Project Church in Sámiland
We in the Mission Covenant Church want to find forms for being church in a Sámi way, in order to be able to reach out even to Sámi people in a way that recognises and respects their identity, language and culture. We want to do that in the following way:
Develop Sámi ways of having Sunday Service, where the Sámi language has its natural place, but even in other ways giving room for the Sámi culture, e.g. by using Sámi music forms and by the way of decorating the church.
Offering help to local churches that want to work with services and other meetings or in other ways want to reach out to Sámi people. This can be done by having a Sunday service but also by helping to find Sámi materials or by training.
To find or produce materials needed, such as liturgical texts in the Sámi languages, hymns, material for childrens work.
To work on contacts with other denominations which work with Sámi questions, ecumenical organisations and Sámi organisations.
To indentify Sámi who want to become pastors in the Mission Covenant Church.
The project is in line with the Mission Covenant Church's program for mission in Sweden. The project is implemented by the Upper North District of the Mission Covenant Church and its Committee for Sámi Work. The project started 2001 and is planned to go on for some years.