The Parish of Döderhult is part of the Church of Sweden and is on the edge of the town of Oskarshamn in the south east of Sweden. The links between our two parishes have grown over the years and have brought us to a real feeling of "being together" ... in a unique way. We are each part of the universal Church, seeking to follow Christ's command "to make disciples of all the nations", and we support one another in our mission. The links were further strengthened through the Porvoo agreement - the document agreed between some Provinces of the Anglican Communion and some Lutheran Churches.

The Scottish Episcopal Church was the first Province in the Anglican Communion to accept the agreement, and the Church of Sweden was amongst the first of the Lutheran Churches. Both St Michael's and the Parish of Döderhult are however rightly proud of the fact that the links between the two congregations pre-date the Porvoo agreement by many years ... and are quite independent of the agreement. We are simply two parishes who felt in a very special way that they belonged together and expressed their Christian Faith in similar ways.

This procession in Döderhult (left) shows the banner of Our Lady being carried by Deaconess Gertrud Lindholm ... followed by the Banner of St Michael the Archangel - a gift from St Michael and All Angels to the Parish of St Peter and St Mary in Döderhult, as a sign of our fellowship on the path that leads us all to Christ. Fr Leif Norrgård can be seen on the right of the picture.

Three Historic Firsts - between Sweden to Scotland

On Wednesday 24 August 1994 in the Parish Church of Döderhult, Fr Leif Norrgård, the Parish Priest, and Fr Len Black, Rector of St Michael and All Angels, Inverness, presided at the Solemn Mass on Feast of St Bartholomew. This took place within hours of the Church of Sweden officially agreeing to accept the Porvoo agreement, making Canon Black the first Anglican priest to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the Church of Sweden following their acceptance of the agreement.

Just over one week later in the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Inverness, at a Mass of St Bridgid of Sweden, history was made again when Fr Leif Norrgård from Döderhult, along with his Bishop - Bishop Jan Arvid Hellstrõm, Bishop of Växjö - were the first Swedish priests to preside at the Holy Eucharist in the Scottish Episcopal Church following their acceptance of the agreement.

The Saturday following, the 3rd October 1994, Bishop Jan Arvid Hellstrõm achieved another first in the annals of church history between Sweden and Scotland when he became the first ever Lutheran Bishop to be one of the Consecrating Bishops a the consecration of an Anglican Bishop - at the consecration of Bishop Gregor Macgregor as Bishop of the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness.

Sadly, the friendship between Bishop Jan Arvid and Bishop Gregor Macgregor came to a sudden and tragic end with the death of Bishop Jan Arvid Hellstrõm in a car crash only months later.

There was however, amongst everyone in Doderhult and at St Michael and All Angels, Inverness, a determination that the links which Bishop Jan Arvid began would not be allowed to grow cold.

Bishop Gregor Macgregor was pleased to accept an invitation from the Diocese of Växjö to be present at the consecration of the new Bishop of the Diocese of Växjö, Bishop Anders Wejryd.

These links between Döderhult and St Michael and All Angels have been strengthened over the years by visits in both directions across the North Sea. On one significant occasion Fr Len Black was present at the re-decication of Växjö Cathedral after its major renovation.

Fr Leif Norrgård, his wife, Gunnel, along with Åke and Gunilla Nordgren and Inez and Lars Klang from the Parish of Döderhult came to Inverness in June 1998 for the occasion of the Silver Jubilee Mass - and the celebration which followed - to mark the 25th anniversary of the Ordination as Priest of Fr Len Black. It was an occasion of great rejoicing, made extra special by the presence of such good friends from Sweden!

Bishop Gregor Macgregor retired due of ill health in December 1998, and sadly died the following year.
Some months later, Bishop John Crook was elected as Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, and an invitation was extended to Bishop Anders Wejryd, Bishop of Växjö. He was unable to be present and nominated Fr Leif Norrgård to represent him at the Ordination of our new Bishop in St Andrew's Cathedral, Inverness, in September 1999.

The links between the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness and the Diocese of Växjö - Växjö stift - continue to grow. In May 2000 Fr Len Black was delighted to host a visit from Kalmar in the Diocese of Växjö of Fr Dag Sandahl who came with a group of eight priests to continue their studies of Celtic Spirituality.

As a result of the links between St Michael's and Döderhult the Highland Scandinavian Association has also developed links! The annual Sankta Lucia Festival is now held in St Michael's on the Sunday nearest the Feast of Sankta Lucia. The legend of Sankta Lucia originated in Italy and is believed to have been brought to Scandinavia by sailors or missionaries. It tells of a maiden from Sicily who around 300 AD died for her faith.

In Sweden the festival honouring St Lucia started as a family tradition when the oldest daughter of a family would rise at dawn on the shortest day of the year (December 13) dressed in a white gown (purity) with a red sash (St Lucia’s blood) and a crown of candles on her head, representing the light of the Christian faith.

In December 2001 Fr Len accepted an invitation from the Parish of Döderhult to be present for their celebration of the First Sunday of Advent which is a very special day in Sweden. Many people attend church where they sing the wonderful Swedish Advent carols and to mark the beginning of this Season of the Church year.