Dear members and friends,
We want to assure you that we take the health and well-being of our community very seriously. Like you, we’re closely monitoring the quickly developing effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will practice social distancing. We have temporarily cancelled our church service and events to make sure that everybody is safe.
We will miss seeing you in person, but we will try to bring you online events such as live online church services. Please check back for more information about upcoming online events.
You can also find us on our social channels to keep updated. Our newsletter will continue to be sent out to our members as usual. If you need someone to talk to, please let us know. We are all in this together.
Contact us if you would like to get in touch. link to contact form If you would like to become a member and receive our newsletter, you can sign up here. link to membership application
Church on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCINWDC/
Norwegian Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NoSoDC/
Twitter: @nosodc
Instagram: @nosodc
For more information about COVD-19 and what you can do to keep healthy and safe, visit the Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov or your local health department’s website.
NOSOKIRKEN Board
This past week saw a historic first – an all-women delegation in the UN General Assembly Hall!
Pictured are Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide and UN ambassador Mona Juul, with parliamentarians Liv Signe Navarsete, Ingjerd Schou and Linda H. Helleland.
The #GlobalGoals, agreed by all countries at the UN, aim to achieve gender equality by 2030.
Source and photo:
United Nations on Facebook
Effective February 1, 2019, two well-managed and historic organizations have merged to form NORWEGIAN SOCIETY AND CHURCH SERVICE WASHINGTON, D.C., INC. The two organizations enjoyed a close relationship for several years and had many of the same members. Many of the leaders were serving in both organizations, and there were overlapping social activities. In fact, the organizations have been sharing the same web site for several years. It was time to take the next step and have the two organizations work together as one.
The combined vision for the new organization is to be the first choice for a cultural meeting place in the Washington, D.C. area. The mission of the organization is to create a place for people interested in Norway, to promote strong cultural ties across the Atlantic Ocean, and to offer Norwegian Church Services in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in close cooperation with the Church in New York.
The programs of the newly merged organization will be managed by two committees — one for church services and one for educational, cultural, and social activities — organized under a single Board of Directors with common support functions such as Secretary, Treasurer, Communication Director and Membership Development Director, all coordinated by the President and Vice President. Norwegian Society Past President Lasse Syversen will serve as President; Aleksander Marthinussen will be Vice President and Chair of the Church Committee, and Zachary Jenkins will be the Chair for the Society Committee. Alfred Dennis has become the Corporate Secretary, and Anne Eason is the Treasurer. Inger Dreng will serve as Communication Director. These three bring a wealth of experience to these positions as they have served both organizations in the past. Ms. Dreng most recently served as Norwegian Society President. Membership Development Director, Torunn Meighan, comes to Norwegian Society and Church Service Washington, DC, Inc. from outside bringing fresh ideas and important skills to attract new members. “We believe the new combined organization will be stronger and better equipped for the future of becoming the center for Norwegian culture in our area,” said President Lasse Syversen.
Keep your eyes peeled for a familiar Norwegian face on or around January 10 when Prime Minister Erna Solberg will be visiting Washington D.C.!
In a recent press release from The White House, we learned the following:
President Donald J. Trump will welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the White House on January 10, 2018. President Trump looks forward to exchanging views on the bilateral ties between the United States and Norway, and how jointly to advance regional and global security, and economic prosperity. The President and Prime Minister will discuss shared defense and security goals within NATO and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, as well as trade and investment between the United States and Norway.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
In November, 2017, we learned about President Trump’s nomination of Kenneth J. Braithwaite of Pennsylvania to become the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Norway. As of December 21, 2017, his nomination has been confirmed by the Senate.
The incoming Ambassador is a distinguished 27-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserve. He currently serves as Group Senior Vice President for Vizient, a health care company. He completed his military service in 2011 as the Navy’s Vice Chief of Information. Prior to that role, he served as Commanding Officer, Joint Public Affairs Expeditionary Support Element (Reserve), Joint Forces Command, deploying to Pakistan as the overall Director of Strategic Communications supporting the work of the American Embassy.
After almost a year without an Ambassador at the US Embassy in Oslo, it is good to know that the process had been swift this time. There is still no word about the expected date the new Ambassador will arrive in Oslo. We will keep you posted.
Photo credit: US Navy
When Norwegian Society decided to create a new web site in cooperation with the Norwegian Church Service in Washington, DC last year, we were very lucky to find an able and willing sponsor in NorHouse. Creating a functional web site for two organizations is no small task and also very expensive – enter NorHouse, an Internet department store specializing in Norwegian and Scandinavian food and gifts for the American market, with a long and successful story. In fact, NorHouse celebrates 20 years of catering to Norwegian and Scandinavian needs in the US this year and sponsoring our new web site is their way of saying thank you to all their loyal customers in the Norwegian community.
It all started back in Norway in 1997. At the time, Internet shopping was a new concept and when Microsoft learned of the project in Oslo where NorHouse tried to create a Virtual Mall (several merchants/online stores gathered in one place) to reach the American market, they created the software needed to launch the concept. SND (now Innovation Norway) and NorHouse traveled the country to find other merchants to participate in the project. Over time, cooperation became quite a challenge, and NorHouse became a “department store”.
Many of you may recall NorHouse’s participation in the Christmas festivities held at Union Station in the late 90s where they also opened a regular store. After 9/11, the physical store was closed, but NorHouse is nevertheless going strong online. Take a look at their web site to see all the goodies they currently offer: http://www.norhouse.com/
Some of their most popular items are Norwegian chocolate, Arctic caviar, fish, cheese, and a variety of gift items. They also have special offers to companies who buy large quantities of food for exhibitions and special events such as marinated and smoked salmon.
In the following months, NorHouse has a special offer for us as well:
All Norwegian Society members will receive a 15% discount for all orders of $25
or more this season– just enter coupon code NOSO17 when you check out.
You will also find a direct link to NorHouse on our new web site: https://www.nosodc.org/
We wish Norhouse a very Happy 20th Anniversary!
The Norwegian singer/songwriter Susanne Sundfør will be at The Hamilton in DC on November 6.
Get your tickets at http://live.thehamiltondc.com/event/1530000/?utm_source=fb1
For a sample of her songs/music, search for her on YouTube.
Here is a link to a song called “White Foxes”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCIaj-oLi28&list=RDEMz71SLOqrVLgAQ9twuRKSaQ&ab_channel=SusanneSundf%C3%B8r
Photo credit: live.thehamilton.co
Friday 06 October 2017 – Sunday 08 October 2017
All Things Go Fall Classic 2017
Union Market, Washington, DC, US
Featuring Norway native, Magnus August Høiberg, who is widely recognized as the DJ and producer, Cashmere Cat, and has made quite an impression in the EDM scene since 2006.
Also meet young, up-and-coming Norwegian electronica artist Bearson, Jakob Bjørn-Hansen from Oslo.
Get your tickets online: https://www.allthingsgofallclassic.com/tickets/
For all Munch aficionados, visit this fabulous exhibition at the National Gallery of Art!
September 3, 2017 – January 28, 2018
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
West Building, Ground Floor – Gallery 22
Free
For more information:
https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/exhibitions/2017/edvard-munch-color-in-context.html