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16–21 julY 2024
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LákšjOHkA, TAnA
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ABOUT ArCTiC NOrTH COnFErEnCE
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Arctic North Conference is an annual Christian summer conference held every July in Lákšjohka by the scenic banks of the Tana River in Finnmark, right next to the border of Finland. Since 2014, people from all nations and generations have gathered up north to worship God freely and in community. The conference serves as a meeting point where individuals can be inspired, equipped, and encouraged to live out their faith in the world. There is a particular emphasis on strengthening the Sami identity, including the use of joik and drums during worship. The Sami Indigenous Christian Center led by Arild and Ragnhild Måsø serves as the host for the conference.
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UNIFIED WORSHIP IN FREEDOM
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Our vision is to unite, inspire, and encourage people from different backgrounds and cultures to worship God in their unique way, with their heart language, in freedom and in community.
We dream of a world where individual and cultural freedom flourish, and where each person can find their place in God's kingdom and worship Him with their whole heart. We want to uplift the world's indigenous peoples by showing them the love and power of a faith that embraces and respects their culture and identity. We want to encourage the freedom to be exactly who they are and worship God in their own unique way through the power of Jesus' name.
Together we will build bridges, transform lives, and expand God's kingdom.
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IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES
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ISAIAH 43:5-7
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PSALM 85:9-13
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PSALM 98
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PSALM 100
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JEREMIAH 31:4
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JoiK
/jɔjk/
Joik is the Sami way to desCribe with sound what we see and what we feel in Our heart.
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THE STORY
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On December 16, 1992, the couple Arild and Ragnhild Måsø were driving on the tundra when both suddenly saw a vision through the windshield; it was as if a movie was playing before them. The vision was of a building near the Tana River where people were gathered to receive guidance on preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world, particularly to the world's indigenous peoples. In the vision, they saw themselves teaching these people. Six months later, they moved from Karasjok to Tana. During that time, the couple traveled around the world to preach the gospel to indigenous peoples. Maoris in New Zealand, Indians in Canada, and Inuits in Greenland were among the indigenous groups they visited. After having a home base in Tana for six years, God gave the couple the place He had shown them in the vision on that December day in 1992. On a beautiful day in June 1998, they moved to Lákšjohka. They had been told the place was cursed and that no one had lived there permanently since 1953, but God spoke to them and said that from now on, it would be a blessed place. The couple moved to the idyllic riverbank and built several accommodations and saunas on the site, in addition to their own house. Now they felt a calling to their own people: the Sami people.
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THE START OF ARCTIC NORTH CONFERENCE
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The year was 2012, and Arild and Ragnhild were sleeping on the porch. Suddenly, they were abruptly awakened by God, speaking through Ragnhild, saying: "Start with what you have." The couple felt led by God to organise a conference where Sami and indigenous people could feel free to worship God in their own way. They desired to unite the south and north, east and west in fellowship and praise. Arild and Ragnhild began planning a conference for 2013 and invited friends through Facebook. Five adults and two children came, making a total of seven individuals praising God together.
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THE FIRST OFFICIAL CONFERENCE
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God sent a Sámi woman from Finland, Suvi, to help Arild and Ragnhild. Suvi had worked for God in both Israel and Russia, spoke multiple languages, and was a skilled administrator. Together, they began planning the first official Arctic North Conference to be held in July 2014. Initially, they started out with nothing, but then the phone rang, it was Jorma Lappalainen, a pastor from Finland. He had purchased a tent that could accommodate one thousand people and he kindly donated it to Arild and Ragnhild.
The week before the conference, Arild had a serious heart attack and ended up in the hospital. God protected him, and the day before the conference, he was able to come back home. There were 52 people working to set up the large tent and prepare everything for the conference. People from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Greenland came, and many were touched by God. The conference was a success!
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RECONCILIATION
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Arild had previously traveled to Israel, where pastors and Christian leaders from Norway asked for forgiveness from the Jewish people. After this, God began speaking to him about reconciliation between the Norwegian and Sámi people, Swedes and Sámi people, Finns and Sámi people, and Russians and Sámi people. Therefore, during the very first Arctic North Conference in 2014, a special reconciliation ceremony was held to seek forgiveness and unite the nations.
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SaMI IndigenOus CHRIStIAN CENTER
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Our vision is to make our Sámi identity visible and strengthen it within a Christian context. This means that our language and our singing style, joik, are used in our gatherings. We also aim to produce new Sámi songs and joiks in honor of our Lord and God. Our work includes prayer, meetings, teaching, worship, indigenous mission work, as well as organising conferences, concerts, and camps. Arild and Ragnhild Måsø are the owners and leaders of the center. They have a passionate heart for indigenous peoples and love to see people saved and experience God's goodness. The center is located in Lákšjohka by the banks of the Tana River in Tana municipality, Finnmark.
