News from Jakobskirken 05/26
- carrielautrup2
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Initial greeting
Summer is just around the corner. For the Jakobskirken, that means Summer Camp, St. Hans, open gardens and just a little more rome in our calendars. Summer often provides an opportunity for rest, reflection and meeting new people.
At Jakobskirken, we are spending the month of June delving into a topic that has been part of our identity since the beginning: the Holy Spirit. Based on Acts 1:8, we are investigating how the Holy Spirit empowers us: He saves us, transforms us, and equips us to be Jesus' in our everyday lives.
It feels especially relevant right now. In a short time, Jakobskirken will celebrate its 100 year jubilee. For almost a century, people in this congregation have sought to follow Jesus, listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and bring the gospel to new generations. We stand on the shoulders of those who went before us, but we are also helping to write the next chapter ourselves.
When we read about the early church in Acts 2, we see people who devoted themselves to fellowship, prayer, the breaking of bread, and the apostles’ teaching. They were not perfect people, but they were people who were shaped and led by the Spirit of God. This is also our prayer for Jakobskirken today.
May the summer be a time of both rest and renewal. May we experience growth in our fellowship, hear God's voice more clearly, and be strengthened for the service He calls us to.
We wish you all a very good and blessed summer.
Upcoming Activities
News from management
Parish Council/Practical Team (meeting May 27, 2026 ) :
Finances. The parish council is closely monitoring the finances. Gifts and tithes are still slightly below budget, so we will keep an eye on developments in the coming months.
At the same time, Patrick and Hans continue to hand over the treasurer's duties, ensuring a smooth and safe transition.
The construction project. ·We are still waiting for the building permit before we can start the next phase of the construction project. In the meantime, we continue to work on the practical tasks that we can solve ourselves.
We have completed the water drainage around the building, are continuing to work on the drainage solutions and have ordered new chairs for the church hall. We are also purchasing a new freezer for the kitchen area. We look forward to taking the next step in the project as soon as the authorities give the green light.
New chairs have been ordered for the hall.
Church services and fellowship. · We will not hold a church service on July 5th, as many are participating in Summer Camp.
The Portuguese and Spanish services will continue for the rest of the year. We experience joy in being able to bring people together across languages and cultures, and we continue to develop this work.
Building and facilities. Work on the building continues:
Temporary kitchen nearing completion
A room is prepared for the next phase
Work is continuing on solutions so that the project can be completed.
We are still waiting for the building permit and the next step in the process.
Next practical team meeting: June 29, 2026.
Service Team (meetings May 16 and June 15, 2026) :
Grace at the center. At the meeting, Alberto took Romans 5:8 as his starting point and reminded us that all people need God's grace.
We talked about how we as leaders and congregations can help people draw closer to Jesus. Our words, actions, and attitudes should invite people closer to God – not create distance.
We continue to want to build a church where grace, love and salvation are at the center.
Discipleship. Several in the congregation continue to try out the Safar app as an aid to Bible reading and discipleship. The app supports conversations between people and encourages face-to-face gatherings around God's word.
Congregational camp. We are building on the good experiences from last year and at the same time want to give more space to worship, reflection, prayer and spiritual fellowship. There will be workshops on giving and service as well as a worship evening and devotions. The children will have a full morning program. We will also use the camp to look forward to the congregation's 100th anniversary and talk about how we can help shape the future together.
Teaching and sermon series. The ministry team is currently working on several upcoming teaching courses. All titles are under development and may be called something else.
o In the fall, we are planning the series "Engaged", where we focus on service, gifts of grace and involvement in the life of the congregation.
o Later, the series "Revelation" will follow, which will be about the Bible and our foundation of faith.
o In 2027, we are planning the series "Beloved", which is based on salvation and God's grace.
Foundation of Faith. The statement of faith has been written. It needs to be proofread before a lesson is built. And it needs to be rewritten so that it can be more readable on the website.
Children and youth. · The church's youth are busy with many things – and changes are happening after the summer holidays.
Sofus becomes a paid Children & Youth coordinator, and Fiorella continues as a youth leader, now with a salary. Ester takes over the leadership of the Children's Church as a volunteer.
In addition, we have 3 of our young people who are currently planning to attend Bible school. Nathali and Julie are attending Mariager College and Kaleb is attending Acts Academy.
We believe that children and young people are an important part of the church's present and future, and we look forward to seeing them develop in the coming time.
Next service team meeting: after the summer break
Meet your congregation!
Simone Brinch Giversen
Name: Simone Brinch Giversen
Age: 28 years
How long have you been coming to church?
I was raised in the church (April 1998) and had natural breaks such as going to boarding school and Euroclass. For a few years my family and I were briefly part of the Pentecostal Church, but have returned home and we are very happy with that decision.
Family:
Happily married to Kevin and have two beautiful children, Felix and Frida.
Where do you serve in the church?:
I have previously been a children's worker in both the children's church, Rock Solid and most recently I have been involved in worship. Currently, I am not in ministry, but look forward to getting back into it.
The Bible and Simone:
The parable of the lost sheep is definitely one of the favorites. Many people love this parable because it shows the heart of Jesus:
He sees the individual.
He does not give up on the one who has lost his way.
He is looking for the lost.
He is happy when the found object comes home.
It is a beautiful picture of Jesus not just finding the lost sheep – he carries it home.
This is what's on my mind right now:
I find that God is reminding me to take one day at a time and trust that He will lead me on the right paths.
A word to the congregation:
You are you and you are valuable, and you fit perfectly into God's plan.
Reminder: God has already won, so give it a go and praise Him.
Tips and tricks...
When you're on the plan but can't serve that day...
If you are scheduled in the Planning Center but cannot serve, you have the responsibility to find a replacement, for example by asking someone else if you can swap "shifts". If this is not possible, remember to report back to the team leader and tell them who you asked so they don't ask the same people again.
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