January 24, 2006

OSLO, Norway/GENEVA – Fifteen years ago Katrine Bratane was treated at Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital (SRH) in Nesodden outside Norway's capital city, Oslo. Since 16 January 2006 she is back there, but this time round as the first woman in the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway (ELFCN) to work as a hospital chaplain.

"I've been dreaming of a job like this for a long time and I'm so grateful for this opportunity. In this line of work you meet people in a very fragile period of their lives, and you can show them that there is hope," 26-year-old Bratane told Budbaereren, the ELFCN bi-weekly newspaper.

Her January 22 ordination in Oslo was also a first in the ELFCN, which amended its constitution in July 2005 to allow the church and its congregations to call women for ordination as pastors or elders. Four to five other women will be ordained in the first half of 2006.

The over 21,000-member ELFCN holds full membership in the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) since September 2005. It was an associate LWF member church since 1997.

Strengthening Diaconal Ministry

"I was surprised when the synod board contacted me with the job offer, but it's great that the Free Church also focuses on diaconal ministry now," Bratane said of the call to serve in part-time position at the hospital, where she also spent four weeks as an intern during her theological studies.

The synod board was unanimous about hiring Bratane, a member of Kraftverket congregation. "For a long time we have wanted to strengthen our diaconal ministry," said ELFCN Synod President, Rev. Arnfinn Loeyning. "Bratane is an amazing gift to our church. It was exciting to present her with the opportunity to work as a hospital chaplain – talk about fitting right in. We really feel that she does," added Loeyning, who led the ordination service.

Pastoral Role an Advantage

At the age of eleven, Bratane was paralyzed from the shoulders down after she was hit by a truck while horse riding. In 2002, she won a historic victory in the case against her insurance company, enabling her to meet financial requirements for the help she needs on a daily basis.

The SRH chaplain feels her situation – getting around in a wheelchair, needing assistance with everything – might be an advantage in her new workplace. "I have had my share of hardships, and therefore I think I have an advantage. People can see that I haven't just cruised through life without problems. But as a pastor I have to consider each individual and see how I can help them," she added.

As hospital chaplain, Bratane's responsibilities include patient counseling, and being available for patients who want to talk about their situation.

Established in 1954 as a university hospital for rehabilitation, the SRH is a 128-bed specialized health institution providing different kinds of comprehensive and multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs for patients who have suffered complex injuries following accidents, or after strokes. (511 words)

Lutheran World Information
By Ingunn O. Mercer, ELFCN information department.