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| Newly ordained deacon Linda Jele with her parents, Moses and Eivor - and me. |
This
weekend I represented Church of Sweden Institute for pastoral Education at the ordination
of one deacon and five priest in Luleå Diocese, in the north of Sweden. I have
taught a few of them. Among them the deacon, Linda Jele. Her father is from
Machadodorp (eNtokozweni) in Mpumalanga, South Africa. I was very happy to be
able to greet him in IsiZulu. His name is Moses Jele and he comes from the
Swedish Alliance Mission. He has lived in Sweden many years but was back in South
Africa a few years as Rector of the Phumelela Bible College (PBC) in White River. We know quite a lot
about the Swedish Alliance Mission (SAM) after our ten years in Aneby (in the south
of Sweden). A close relative of our daughter’s best friend had been a missionary
of the SAM to South Africa. Her name is Barbro Fritz. So I was aware that the
SAM operated in that part of South Africa. Today the PBC is run by the Alliance
Church in South Africa (TACSA).
Linda Jele has already worked a few years in Piteå Parish. I lived in that Parish when I was younger. From 1970-73 I attended school in Långträsk. Grade 4-6. Linda will now continue her work as an ordained deacon.
Linda Jele has already worked a few years in Piteå Parish. I lived in that Parish when I was younger. From 1970-73 I attended school in Långträsk. Grade 4-6. Linda will now continue her work as an ordained deacon.
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| Tommy, Joel, Rebekca, Bishop Hans Stiglund, Johannes, Linda and Gustav. |
Luleå Diocese
also got five new priests. One of them, Joel Wadström, will work within the
Swedish Evangelical Mission (SEM) an independent organization within the
Church of Sweden. The others will work within different parishes of Luleå Diocese, Church
of Sweden. One of them, Rebecka Folkesten, studied at Johannelund School of Theology. Johannes Lindsund studied at our institute, on our campus in Lund, in the south of Sweden. Gustav Frosteblad
and Tommy Persson were two of my students at our institute in Uppsala.
I enjoyed
being part of this joyous occasion. In two weeks’ time I will participate in an
ordination service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA). Will I then meet someone from Luleå?
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| In Luleå Cathedral I always make a stop at the triptych by Mats Risberg: Tree of life (sometimes called: Our neighbour in the world). The artist was inspired by Matthew 25:40. And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ |
Interesting. My Grandfather arrived in Lauencomarques in 1912 with 3 other missionaries. They bought an ox wagon and proceeded to lowveld towns. Gideon Wikstrom remained in Barberton where he built a church and home and focused on the surrounding African communities, mostly Swazi speaking people. He then spent years in white river. He returned to Barberton several times. In about 1965 his church property was rezone a white area only and he was forced to sell the property to a white church congregation. Unbelievable today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. That sounds so interesting. And as you say it is unbelievable today what happened. I try to google the name of your Grandfather and get an impression that he was part of the Swedish Holiness mission.
ReplyDeleteGood morning from South Africa - I was born in Piteå and my father came from Luleå. Mom and Dad where missionaries to South Africa with SKM. Would love to share some memories. Your being ordained in Luleå is like a full circle. Would love to share!!! lennarte@iafrica.com Warm wishes, Lennart Eriksson
ReplyDeleteDear Lennart,
ReplyDeleteI will send an email.
Anders