both church and social work. This also is the first time ever in the territory, but instead of starting from scratch, the challenge is to unite two teams, two employee groups, two cultures.

The appointments are effective per 1. July, but in reality it has already changed our daily routines. Lisbeth is investing time both in personnel issues already as well as thinking and planning for the future. I have had the first gathering of what will be the new programme team at THQ, which will be followed up by individual talks with each member, before we all meet again in 2 weeks time. The first meeting went really well. We will have a great team and I am confident we will be able to pull together and in the same direction with a clear mission focus in all we do.

This will also be the first time Lisbeth and I do not share an appointment, and we will have to get used to have we plan our time and travelling without family suffering too much. Your prayers will be much appreciated as we seek to meet these new challenges.

Read more...

Heaven

Friday was what in Denmark is called Great Day of Prayer. This day was constituted by the Danish king back in 1686 and was to be day of prayer and fasting, taking the place of several such days during the year till that point. Great Day of Prayer was, and still is, what we in Denmark call a "Holy Day" – a day were workers are off from work and shops are closed. It is always held on the 4^th Friday after Easter, thus giving a prolonged weekend, which many people use for a holiday and as it often happens with events like these, Great Day of Prayer has lost the original emphasis and just become another day off. Or at least that is how it used to be. 8 years ago someone in Denmark got the vision to use the day for prayer again and not only that, but to use it as an opportunity for migrant churches, consisting of what we would call new-Danes (people of another ethnic background than Danish, but now living in Denmark) to come together with traditional Danish churches in an evening of praise and prayer under the heading of "Prayer for the Nation".

This Friday I went, for the first time, to Prayer for the Nation – and it was like heaven! The historic Helligåndskirken (Church of the Holy Ghost) situated right on the main pedestrian street in Copenhagen was the venue and it was packed. More than 700 people from "every nation, tribe and people". It was colourful, it was vibrant and it was so blessed. A gospel choir headed the service of. More than 60 singers, comprised of people of all ages, ethnic background and even sizes rushed us all out of whatever we came from and right to the throne of God. During the evening we were told, by the Danish pastor coordinating the service, that worship in heaven will be led by the Africans, and if that is true, I am not complaining. The worship was great. It was sometimes loud, very loud, but it was so filled with "joy in the Holy Ghost" and so utterly Jesus centred. As we were worshipping I could not help thinking an eternity like this is a very pleasant thought.

There was of course also prayers. For Denmark, for Copenhagen, for the Queen and the Danish Government, but also for the "key people of our society": nurses, social workers, the police force. Prayers were offered for Asia and Africa. Some prayers were led by Danes, some by people clearly not of Danish background, but all speaking and praying in Danish – totally dismantling the propaganda of certain political parties of how immigrants is a thread to Danish culture, not able to speak our language and only here to take advantage of all the benefits available in a rich country like Denmark. Here was immigrants who in the words of the main speaker "Wanted Denmark, wanted Copenhagen and wanted to repay some of all they had received into the Danish society". The prayer of Asia was led by the Ambassador from the Philippines to Denmark. She started with introducing herself as the extraordinary Ambassador of Jesus Christ, went to share what God had put on her heart this morning and ended up with leading in prayer – a prayer where she for several minutes just worshipped Jesus, before getting to pray for Asia.

The main speaker for the evening was the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen. A social democrat announcing he did not agree that religion was opium for the people, that it always creates conflicts and war nor that it can never be combined with democracy and politics. He then used his speech to refute these 3 points (wonder if he has studied homiletics) and during this mentioned how he prays for clear-sigtedness, strength and wisdom to do the right things in his life.

The event was announced as commencing at 6pm and ending at 8pm. With the somewhat strong African participation it was no surprise we started a little late and ended a lot later – even with a Dane leading the event to the best of his abilities.

I walked home blessed and have not been able to stop talking about it since. What a great God we have. What a great kingdom we belong to, that knows no boundaries between nations, races, denominations or ages. I am sure that if we had taken the time we could have found points of theology or worship style we differed on – but this evening we were united in Jesus, leaving what separates us behind and rejoicing that in him, there is neither Jew nor Greek, Man nor Woman, Free nor Slave, but all are one in Jesus.

Read more...

