- Norwegian Seamen's Church, San Pedro
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Norwegian Seamen's Church, San Pedro entryway
A ship hangs from the rafters of interior with nautical themed stained glass windows in background
InteriorThe Norwegian Seamen's Church (Norwegian: Den norske sjømannskirke) is a Norwegian Church Abroad that doubles as the Church of Sweden Los Angeles (Swedish: Svenska kyrkan Los Angeles), also known as the Swedish Seamen's Church. It is located in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles, California[1][2][3] 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.[4] It opened in 1946 and in 1951 moved to its present location at 1035 South Beacon Street.[5] The building cost $80,000 to complete.[6] Since 1952 there has also been a Swedish staff at the church,[7] and a Swedish service takes place once every month.[5] Lutheran baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals are performed at the Norwegian Seamen's Church,[7] but priest Gisle Meling says the church is open to everyone and not only to Lutherans.[8]
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.[7][9] The church gets visits from around 160 Norwegian ships every year, often with one to fifteen Norwegian crew members per ship.[8]
The Norwegian Seamen's Church, which attracts around 15,000 visitors each year,[7] is also visited by Norwegian descendants living in the area,[10] 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.[8] The church has regular contact with 500–1,000 families, and sends its newsletter to around 2000 families.[8] There is a school at the church where adults and children can learn Norwegian.[8][11]
References
- ^ Steven Valenzuela, Charles Gillingham, Garth Wasson, Monica Alvarez, Richard Henry (1976). Perpetual wave. http://books.google.com/books?id=gC0cAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Norwegian+Seamen%27s+Church%22+%22san+pedro%22&dq=%22Norwegian+Seamen%27s+Church%22+%22san+pedro%22&lr=&ei=_BhOS4CRNaegygShydGIDA&cd=17.
- ^ "Drømmen om California" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 2008-04-26. http://www.aftenposten.no/reise/article2390691.ece. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ^ "Sandnessjøen - Hawaii via Hollywood" (in Norwegian). Helgelands Blad. 2008-11-06. http://www.hblad.no/nyheter/article194363.ece. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ^ "Around the world - Around our town". The Beacon News (Aurora, Illinois): p. D2. 1999-01-06.
- ^ a b Winquist, Alan H.; Rousselow-Winquist, Jessica (2006). "The West". Touring Swedish America: Where to go and what to see. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 366. ISBN 9780873515597. http://books.google.com/books?id=W5E8Ly58SQ0C&pg=PA366&dq=%22Norwegian+Seamen%27s+Church%22+%22san+pedro%22&ei=WhdOS97fKpS-ywTG6anwCw&cd=4#v=onepage&q=%22Norwegian%20Seamen%27s%20Church%22%20%22san%20pedro%22&f=false.
- ^ Concordia Theological Seminary (1950). CTM.. 21. Concordia Publishing House. p. 629. http://books.google.com/books?id=D8YTAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Norwegian+Seamen%27s+Church%22+%22san+pedro%22&dq=%22Norwegian+Seamen%27s+Church%22+%22san+pedro%22&lr=&ei=_BhOS4CRNaegygShydGIDA&cd=16.
- ^ a b c d "The Norwegian Church in Los Angeles/San Pedro". Sjømannskirken. http://www.sjomannskirken.no/hoved.aspx?m=3110. Retrieved 13 January 2010.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e "Mer enn prest i LA" (in Norwegian). Avisa Nordland. 2006-12-22. http://www.an.no/nyheter/article2486200.ece. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
- ^ Augustana annual: yearbook for the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod. Augustana Book Concern. 1960. http://books.google.com/books?q=%22The+Swedish+Church+has+two+seamen%27s+%22&btnG=Search+Books.
- ^ Ernest Marquez, Veronique De Turenne, Geraldine Knatz (2008). Port of Los Angeles: An Illustrated History from 1850 to 1945. Angel City Press. p. 166. http://books.google.com/books?q=%22still+center+their+life+around+the+Norwegian+Seamen%27s+Church%22&btnG=Search+Books.
- ^ "Norskundervisning". Sjømannskirken. http://www.sjomannskirken.no/hoved.aspx?m=1270. Retrieved 13 January 2010.[dead link]
External links
Media related to Norwegian Seamen's Church, San Pedro at Wikimedia Commons- Sjømannskirken i Los Angeles/San Pedro (Norwegian)
Coordinates: 33°44′4″N 118°16′51″W / 33.73444°N 118.28083°W
Categories:- 1946 establishments
- Religious buildings completed in 1951
- 20th-century Church of Norway church buildings
- Christian missions to seafarers
- Church of Sweden
- Churches in Los Angeles, California
- Lutheran congregations established in the 20th century
- Lutheran churches in California
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
