Tuesday I went away to Åfjord for a few days. For work. I went there with my bishop on something we in the church of Norway calls "visitation". The bishop visits the congregations in the diocese from time to time, stay there almost a week and have a very tight program. We visit churches, schools, kindergartens, home for old people, community centers and so on. Very interesting, and very tiresom. When I go with the bishop on these visitations it is my job to write the so called protocol.
In Åfjord there are two churches. The one in the picture is an old one, I am not sure if I remember corr
ect, but I think it was built in the 18th century some time. It is called Stoksund kirke (church) and is situated far out on the western coast of Norway. We had two services there, one with school children, and one open for everybody. After one of the services we went out on Stokkø
ya, the Stokkøya Island for dinner and a meeting with the voluntairs in the congregation. The menue consisted of baccalao made of local dried fish. Very tasty.
At 4pm every day the Norwegian Coastal Line passes Stokkøya. 
It is a must to see when you are therem, and we went out of course, in very wet and cold weather. There is a new bridge between Stokksund and Stokkøya, and it was a very special exparience to
be on top of the bridge with the ship passing under us. It was so close we could almost talk with the passengers. The church warden called the captain on the ship to tell him that the bishop was on the bridge, and the ship honked to us. I have been a passenger myself on the coastal line just at this place, very spectacular.
If you ever think about visiting Norway the Coastal Line is a perfect way of travelling.
Delicious meals are an important part of a visitation. The first night we had dinner in a small and very old farm where the church warden now live. The church warden had been out early that morning to get fresh water trouts for us. They were delicious. And for dessert we got cloudberries picked last fall on the nearby mountain.
At this farm the previous owner had started to make a farm chapel. Unfortunately he died recently without finishin
g the chapel, but the family has already planned how to finish it without him. The owner had big plans for the decorations of the chapel, big painted panels with paintings for the Bible history. He managed to finish 15 of the paintings, and the remaing 15 his 15 grandkids will finish. In the photo you can see the church warden and the bishop, and a few of the finished panels.
On Sunday I and the bishop are going back to Åfjord, then just for the day. For a service and a visitation meeting afterwards.
