In the stone church Ås in Vestre Toten it is dark and cold. Due to the high electricity prices, the Vestre Toten ecclesiastical joint council has seen itself forced to take action. Now they close two out of three churches in the municipality in January, February and March. This means that services, funerals and other activities in the churches will be moved to the church that is kept open. – It is very sad that we have to close. We are depriving people of the opportunity to have ceremonies in their own church, says churchwarden in Vestre Toten Gunnstein Endal. But they are not alone in having to stay closed. CLOSED: In January, Å’s church in Vestre Toten will be closed. PHOTO: FRODE MESKAU / news It hurts to move funerals It is especially painful to have to move funerals and have the ceremony in a foreign church. – People are a bit upset, but they understand that this is necessary to secure our economy, says Endal. Despite the fact that the ceremony must be held in a foreign church, the church warden assures that the coffin will arrive in the right place. But it also leads to additional costs. – When the ceremony is in a foreign church, the coffin must be driven to the burial ground. Fortunately, the funeral parlors help pay those costs, he says. Ingunn Flaskerud is one of those connected to Ås church. She thinks it’s stupid that they can’t keep all the churches open. – We have no relationship with the other churches. I think it’s a shame that they have to close. Diocese director in Hamar diocese Freddy Knutsen says people develop a relationship with their local church, and then it is important for many to have the ceremonies in their church. – We have seen from the past when such measures have been taken that the reaction is perhaps greatest when it affects oneself. When you have a funeral in the church you are used to going to, you find it difficult, says Knutsen. IMPORTANT: Knutsen says that it is important for many to have ceremonies in their church. Photo: Ola Bjørlo Strande / news But the Vestre Toten church joint council sees no other option if they are to manage to get through the year. This church is open in Vestre Toten January: Raufoss church February: Ås church March: Eina church Several people take the same approach The municipalities are responsible for financing the churches. In December, many churches in southern Norway received electricity support from the government to keep the church rooms warm during Christmas. – It gave warm churches before Christmas and we are very happy about that, but now there are no such grants in sight, says Knutsen. He says that a number of municipalities are taking the same action as Vestre Toten now. OPEN: Raufoss church is the only one open in January. Photo: Frode Meskau / news Last year, the churches in Vestre Toten had an electricity consumption of approximately NOK 450,000. This year, the budget is almost 1.2 million, based on forecasts from the municipality. – If we save electricity now and get through the year, then this will work just fine. But there is nothing to go on, says church guardian Gunnstein Endal. Wants maximum price Party leader in FRP Sylvi Listhaug is one of those who reacts to the fact that the churches see no other option than to remain closed. – Many have a close relationship with their local church. It is clear that if you find that you cannot use it for baptisms or funerals, I think it is petty when we live in Norway. incomprehensible: Listhaug thinks it is incomprehensible that no maximum price has been introduced yet. Photo: Reidar Gregersen / news She and the party believe that a maximum electricity price of 50 øre should be introduced, so that all electricity expenses above that amount are reimbursed. – It would solve the problem for private companies, churches, hospitals, and everyone who struggles to pay their electricity bills. Not least ordinary people too, says the party leader. – The municipalities must take responsibility Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe (Sp) says she understands that people react to the churches having to close. RESPONSIBILITY: Toppe says that the law is clear that it is the municipalities’ responsibility to ensure that the churches can stay open. Photo: Morten Waagø / Morten Waagø She says that the government is doing what they can to bring down electricity prices. – We have been clear that we have a clear ambition that the price of electricity should go down, and we will turn over every stone to get it in place. At the same time, she points out that it is the municipalities’ responsibility to finance the church buildings so they can stay open. – I am clear that this is a municipal responsibility, and the municipalities cannot run away from it. Mayor Stian Olafsen in Vestre Toten believes that the municipality has not received the help they need from the state, because they have not been compensated for extra electricity costs. – We are left with less money to spend on the church. We have no reluctance to help, but we are also in a rather demanding situation as a municipality. DEMANDING: Olafsen says that the municipality is in a demanding situation when it comes to finances. Photo: Maria Pedko Lindbäck / news Olafsen says that the municipality has good cooperation with the church. He also says that the churches in Vestre Toten are closed at the request of the joint church councils, and that they did not ask for extra financial support from the municipality. – It is a kind of solution in that everyone tries to take an honest approach to a charity, when everyone actually has financial challenges.
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Churches have to close because of the electricity price – funerals have to be moved – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