You’ll never walk alone

We’ve had quite a weekend. Saturday was Lisbeth’s birthday. I was going to write we celebrated Lisbeth’s birthday, but that would not be quite true. Not because Lisbeth did not want to be celebrated, certainly not because she is not worth being celebrated, but simply because we didn’t have the time. Apart from breakfast together we spent the rest of the day preparing for Lukas’ confirmation on the Sunday.

Confirmation is certainly not part of a Salvation Army tradition generally, but in the Scandinavians countries, where between 80-90% of the populations are members of the Lutheran church, it was introduced 25-30 years ago. At that time almost everyone in a school class would be confirmed and instead of stigmatizing SA youngsters, the Army adopted the idea. You of course cannot confirm you baptism, as is what it means in the Lutheran church, but instead you, as a teenager, publicly confirm your Christian faith after 6 months of teaching.

When we returned home to Denmark Lukas decided he would like to be confirmed and since the autumn has participated in teaching on the Christian faith together with 4 other boys from SA in Copenhagen. Yesterday the confirmation was celebrated, first in the service and continued with a party with friends and family. Lukas himself had decided he would like John, one of our very best friends, to officiate the confirmation. John, or I think actually is was his wife Hanne, got the brilliant idea of using “You’ll never wlak alone” as the theme for the service – brilliant as Lukas is a passionate Liverpool supporter. He had chosen the text from Luke (it of course had to be from Luke, which in Danish is Lukas) telling about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, you probably can see how that links with never walking alone.

Part of a confirmation service in The Salvation Army is a time, where the young person is asked questions about what he/she has learned through the time of teaching. Lukas was asked 5 questions, which he of course had been told before hand, but he had to prepare the answers himself. He had no problem in answering them, standing relaxed and cool, one hand in the pocket, all through the ceremony. The evening before we had dared him to reply to one of the questions: “I would like to call a friend” or “Could I ask the audience?”, but he decided to behave himself. I will later update this profile with a video of this part of the ceremony, if I can get it to work.

After the service we had invited friends and family to a party. We are fortunate that there is a community centre in the building where we live, so could use their facilities, as well as our rather large garden. The weather was nice, the food brilliant and we all had a really good time. Part of the Danish traditions for parties like this is that you write special songs for the person being celebrated. Lukas’ Uncle and Aunt brought one, and Friday night Lukas very kindly had left home for football, which gave the 4 remaining Andersens a chance to write a song too. We decided to mix Danish and English all through the song, so if you do not understand both languages, it makes no sense at all, but we thought it was quite good. At the end of the day, we were not just tired, exhausted comes closer. It was all worth it, we, and especially Lukas, had a great day as you hopefully can tell from the photos.

Read more...

The living among the dead?

There is a phrase that always intrigues me in the Easter message. It is the question the angel poses to the women at the grave: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Why indeed would anyone look for the living among the dead? I remember an old joke I heard many years ago: Did you know the cemetery is the most popular place in town? – Yes, everyone is dying to get there! But you wouldn’t go there looking for the living, would you?

The question every time makes me think of church, or rather churches (not the universal, but expressions of the local church). Why should people come looking for the risen Christ there, if apparently they would be looking for the living among the dead? If Christ’s presence is not evident in our midst, how can we even begin to imagine anyone would come to us looking for him? We of course know that Jesus is present, but I am not talking about a theological presence, but the manifested presence of the risen Lord and Saviour among his people gathered to worship him. If people don’t come looking for Jesus at our church, surely we have to look at ourselves, at our fellowship and honestly ask whether it is the lack of life among us that is the issue.

No level of more or less relevant programmes, clever marketing, quality music or even inspired preaching will make much difference if there is no life. Without life, people will not come looking for the living and those who already are in the church will sooner or later go elsewhere to look as well.

That sounds like bad news – at least to a lot of churches, but today is Easter Sunday and that is all about resurrection. Jesus rose from the grave, defeating death and with that gave the promise of new life, also to churches. Jesus came that we might have life in abundance. This life, the presence of the risen Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, is what is needed – and what is available if we will seek it with all our heart.

If people are not looking for the living among us then we should not begin to lure them in in any way but to seek a release and baptism of life, of the Holy Spirit and see what God will do among us. Of course the new life will challenge the old wineskins, of course we will need to change, but it will be a change brought from the inside, as life burst out.

