Week 16: the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. Here in Norway it is called «the quiet week» (den stille uken). Many are on holiday this week. Stores are open Monday through Wednesday but with reduced hours. Almost all stores are closed on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Many were open on Saturday but with reduced hours. Norway is really closed on Easter Sunday and Monday. I had services on Thursday, Friday, an Easter vigil service in Alstahaug Church where I had to sing some chant (in Norwegian), Easter Sunday, and an outdoor service on Easter Monday.
The Norwegian state church is now in a fairly weak position. There was talk last fall of separating the church and state, but it probably won't happen soon. (The political situation has shifted a bit: the Labour party (Arbeiderparti) has lost points in opinion polls and the Moderate Party (Høyreparti) has gained in popularity. The Høyreparti and the right-leaning parties wants to continue the current status.
From the Reformation the church here in Norway always had a position of power, priviledge and great wealth. (As opposed to various church demoninations in the US where most had humble beginnings). The church in Norway could afford to coast along. Now they are paying for their inattention: budgets are being slashed. 1 out of 3 Norwegians has a negative view of the state church. We'll see what happens in 2013 when the new parliament is elected.
On Easter Sunday the sun rose at 4:55 am and set at 9:20 pm. Length of day is 16 hours, 25 minutes.
Easter Monday I drove with a trumpet player to Søvikskaret for the outdoor service at noon. Despite the weather about 20 people (and 3 dogs) showed up.
Early Tuesday morning I took the express boat to Bodø for the Organ Festival. Fridthjov Anderssen (1876-1937) was a gifted composer who came from Nordland. Each year the opening of the Organ Festival begins with a laying of a wreath at the foot of Anderssen's statue in a park near the cathedral. I met a few acquantances from the last organ festival in Mosjøen, and met many new friends, including Jane Parker Smith, the star of the festival. Unfortunately I couldn't hear her concert on Thursday evening – I had to get back to Sandnessjøen for a Friday funeral. I took the train/bus back. The condition of the road from Mosjøen to Sandnessjøen is much worse than it was last fall. They are building a new tunnel/road but it won't be open until 2013.
On Mayday, the 1st of May, the sun rose at 4:30 am and set at 9:45 pm. Length of day is 17 hours, 15 minutes. I have now completed one year of residence in Norway. It still feels very exotic and the novelty hasn't worn off. Pianissimo, a small women's chorus, sang for the service on 1 May. For a prelude they sang «Somewhere, over the rainbow».
Finally the weather is turning warm and sunny. (Warm means above freezing). I took a couple longs walks with Magnar – up Fjellåsen and the area near the small boat harbor.
Confirmation services began on 8 May. The church was packed for the 1st service – about 350. At the later service there were about 250. On 8 May the sun rose at 4 am and set at 10:15 pm. Length of day is 18 hours, 15 minutes.
We now have 24-hour light. Confirmation services again on the 15th. On Saturday the 21st the Bigband had a concert. Everything went very well. (I was the pianist). I'm still getting used to this style of pop music. Playing the notes isn't so difficult, it's the rhythms.
I went on the radio again to help advertise a Russian male choir that came to Sandnessjøen on Monday the 23rd. The concert was a great success. We took in about 25,000 crowns, way over my expectations. Attendance was just over 200.
At the end of May Magnar and I took the express boat to Vega to meet another friend, Bjarne, for a cycle tour on Vega. We stayed at Vega Havhotell. On Saturday evening we had a great 5-course meal – the best meal I've eaten since I've been here. The weather was good on Saturday: we cycled all over Vega.
Sad news: there was a funeral for Egil on the 26th. Egil and his wife Berit are very active in the church, and they befriended me when I first moved here. They are good friends with Paul Christensen, former pastor of 1st Lutheran in Decorah, and assistant pastor here in Sandnessjøen in 1995-96. Last September Egil was diagnosed with colon cancer. He underwent chemotherapy but it didn't help. Egil was in his 80th year.
As of the 1st of June the sun rose at 2:20 am and set at midnight.
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