Norwegian Seamen's Church, San Pedro
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Seamen's Church is a Norwegian Church Abroad that doubles as the Church of Sweden Los Angeles , also known as the Swedish Seamen's Church. It is located in the San Pedro
area of Los Angeles, California
and is also part of the Church of Sweden Abroad
(Swedish: Svenska kyrkan i utlandet). A print on the wall of the lounge area shows an architectural painting indicating Kemper Nomland
as the architect.
The Norwegian church was founded by Elbjørg Amundsen Baardsen and her husband Sig. It opened in 1946 and in 1951 moved to its present location at 1035 South Beacon Street. The building cost $80,000 to complete. Since 1952 there has also been a Swedish staff at the church, and a Swedish service
takes place once every month. Lutheran baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals are performed at the Norwegian Seamen's Church, but priest Gisle Meling says the church is open to everyone and not only to Lutherans.
The Norwegian Seamen's Church provides a place for Swedes and Norwegians who are away from the homeland
. Since it is located in a harbor
area, it serves many people involved in the shipping business. The church gets visits from around 160 Norwegian ships every year, often with one to fifteen Norwegian crew members per ship.
The Norwegian Seamen's Church, which attracts around 15,000 visitors each year, is also visited by Norwegian descendants living in the area, and by several of the thousands of Norwegian inhabitants in Los Angeles. The Norwegian Seamen's Church is the closest connection to Norway for many of these people. The church has regular contact with 500–1,000 families, and sends its newsletter to around 2000 families. There is a school at the church where adults and children can learn Norwegian.
San Pedro, Los Angeles, California
San Pedro is a port district of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was annexed in 1909 and is a major seaport of the area...
area of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and is also part of the Church of Sweden Abroad
Church of Sweden Abroad
The Church of Sweden Abroad - in Swedish: Svenska kyrkan i utlandet - is accountable to a special committee under the General Synod of the Church of Sweden and is under the episcopal oversight of the Bishop of Visby. SKUT has approximately 45 congregations throughout the world, concentrated in...
(Swedish: Svenska kyrkan i utlandet). A print on the wall of the lounge area shows an architectural painting indicating Kemper Nomland
Kemper Nomland
Kemper Nomland Jr. was a modernist architect in Los Angeles, California and part of a father-son architectural team with his father Kemper Nomland. He was also a painter and printer of poetry and arts publications....
as the architect.
The Norwegian church was founded by Elbjørg Amundsen Baardsen and her husband Sig. It opened in 1946 and in 1951 moved to its present location at 1035 South Beacon Street. The building cost $80,000 to complete. Since 1952 there has also been a Swedish staff at the church, and a Swedish service
Service of worship
In the Protestant denominations of Christianity, a service of worship is a meeting whose primary purpose is the worship of God. The phrase is normally shortened to service. It is also commonly called a worship service...
takes place once every month. Lutheran baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals are performed at the Norwegian Seamen's Church, but priest Gisle Meling says the church is open to everyone and not only to Lutherans.
The Norwegian Seamen's Church provides a place for Swedes and Norwegians who are away from the homeland
Homeland
A homeland is the concept of the place to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with —the country in which a particular national identity began. As a common noun, it simply connotes the country of one's origin...
. Since it is located in a harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
area, it serves many people involved in the shipping business. The church gets visits from around 160 Norwegian ships every year, often with one to fifteen Norwegian crew members per ship.
The Norwegian Seamen's Church, which attracts around 15,000 visitors each year, is also visited by Norwegian descendants living in the area, and by several of the thousands of Norwegian inhabitants in Los Angeles. The Norwegian Seamen's Church is the closest connection to Norway for many of these people. The church has regular contact with 500–1,000 families, and sends its newsletter to around 2000 families. There is a school at the church where adults and children can learn Norwegian.