This is truly good news. The answer does not lay with us, with our abilities or strength, but with him, the risen, powerful and reigning Christ. If we seek him and his life, then that life will burst through us and we will be his witnesses, not only in words, but through transformed lives and his powerful presence in our midst.

Happy Easter!

Read more...

Update

I am sitting here wondering whether this is how some of the people that used to be part of a church feel. You see: I like blogging, I used to do it regularly, I have decided I want to start again, I know at least some would welcome me back, I have made the decision that I want to and even told some I will – but I just keep putting it off. Sometimes I didn’t feel I had the time, sometimes I felt I needed some special to write about to get started again, sometimes there were other excuses. Nevertheless I had made the decision I was going to start again – just never really got round to it.

Well, now I have wondering what to write about? (and if you have been thinking on linking up with your church again – please don’t keep putting it off. Tomorrow never comes, if you ought to do it today!) I will do what I do best – waffle and give an update on the Andersens life in Denmark and Manchester.

Today is Good Friday. Lisbeth and I have led a Good Friday Meditation at the Temple corps in Copenhagen, although it was arranged by Headquarters for all the corps in Copenhagen and surrounding towns. Usually it is the Territorial Commander or Chief Secretary that leads this service, but they are both in Paris, so we were asked to do it(my reply: Do we have a choice?). My mother came back with us for lunch, but has gone home and so now Lisbeth and I find ourselves home alone. This has actually been the case for the whole week, as Lukas first attended a camp for young people being confirmed this year and continued to the annual Bible Camp for youths. Maria is flying to Copenhagen later today and so in a few days we will go from being just us two to all being here together – I probably would not admit it to my children (they might get the impression I actually care about them), but I am looking forward to it.

We, that is, Lukas, Lisbeth and I, are beginning to settle back in to Denmark. It has not been that easy for any of us. 9 years is a long time to be away. I have never enjoyed moving. I am an introvert and not that comfortable with new people and relationships, but this move probably has been the most difficult. In the beginning it felt like being on a holiday. It was enjoyable, but then it dawns on you, that you are not going back and reality hits hard: This is it. This is how it is going to be in the foreseeable future. It is a bit strange to be in your home country and yet not feel at home, especially as the people around you probably cannot relate to that and expect you just to fit in. Well, to cut a long story short, it seems like we are coming out of the tunnel and light is spreading all around.

Lisbeth is very busy and concentrated on finishing her degree. All essays have been finished and passed (well, she is still waiting for the marks on the last one, but no doubt in my mind she has passed), exams out of the way and now it is the dissertation. It has to be handed in at the end of this month. There is a lot of work to do and a lot of time has been lost because of the move, but she is getting there. Fortunately she has a very understanding boss who has told her to concentrate on her project and leave as much else until later. We have been travelling round the country, meeting with corps officers and trying to get to know them and understand their situations. I had to count my travelling days for insurance purposes and found that during September to November I had 25 days where I had left Zealand (the island where Copenhagen is situated). On top of this Lisbeth has been to the UK a couple of times for lectures etc, so it is impressive she is keeping on track to reach the goal.

Lukas has not found the transition too easy. Teenagers don’t communicate a lot about what they do or how they feel, but we are pretty sure he would have gone back to Stockport anytime, if given the choice. He enjoys the more relaxed approach of the Danish schools, but using Danish for the first time as a study language has been a challenge. He has started in 8th grade and most of the class he has joined has been together since grade 1, so it also takes time to get into the group. Before we arrived in Copenhagen he had decided he would attend the Valby corps and he is very active there. It did not take long before he began attending the YP band and has since been working, maybe not hard, but at least working on learning to play the cornet (having Erik Silfverberg as his teacher has been quite a motivation for him). Last Saturday was his first concert – in 2 of the pieces he played 1st cornet, not bad after 6 months! He is also attending preparation classes for confirmation, which the Army in Denmark introduced many years ago in a response to living in a predominantly Lutheran country and plays football at the corps a couple of times a month. He naturally also attends all the services, so not only attends, but is very active.

Andreas moved back to Denmark just before Christmas. He is hoping to begin to study philosophy at the University of Copenhagen this summer and have come back early to adjust to the Danish language. He has started Open University taking one of the courses from the first semester. Also for him language has been a challenge, but he is persevering. He has got a room at the Army’s students dormitory in Copenhagen and is looking for work. 2 job interviews last week and a couple next week, so it is looking promising. It is nice to have him around again after 3 years where we only saw each other occasionally. Now we see him several times a week, often in connection with football on the telly or meal times!

