CELEBRATING PENTECOST WITH SOME GREAT DANES!

For many years, East Kilbride has been twinned with Ballerup,  a community in the greater Copenhagen area.  Strong ties have been forged through mutual visits of all kinds, with a Twinning Association operating in both towns.  In recent years, the Old Parish has been in contact with one of the churches in Ballerup – Skovlunde Kirke – and last October, one of Skovlunde Church’s choirs, a superb girls’ choir, came on a visit to East Kilbride.  While they were with us, their Minister, the Rev Henriette Ringaard, told us that at Pentecost 2012, Skovlunde Kirke would celebrate its 40^th anniversary. And she issued an invitation to us to come to Denmark  on that special occasion.

Thus it was that on Friday 25^th May, a party of eight, led by our Minister, the Rev Anne Paton, flew from Edinburgh to Copenhagen.  We had a splendid time with some “ great Danes”. Saturday was spent on a guided tour of Copenhagen itself, with Winnie and Johannes Joergenson as our guides.  They were the essence of kindness and practical helpfulness.  Of course, we saw only a fraction of the city, but the weather was superb, and what we did see – including a boat tour around the harbour area – has certainly encouraged us to think about going again.  Our evening meal was provided by Mie Korp Sloth, who is the conductor of the girls choir, and the Church’s full-time organist and music director.

Sunday morning brought us to Pentecost and the Service of Thanksgiving for these past 40 years. The day began (early!) with breakfast for us and the whole Congregation. This was when we presented a model of one of the Iona Crosses – the St John Cross – as a symbol and sign of our Christian friendship.

(A larger version of the same cross sits on our own Communion Table).  The service included the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and Anne was invited to share in distributing the Elements. Although our knowledge of Danish is distinctly on the short side –( in fact, non existent!),  we could relate very well to the Communion part of the service.

In the evening, the Church Choir, musicians, soloists and the Girls Choir combined to sing excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah”. Two of our party being choir members themselves, joined the Danes for the Hallelujah Chorus.  And then it was time to go home. Two members of the congregation had been at the airport on Friday to welcome us and shepherd us across the city to Skovlunde.  On the Monday morning, another lady took us back, on these amazing computer controlled trains – no driver! We were back in Scotland by lunch-time, and the sun was still shining!  Now the question is – what is the next step in our “church twinning” journey?