Augsburg’s Mary Laurel True of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship has a Norwegian sweater with an interesting history. She writes:

Several years ago I bought what I thought might be a Norwegian sweater at Savers second hand store so that I would have appropriate attire for the celebration of Velkommen Jul at Augsburg College.

I wore it a little sheepishly the first year not knowing if the many members of the Augsburg Norwegian community would think that I was foolishly wearing a sweater from the wrong country.

While enjoying some traditional treats of the day, I was approached by one of the long-time Augsburg Associates volunteers, Evie Sonnack, who was looking with amazement at me as she asked, “Where did you get that sweater?” I said that I had bought it in a second hand store in Minneapolis. She happily told me the following story:

Evie’s mother-in-law and her sister were traveling around Norway in 1959 and decided to order handmade matching sweaters. One sweater was for herself, and one was for each of her daughter-in-laws. When Evie’s mother-in-law passed away, she was given her sweater. Evie kept it for several years and then donated it to a thrift shop.

She said that, in fact, the exact sweater that I was wearing was the one that her mother-in-law had ordered on that trip. She was sure of this as it had unusual features that made it easy to distinguish from other Norwegian sweaters of its kind—both had zippers (not pewter clasps) and a very distinct pattern.

The sweater I was wearing had found its way home to the Norwegian college for a Velkommen Jul celebration. I begged Evie to wear her 1959 red, white, and blue sister sweater to Velkommen Jul the next year. She did, and we marveled at the sweater’ reunion to each other after all these years!

Evie (nickname “Inch” because she’s so tiny) is an Augsburg alum 1943. She met her husband, Paul Sonnack ’42 at Augsburg. Paul’s father, Paul Sr. graduated from the Augsburg seminary and college in 1919.

The post The journey of a sweater appeared first on News and Media.

This event takes place in the remarkable neo-Gothic sanctuary of Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis, with a ceiling that soars 65 feet and large stained glass windows similar to those of London’s Westminster Abbey. More than 300 musicians, liturgists and banner carriers will participate in this dramatic and uplifting event.

Seating envelopes are required for the service and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested donations, received at the door, are $10 per person or $25 per family. Non-perishable food donations will be collected before each service for distribution to community food banks. For more information, call 612-330-1265 or visit the Vespers .

Watch the 2009 Vespers on YouTube.

December 2, 2011 at 5 and 8 p.m.

December 3, 2011 at 2, 5, and 8 p.m.

Currently, the 2 and 5 p.m. services on Saturday, December 3 are full. If you wish to be added to a waiting list for either of these services, please contact the Music Office directly at 612-330-1265. You will be notified by Thursday, December 1 if tickets become available.

The post Advent Vespers brings in holiday season with music and liturgy appeared first on News and Media.

This event takes place in the remarkable neo-Gothic sanctuary of Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis, with a ceiling that soars 65 feet and large stained glass windows similar to those of London’s Westminster Abbey. More than 350 musicians, liturgists and banner carriers will participate in this dramatic and uplifting event.

Seating envelopes are required for the service and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested donations, received at the door, are $10 per person or $25 per family. Non-perishable food donations will be collected before each service for distribution to community food banks. For more information, call 612-330-1444 or visit www.augsburg.edu/vespers.

The post Advent Vespers appeared first on News and Media.