Ruth E. Hetland

November 6, 2014

The Road to Norge

(I’m going to take some time to recount my experiences leading up to and participating in Alt for Norge for any who might care to know about this wonderful journey. Here is my first entry:) I was on a Norwegian Reality Show. I still can hardly believe I did such a fun thing. I hope […]
November 6, 2014

Reformation

For a long time, many years of my ministry, it seemed like the recipe for a good Reformation Sunday sermon was to tell the story about Martin Luther again and again. And it never occurred to me to do anything else until I read an article by a well-respected Lutheran theologian last year who said, […]
November 6, 2014

All Saints

Henry Scott Holland wrote, “Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well. Nothing is hurt. Nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we […]
October 14, 2014

Great Norwegian Adventure!

In case you would like to check out the adventure of a lifetime: NORWEGIAN REALITY TV VIEWERS ARE SO FASCINATED BY AMERICANS THAT WE’RE CASTING SEASON 6 OF ‘THE GREAT NORWAY ADVENTURE’! Chicago’s O’Connor Casting Company is conducting a nationwide casting search for Season 6 of Norway’s #1 Emmy award winning Reality TV show “Alt […]
September 23, 2014

Memories of Parsonage #1

That parsonage was so empty in every way. I sat on the front step the first night and longed for everything I had just left behind. But over time I saw that empty house being filled. Not only as I collected some old furniture from thrift stores – but as God brought me the things […]
August 2, 2014

What is Alt for Norge?

Alt for Norge is a Norwegian television show in which US Citizens who have Norwegian ancestry come to Norway to learn more about Norwegian heritage and history. My “profile video” was just released yesterday and so for the first time I’m really sharing with a lot of my friends from back home and other parts […]
July 23, 2014

Benediction

They sang the closing hymn and gathered in the fellowship hall. One last potluck together. One last time they sang grace gathered around those embroidered table-cloths made by their mothers and grandmothers. One last time they were together under the roof built by their fathers and grandfathers. After one-hundred twenty-five years of ministry, the doors […]
July 22, 2014

Evanescence

It had been a long day. At four a.m. the baby woke up crying. Wintery roads, a day of meetings, and a stunning headache had frayed my nerves. Soon, I could pick up my children from the church nursery and go home. It has been nearly six years now – but I remember the phone […]
July 16, 2014

October Morning

It was a cool October morning when the doctor sat down with my infant son and me in the hospital waiting room. My mother was gravely ill in the Intensive Care Unit. He fumbled with his pen as he explained that she was “a very, very sick lady” and that she probably would not survive. […]
July 13, 2014

This Day

This is the day. It’s the last time the scent of coffee will drift from the kitchen. Never again will you see the baby rub sleep out of his eyes as he sits up in the crib to call for you. Your spouse – with tousled hair – gives you one final good-morning kiss. […]