Pastor's corner:

A word buried in the history books was chosen as the word of the year 2020 in Denmark. The word is "samfundssind," and like "hygge," it is a Danish word that is difficult to translate into English. But maybe it is a word English speaking people need to know because it had a big impact in sharing light and hope in dark times. 

It was the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen who re-introduced the word "samfundssind" in March 2020 at the beginning of the Pandemic. The word is about putting the good of the greater society above your own personal interests. Since then, this word has played a vital role in Denmark´s response to the Pandemic, and I think it can be a great inspiration for us here in Canada - and the rest of the world. 

Samfundssind is a compound noun of 'samfund' (society) and 'sind' (mind). It dates back to 1936 and was used in a call for solidarity at the outbreak of World War II. After that, the word was not used a lot until it came back on everybody's lips in March 2020. At that time, the Danish prime minister called upon the Danes to show "samfundssind," meaning two things: collective responsibility and community spirit.

Living in multicultural Canada but still having strong roots in Denmark, my New Year's wish for 2021 is that we in Canada and the rest of the world would learn the word "samfundssind" from the Danes. Like "Hygge" samfundssind is about relations. It is a way to be a part of the society you live in, respecting your neighbour through your actions and behaviour.

I believe that having “samfundssind” is a way of vaccinating the world against the hopeless sides of the Pandemic. By showing and doing "samfundssind," we share light in the darkness. So let us meet the new year with "samfundssind."

Happy New Year - and God Bless you.
Pastor Simon 

Read an interesting article about Samfundssind from BBC and in New York Post..