13 December 2024 | Helsinki, Finland [Tiina Keronen with tedNEWS]
There was silence in the room as golden balloons floated in the pulpit and stage areas of the Annankatu church in Helsinki. The silence would soon be broken with a resounding “Welcome to NAP!” as the worship leaders welcomed the participants, and the musicians led them in praising God.
From Friday evening, 29 November, to Sunday afternoon, 1 December, Helsinki hosted the Finnish Union’s NAP weekend event. Annually, since the mid-nineties, NAP (an acronym for the Finnish words meaning ‘Young Adult Days’) has brought young adults from all over Finland to encounter God and meet one another. Attendance on Friday night grew from just over sixty to close to two hundred on the Sabbath, with several members of the local international congregation also attending the service.
The grace of God breaks through unexpectedly…
Trans-European Division (TED) Youth director Marcel Ghioalda highlighted several Bible stories in which the grace of God unexpectedly broke through the prevalent circumstances with transformative power into the lives of bible characters. The lives of those who responded to His grace and entered into an intimate relationship with Him were never to be the same.
The response – worship!
With the theme beautifully supported by uplifting music delivered by professional musicians and singers, a song composed for the event by Mikael Takamaa transitioned participants into a worship experience led by Mandi and Veera, worship leaders for the weekend. Gifted musicians created an atmosphere of worship and praise, including a creative illustration by Salla and Henri demonstrating how God is committed to leading and growing those who trust him.
The response – witness!
Sabbath afternoon, the church moved from the sanctuary to the city, to Kolmensepänaukio – known as the Three Blacksmiths statue, the centre point of Helsinki to sing songs, meet people and share warm drinks. Chatting together after the event, there were smiles of joy as participants talked about their encounters of sharing Christ.
The response – communion!
Saturday evening was a time for reflection, focussing on Jesus’ love, grace and servanthood as He served His disciples by washing their feet. Reflection led to communion – serving each other in the washing of feet and collectively experiencing the grace of God.
The response – fun!
Adapting the Finnish TV series Amazing Race, participants divided into half a dozen teams for a couple of hours on Sunday morning and raced around a cold Helsinki, competing against each other to complete pre-assigned tasks. The result – warm soup required for all!
What made NAP ’24 special?
Filled with connection, inspiration, and meaningful encounters, two young adults shared their impressions of the event:
“NAP was a warm event where you could meet people and make new friends. I heard good talks that were thought-provoking and made me reflect.”
“The event had an interesting speaker and good workshops—at least the ones I attended. I’m not sure what I’d change. I found it more meaningful to participate as a volunteer than as a regular participant.”
Ghioalda, reflecting on what he experienced over the weekend, commented, “It was amazing to listen to the testimonies of our youth and see how God leads them and how they respond to Him. Their passion for reaching out to those who need to hear about God is contagious: from Abie, who literally saved her friend’s life, to Rebekka, who uses her time waiting at the bus stop and commuting on the bus to share about God. I want to thank Tiina Keronen and her team, who did an incredible job organising NAP ’24. Their tireless commitment to serving Finnish youth is a true blessing.” Ghioda continued, “I also very much agree with a comment I heard that this year’s NAP was not just an event but a space for lives to be touched, friendships to be formed, and faith to be deepened.”
It takes a team!
Making this year’s NAP a successful event resulted from numerous volunteers giving their time and talents. “From safeguarding to homemade food, from coordinating accommodation to running the technical equipment, from organising and running the event to making the necessary arrangements for a meaningful communion service, the volunteers did an awesome job,” said Tiina Keronen (Finnish Union Young Adult director). Referencing the words of Peter, Keronen continued, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10) wishing to give a warm thank you to every volunteer and participant. Summing it up, Keronen concluded, “We experienced moments of grace during the weekend, both together and individually.”
Featured image and photos: Ronja Saarinen.
