From Norway with love – Sjømannskirken and Seamen’s mission

Published 23rd January 2025 by Aike Kennett-Brown

Our BRF ministries Messy Church team love to get out and about, meeting people and delivering in-person training. This week I was invited to introduce Messy Church and share inspiring stories of what’s happening in the movement to the Norwegian Seamen’s mission conference, taking place at the Norwegian seamen’s church, St. Olav’s square, Rotherhithe London.

Now this sounds a very niche audience and by now you may be conjuring up images in your head of strapping bearded men in sailor’s caps and Norsk navy uniforms. To be fair, this is how Sjømannskirken, the Norwegian church abroad, was established in Bergen, Norway in 1864. Back then the main mission was to create safe havens for Norwegian seamen around the world. Priests visited harbours and ships, and within a few years the organisation opened several churches in different countries.

Today Sjømannskirken continues to meet Norwegians abroad, but the focus has shifted from concentrating mainly on sailors, to all Norwegians living, studying and working around the world. They have 28 churches around the world, in popular tourist destinations and cities where many Norwegians live. These churches serve as social and cultural meeting places. Additionally, chaplains cover around 80 countries, meeting Norwegian students, expats and visit Norwegian oil rigs and ships in the North Sea.

Over lunch I had the pleasure of meeting 30 representatives from 26 different countries, chatting on my table to those with responsibilities for Christian education of children and families currently based in Dubai, Paris and the Canary Islands. It was so interesting hearing about their different ministries, although it did leave me wondering why God has not yet called me to mission in such fabulous holiday destinations!

The afternoon was spent introducing Messy Church, telling the story of our movement and its recent launch in Norway (which they had missed as they were all overseas). We focussed on the Messy Church values of being Christ-centred, for all ages, hospitality, creativity and celebration, and reflected on how these values and intergenerational practices might be incorporated into their current mission. After we prayed together and shared the Messy Grace (with actions), I wondered how many of these Norwegian missionaries might set up a Messy Church, and if I should provide a wish list of my top holiday destinations 😊.

If international Messy Church visits are beyond the church budget for this year, the good news is that Messy Church leaders from around the world will be joining us at the Messy Church Conference 20-22 June 2025. We’ll be looking at the topic ‘All Together’ and how to welcome people of all ages, abilities and from different backgrounds. We’re delighted to have Messy Church leaders coming from USA, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, South Africa and would love you to join us at High Leigh Conference Centre to hear inspiring stories, take part in workshops and celebrate the world-wide Messy Church community.

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