2012 Swedish Julotta in Portland, Oregon

The Scandinavian community came together early Christmas morning to celebrate Julotta services in Swedish 

  • Pastors Melinda Wagner and Kent Piil

  • The Scandinavian community came together early Christmas morning to celebrate Julotta services in Swedish at First Immanuel Lutheran Church in Portland.
    The Scandinavian Chorus of Portland, conducted by Vance Sele, sang the traditional Julotta-psalm “Var hälsad sköna morgonstund” with text by Johan Olof Wallin; it was among the last hymns added to the 1819 Svensk Psalmbok (Swedish book of Hymns).

  • The Scandinavian Chorus of Portland

  • "Var hälsad sköna morgonstund. Som av profeters Helga mun.
    Är oss bebådad vorden! Du stora dag, du sälla dag,
    På vilken himlens välbehag, Ännu besöker jorden!
    Unga sjunga med de gamla, Sig församla jordens böner.
    Kring den störste af dess söner."

  • Portland Lucia with her maidens

  • After the singing we had the Responsive reading led by the lector and liturgist, Elisabeth Mendenhall, ending with: “As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever and ever, Amen.”
    The Prayer of the Day, in Swedish, was led by the guest pastor, Kent Piil, and was followed by Trosbekännelsen:
    “Vi tro på Gud Fader allsmäktig, himmelens och jordens skapare.…”
    A visit by our Lucia and her court added more light to the early morning, and we were sent off by pastors Melinda Wagner and Kent Piil with the traditional blessing, “Välsignelsen.”

  • Lector and liturgist, Elisabeth Mendenhall

  • "Herren välsigne er och bevare er.
    Herren låte sitt ansikte lysa över er och vare er nådig
    Herren vände sitt ansikte till er och give er frid.
    I Faderns, Sonens och den helige Andes namn,
    Amen."

  • Visiting pastor Kent Piil

  • The Scandinavian Chorus sang several traditional Christmas songs:
    Det är en ros utsprungen (1937 Swedish psalmbok, nr 51)
    När juldags morgon glimmar (1986 Swedish psalmbok, nr 121)
    O du saliga, o du heliga (1937 Swedish psalmbook, nr 53)
    First Immanuel Lutheran Church, www.firstimmanuelluth.org
    Scandinavian Chorus of Portland, info@portlandscandinavianchorus.com
    New Sweden Cultural and Heritage Society, www.newsweden.org

  • First Immanuel Lutheran Church

  • Submitted by Leif Rosqvist