Somerniemi Church and the Meaning of Life



Somerniemi Church



If you have clicked onto this title thinking that maybe I have the answer to this question, then I must apologise. I don't. But I was wondering about this question yesterday in Somerniemi... and without mentioning any names, I know I am not the only one.



Yesterday afternoon I sang with the Three Times Choir (KKK) as part of the afternoon mass in Somerniemi Church.  I have always enjoyed singing (even though I don't do it very well), and there is something special about singing in a choir. Together you produce a sound which no-one could possibly make on their own, and for the time that you are singing you feel as though you are part of something bigger.  

Having spent most of my life in the UK, there are obviously many cultural differences between Finland and where I grew up, but for me personally I think the biggest cultural difference has been the atmosphere at church. I don't mean that as a criticism - not at all - it is just very different here to what I was used to when I went to church in the UK. I went to a Church of England church in the north of the country, where the services were very relaxed and informal and everyone talked to everybody else whether they knew each other or not.  Here, even though I would like to talk to people, I feel as though I am expected to keep quiet - and that feels very different to me. I found myself yesterday at times not understanding what was going on or what I was supposed to do next. Thankfully Ruut, my fellow soprano (and someone who can sing), kindly looked after me and showed me what I needed to do and when.



Saara Roto

For those of you who have never seen the church in Somerniemi it is definitely worth a visit. It is a pretty little yellow wooden church which was built in 1813 and stands on the banks of Lake Painio. On Christmas Eve, when the whole cemetery was lit up by candles, the scene was absolutely stunning.





The service was held by Saara Roto, who in her sermon mentioned that most people nowadays find that at some point in their lives they are searching for something. I couldn't help thinking how right she was. Through my many conversations with people over the years, and now in talking to people in Somero for this blog, I know that no matter where we come from, we are all troubled by the same questions, even if we look at them from different angles. What is life about?  What are we all doing here? Is there anything waiting for us at the end? Like you, I know both people who have a total conviction in a Higher Power and others who are equally convinced there is nothing out there at all. I count as close friends people in both groups.

So once again, for those of you, like me, who are still turning these immortal questions over in your heads, I am sorry I can't provide the definitive answers.  All I can do is reassure you that you are not alone! And at the very least, I know we had help from a Higher Power for at least part of the service yesterday. At the end of mass we suddenly started singing a piece at least three notes higher than we had practised it.  Believe me, the top notes were so high, the sopranos would not have made it to the end without some kind of divine intervention!

I love coincidences, so I was very pleased just as I was writing about Somerniemi to get a mail from Susanna who lives there.  Thank you Susanna - you brightened up the day, and I look forward to joining you at the Somerniemi theatre in the summer! Perhaps we will find the meaning of life there...who knows?