Summer services in Perho, Finland in 2005 Flags represent countries where SRK (the central organization of Conservative Laestadians in Finland) or its sister organizations are regularly active The main tent for the services used between 1960–2008 Summer services ( fi, suviseurat, sv, sommarmötet, russian: Большое Летнее Собрание) is the annual meeting of the Finnish Lutheran movement known as Conservative Laestadians. In addition to the primary Finnish gathering, similar meetings are arranged in North America, Sweden and Russia.

Suviseurat in Finland

Summer services (Finnish: Suviseurat) is a large gathering of Laestadians in Finland. The event occurs every year at the end of June. It is organized and hosted by a Finnish Conservative Laestadianism association known as the Suomen rauhanyhdistysten keskusyhdistys (SRK). Summer services are among the most visited Finnish summer festivals and the largest spiritual meeting. Summer services are attended by tens of thousands of visitors from Finland, Russia, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, United States, Canada and many other countries. The number of visitors reaches its peak usually on Saturday night, when the services have 80,000 simultaneous visitors. Summer services take place over the course of four days, usually a Friday through Monday. The program consist mainly of sermons and hymns and songs of Zion. The Summer services areas is about 100 hectares (270 acres). The size of the event requires the need for loudspeakers to carry sermons to all of the listeners. On Saturday

Holy Communion The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...

is offered and in the evening there is a presentation which is mainly for younger listeners. A gathering for pastors is also held during the Summer services. The Summer Services take place in a different location every year. 2020 summer services in Reisjärvi will be 112th in order. Services were held in for the first time in 1906 with

Oulu Oulu ( , ; sv, Uleåborg ) is a city, municipality and a seaside resort of about 210,000 inhabitants in the region of North Ostrobothnia, Finland. It is the most populous city in northern Finland and the fifth most populous in the country after: ...

being the host city. Recently, sermons have been broadcast via the Internet into many languages.

Host cities in Finland

*(†) 1915 summer services in Alakainuu, Sweden were cancelled due to typhoid fever epidemic. *(††) 1941 summer services in Haapajärvi were cancelled due to Continuation War. *(†††) 1944 summer services in Nivala were officially cancelled due to Continuation War. Nevertheless, the cancellation message did not reach everyone and thousands of guests and speakers arrived. Services were held unofficially.

Summer services in North America

Festival gate of Perho summer services in 2005 Summer services in North America are arranged by members of the

Laestadian Lutheran Church The Laestadian Lutheran Church (LLC) is a religious Christian movement, its teachings based on the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions. From June 9, 1973, the organisation was named the Association of American Laestadian Congregations (AALC), ...

. They take place every year during the first weekend of July. They are mostly attended by North American guests, but some guests come from Finland, Ecuador, Togo, and elsewhere. The service schedule consists of devotional speeches and Songs and Hymns of Zion. The purpose of the services is to invite all people to hear the Word of God. The core of the proclamation is the message of Jesus as the redeemer of sins and the call to repentance. 2013 - Deer Park, Washington hosted by Spokane Laestadian Lutheran Church 2014 - Rogers, Minnesota hosted by Rockford Laestadian Lutheran Church 2015 - Outlook, Saskatchewan hosted by Outlook Laestadian Lutheran Church 2016 - Essa Township, Ontario hosted by Toronto Laestadian Lutheran Church 2017 - Howard Lake, Minnesota hosted by Cokato Laestadian Lutheran Church 2018 - Snohomish, Washington hosted by Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church 2019 - Monticello, Minnesota hosted by Rockford Laestadian Lutheran Church 2020 - Loretto, Minnesota hosted by Laestadian Lutheran Church 2021 - Monticello, Minnesota hosted by Laestadian Lutheran Church 2022 - Kelso, Washington hosted by Longview Laestadian Lutheran Church 2023 - Monticello, Minnesota hosted by Monticello Laestadian Lutheran Church 2024 - Monticello, Minnesota hosted by Northern Minnesota Congregations

Sources

External links

{{Commons category, Suviseurat
Official English website of the Finnish Summer Services

Summer Services in North America
Lutheranism in Finland Laestadianism Annual events in Finland Summer events in Finland