Maria has recovered well from the initial set back of first us leaving Manchester and then her accommodation disappear the day before returning after the summer holidays. She is as always very focussed on her studies. Both Lisbeth and I have managed to come to Manchester to see her a couple of times during the last 6 months. A couple of weeks ago I was there and among other things we spent some time looking at computers. This resulted in Maria deciding to go Mac – so now she has a much better computer than me, but Lisbeth has clearly let me know that I am not getting a Mac! Maria was home for Christmas, then returned a few weeks later, when she got a good flight deal and had no classes for 14 days and as mentioned she is now here for the next couple of weeks.

I wish I could say I have been focussed on my studies or working hard to finish my degree – but that has not quite been the case. I have found the move to Headquarters quite challenging, but slowly beginning to find my own feet in that situation. A couple of weeks ago we had a corps leaders retreat and being able to talk, teach and minister with them was really good therapy for me. We have invested quite a lot of time in developing our team at THQ and are beginning to see some good things happening. It is beginning to be difficult to remain negative or pessimistic – I suppose I might as well give up resisting and get going.

Well, that was a very long waffle, but at least I am back on the blog (pun intended). Now it will be easier to write when inspiration comes, but now the essay I commenced more than a year ago is waiting for me, so I will bid you all farewell for now. Hope to see you again soon.

Read more...

The little boy

The little boy stood outside the gates, alone, wondering if any of his friends ever would come back to look for him. He wasn't disappointed and didn't feel let down, just a little bit sad and – alone. It wasn't that long ago they had met regularly, sometimes at his place, sometimes at their places. They had shared good and bad times. Sometimes laughter, sometimes tears, sometimes they had discussed deep matters – as deep as a small boy is able to discuss. He kept reminding himself it wasn't that long ago, but no matter how much he reminded himself it felt long ago and he could not help fear it had been too long.

He wasn't lost, he knew where he was, but he felt lost. Maybe because he realised he might have lost something. Maybe because he didn't know whether to go or stay, and if he chose to go, what direction he should take? Most of all he missed his friends. He suspected they had been back to look for him several times, but finally had given up hope of him returning. It wasn't the first time he had disappeared for a while, but never for so long as this time. He really couldn't, and didn't, blame them for not being there when he finally turned up.

He looked around, the place was so familiar, and yet if felt strange, abandoned, almost like a ghost town. Everything looked as he remembered it, but he could not suppress the feeling that it had changed. Maybe it was in a dream he had been there and therefore the real now seemed unreal? Confusion and doubt began to grow in him as he looked around. Maybe it all had been something he had imagined. Suddenly he realised what was wrong. It had not been a dream; everything had been just as he saw it now. The difference was the absence of life. Before there had been life and that had made everything appear different. Now it was just a dead and dusty construction, with no pulse, no tension, and no development.

He wondered what to do. He could of course just walk away, but he did not feel ready to give up all hope of seeing them again. On the other hand he couldn't stay outside the gates forever to be sure he would be there if anyone came by. He had tried to go round to their places, but they also seemed abandoned – at least one had totally disappeared. As he pondered he kept looking around. Several times he thought he saw a contour in the distance, but it was just his imagination. Finally he realised what he could do. He would leave a sign that he had been there. Most people would never notice it, but they would, if they came by. And surely, if they saw it they too would leave a sign, to let him know they had been there. But what if they did? He still wouldn't be there. Slowly a plan, he was tempted to call it a strategy formed in his mind. He would leave a sign and then come back a week or two later to see, if anyone had noticed it. If they had, he would begin to come back regularly. If not, he would understand that things and people had moved on and so should he.

The plan was clear and simple. He looked around a final time and then walked back towards the gates. He felt encouraged and hopeful, but at the same time apprehensive. What if no one would notice? What if it was over and he was just avoiding the inevitable? He shook his head, as if to get rid of the negative thoughts and again felt almost excited. He smiled as he walked through the gates, already considering what to do when he returned, if someone had noticed his sign, that is. He wasn't sure, but just the chance that someone would was enough for now. Time would tell. He was determined to come back and look one more time. The decision had been made. Now it was all up to them he thought, as the gates closed behind him.

Read more...