The Lutheran Church of Norway in the next five years will be implementing a plan to enhance the role of the indigenous Sami people in church life. ‘We want Sami church life to be an equal and natural part of the church, and the Church of Norway to be a multicultural fellowship,’ said Jens-Petter Johnsen, director general of the Church of Norway National Council. The Sami are indigenous peoples in northern Norway, Sweden and Finland, and on the Kola Peninsula in Russia. There are an estimated 50,000 to 65,000 Sami in Norway, leading their traditional life in rural areas, but also living in Oslo and other cities. The Sami language belongs to the Finno-Ugric family. Ways to enhance the role of the Sami in church life from 2012 through 2016 will be the creation of new posts for pastors, deacons and other church workers, teaching of the Sami language and programs of recruitment, liturgy, Bible translation and church history.

Pray: for a powerful anointing on this initiative and protection for everyone involved in building God’s church in this region. (Ps.65:2)

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